When the duty runs hot, polypropylene is the tank material that keeps working after HDPE has run out of temperature.
Industrial Plastics fabricates custom polypropylene tanks (PP-H) from certified virgin sheet, butt and extrusion welded to DVS 2207 and designed to DVS 2205. Polypropylene extends fabricated tank service to about 95 degrees C, which makes it the specification for hot caustic, clean in place, degreasing and process duties that sit beyond HDPE’s envelope. As with all our tanks, geometry, wall thickness and fittings are engineered to your duty, not taken from a mould catalogue.
Polypropylene properties for tank duty
Polypropylene trades a little of HDPE’s low temperature toughness for a substantially higher service ceiling and greater stiffness. DVS 2205 publishes full design curves for PP-H, so hot duty is engineered, not estimated. Below about 5 degrees C impact toughness falls away, which matters for outdoor cold exposure and is part of the selection review.
| Property | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Material | PP-H certified virgin sheet | Supplier certificate with every job |
| Density | approx. 0.91 g/cm3 | ISO 1183 |
| Yield strength | approx. 32 MPa | ISO 527 |
| Continuous service temperature | up to approx. 80 degrees C continuous, 95 degrees C short term, duty specific | DVS 2205 design curves |
| Low temperature limit | Impact toughness reduces below approx. 5 degrees C; selection reviewed for cold exposure | Supplier datasheet |
| Chemical envelope | Hot caustics, detergents and degreasers, dilute to moderate acids, alcohols and many process streams. Not suited to strong oxidisers or chlorinated solvents | SDS review on every quote |
| Welding | Butt and extrusion welding to DVS 2207 by DVS qualified welders | Weld records issued with every job |
| Design life | Engineered to DVS 2205 creep data at the actual operating temperature | DVS 2205 |
If the service is ambient temperature storage, HDPE is usually the more economical selection; if the chemistry is aggressive concentrated acid, PVDF takes over. Send the SDS and operating temperature and we confirm the material, or run your chemistry through the Chemical Compatibility Checker.
What polypropylene tanks are used for
Heat defines the polypropylene tank. Galvanisers and surface treatment plants run PP-H dipping baths for hot caustic degreasers, hot flux and phosphate service to about 95 degrees. Food and beverage plants specify PP-H for hot caustic clean in place tanks, insulated where energy efficiency matters, with FSANZ Standard 1.4.3 applied on food grade plant. Water treatment and industrial process duties use PP-H for hot caustic soda storage (the preferred material above ambient, with a continuous envelope to about 80 degrees), hot process streams in hydrochloric acid service above about 50 degrees, and glycol systems running above 40 degrees continuous.
Designed to DVS 2205, welded to DVS 2207
Hot service is exactly where tank engineering earns its keep, because creep accelerates with temperature. Every polypropylene tank is designed to DVS 2205 with wall thickness calculated at the actual operating temperature and service life, and welded to DVS 2207 by qualified welders. Drawings, weld records and material certificates are issued with every job under our ISO 9001:2015 quality system certified by SGS. Insulation and heating provisions are engineered in where the process requires them.
Sizes and geometry
Polypropylene tanks are built to the same fabricated scope as the rest of our tank work: from 2,000 litres to 110,000 litres plus, in rectangular, cylindrical, conical, sloped base and integrally stiffened geometries. Dipping baths run to 7,500 mm long as a single fabrication, with larger vessels built modular and field welded. Compartments for separate chemistries, sloped self draining floors, overflow channels, integrated bunds and double walled construction are all standard scope.
Frequently asked questions
Temperature decides. HDPE suits ambient service to about 60 degrees C; polypropylene carries hot duty, with a continuous envelope to about 80 degrees and short term service to 95. For ambient storage HDPE is usually the more economical buy, and we will say so.
Polypropylene homopolymer, the stiffest and most creep resistant polypropylene grade and the standard specification for fabricated tanks. We fabricate from certified virgin PP-H sheet with material certificates issued per job.
Yes, that is their signature duty: hot caustic degreasers, hot caustic storage and clean in place service. FSANZ Standard 1.4.3 compliant grades are used on food plant.
Yes, with the selection reviewed for cold exposure, since polypropylene loses impact toughness below about 5 degrees C. Where a tank lives outdoors in cold conditions at ambient duty, UV stabilised HDPE is often the better fit.
Price follows the engineered specification: size, geometry, operating temperature, chemistry and fittings. Send the duty through the quote form and an engineer prices the actual tank.
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Send drawings, a sketch, or a description of the duty. An engineer reviews every enquiry and confirms receipt within one business day.