Engineer-specified plastic tanks for hydrochloric acid (HCl, muriatic acid) storage and dosing service. Industrial Plastics fabricates HDPE and PP-H tanks for HCl with the venting and containment design hydrochloric service requires.
Material selection for hydrochloric acid
Hydrochloric acid handles well in plastic tanks, both HDPE and PP-H have excellent chemical compatibility with HCl across commercial concentrations. The bigger engineering problem with hydrochloric is not the tank itself, it’s the off-gas.
- HDPE (PE100), the default for ambient-temperature HCl service. Handles 32-33% commercial HCl (“muriatic acid”) and lower-concentration dosing solutions reliably for 20+ year service.
- Polypropylene (PP-H), preferred where service runs above ~50°C, or where the HCl is part of a hot-acid process stream.
Send the SDS, the concentration (32-33% commercial HCl is the most common service), the fill cycle, the proximity to corrosion-sensitive plant, and the venting constraints. We confirm material selection, wall thickness per AS/NZS 4766, and the venting/scrubbing/containment design, before fabrication starts. DVS 2207 welders. Documented audit trail.
Off-gas: the engineering problem
HCl off-gases, the vapour pressure means a vented HCl tank releases a continuous low concentration of hydrogen chloride gas through the vent stack. HCl fumes attack everything around them: nearby steel structures, electrical fittings, building cladding, and any unprotected concrete. A poorly-engineered HCl tank doesn’t fail, but it costs the plant operator far more than the tank itself in collateral corrosion.
The right approach: vent stack height and location designed against the prevailing wind and the proximity of corrosion-sensitive plant; scrubbed venting where the off-gas concentration warrants; spill containment on the bund floor with appropriate neutralising arrangements; and corrosion-resistant fittings on everything within the bund. We design and fabricate to this whole containment-and-venting picture, not just the tank.
Common configurations
- Bulk storage, 5,000 to 50,000 L+ in HDPE. Tanker top-fill with manway, vent designed against operating site (height, scrubbing, wind), bottom drain, level instrumentation.
- Day tanks & dosing, 200 to 5,000 L. Water-treatment regeneration service, pH adjustment, mining hydrometallurgy dosing.
- Bunded & vented, primary tank inside HDPE bund sized to AS 1940 / AS/NZS 4766 minimum. Vent sizing and scrubbing engineered to the off-gas problem, not retrofit later.
- Process-stream tanks, PP-H for elevated-temperature HCl in mining hydrometallurgy and chemical processing.
Standards and compliance
- AS/NZS 4766, Polyethylene storage tanks for water and chemicals.
- AS 1940, Bunding, venting and overflow specification.
- DVS 2205 (tank design) and DVS 2207 (welding), welder qualification across HDPE butt welding (DVS 2207-1) and extrusion welding (DVS 2207-11). More on DVS 2207.
- ISO 9001:2015, quality management system certified by SGS.
How we work
The same five step process on every job, from first contact to delivered fabrication.
- Brief and specifications review. Send drawings, specs, an SDS or a written description of the duty. An engineer reviews every enquiry. Site visits by arrangement on confirmed projects.
- Engineering design. Material selection, wall thickness calculations, CAD fabrication drawings, weld plan and inspection and test plan. You sign off the design output before fabrication starts.
- Material procurement. Certified plastic stock, traceable to mill certificates where required.
- Fabrication. Brisbane workshop under ISO 9001 control. Welders qualified to DVS 2207, in-process inspection, pressure or leak testing as applicable.
- Delivery and documentation. Crated, palletised or oversize transport Australia-wide, with on-site fit-up where scope requires. Material certificates, weld records and test results are handed over with the job.
Full detail, including what we need from you to quote and what you receive at handover: How we work
Talk to a fabricator
Considering a rotomoulded alternative? Read why HCl service needs fabricated tanks (rotomoulded comparison), our full engineer-grade comparison.
Frequently asked questions
HDPE is the default for ambient temperature service and handles 32 to 33 percent commercial HCl reliably for 20 plus year service. PP-H is preferred above about 50 degrees or in hot acid process streams.
HCl off gases continuously through the vent, and the fumes attack nearby steel, electrical fittings, cladding and concrete. Vent stack height and location, scrubbed venting where warranted, and corrosion resistant fittings within the bund are designed up front, not retrofitted.
Bulk storage from 5,000 to 50,000 litres plus, day and dosing tanks from 200 to 5,000 litres for water treatment regeneration and mining hydrometallurgy, and PP-H process stream tanks for elevated temperatures.
Yes. Bunds to AS 1940 and AS/NZS 4766 minimums, spill neutralising arrangements on the bund floor, and vent sizing engineered to the off gas problem.
The SDS, concentration, fill cycle, proximity to corrosion sensitive plant and venting constraints.
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Get an engineered quote
Send drawings, a sketch, or a description of the duty. An engineer reviews every enquiry and confirms receipt within one business day.