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Aluminum Chloride Storage — AlCl3 Catalyst + Coagulant Tank Selection

Storing Aluminum Chloride Solution? Start Here

Aluminum chloride solution (about 28–30%, used as a coagulant) is strongly acidic and chloride-rich — which is exactly why a poly tank is the right call: it shrugs off the acidity and chloride that pit stainless and dissolve steel. (Note: the dry anhydrous powder is a different, water-reactive material — this page is about the liquid.)

Can you store it in a poly tank? Yes — it's the standard.

The solution (pH ~2) is resisted by XLPE/HDPE, FRP, and fluoropolymers, while it aggressively pits stainless and corrodes carbon steel and galvanized. The industry-standard setup is a 1.9 SG XLPE tank in concrete (acid-coated) containment, with EPDM gaskets (plan to replace manway gaskets ~yearly due to the low pH), PVC/CPVC piping, no bare metal on wetted parts.

The safety that actually matters

  • Strongly acidic — severe burns; full PPE, eyewash/shower, 110% acid-resistant containment.
  • No metal on wetted parts — chloride pits stainless; keep it poly/PVC.

Common questions

Poly or stainless for aluminum chloride?
Poly (XLPE) — the acidic chloride solution pits stainless and corrodes steel. A 1.9 SG XLPE tank is the standard.
How often replace gaskets?
About yearly on the manway — the low pH is hard on EPDM over time.

Aluminum Chloride storage tanks from OneSource

For aluminum chloride storage, specify either HDPE or crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) rated to specific gravity 1.9. Verified, compatibility-matched options:

Confirm chemical compatibility and a ZIP freight quote with our team at 866-418-1777.

Designing the storage system, not just picking a tank?

Vendor-neutral engineering guides from our custom fabrication team - material of construction, containment, and code, matched to your chemistry.

Explore: FRP & Fiberglass Tanks  ·  Double Wall Tanks  ·  Solvent Recovery  ·  Custom Fabrication Hub

Sources & References

All compatibility ratings, hazard classifications, and chemical identifiers on this page are sourced from authoritative third-party publications. Verify against the original references before final specification.

  1. PubChem Compound Database — entry for Aluminum Chloride (CID 24012, CAS 7446-70-0). pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. National Library of Medicine / NCBI. Canonical chemical-identity reference.
  2. Snyder Industries Chemical Resistance Recommendations — system-of-construction guidance for polyethylene chemical-storage tanks at industrial ASTM 1.9 SG design rating. SNY-3041 Chemical Resistance Chart. Snyder Industries, current edition. Resin + fitting + gasket + bolt MOC matrix.
  3. Equistar Technical Tip — Chemical Resistance of Polyethylene — LDPE / MDPE / HDPE rating chart by concentration and temperature, distributed by Enduraplas. enduraplas.com (PDF). Equistar polyethylene resin chemical-resistance data, distributed via Enduraplas.
  4. NFPA 704: Standard System for the Identification of the Hazards of Materials for Emergency Response. nfpa.org. NFPA 704 'fire diamond' health/flammability/instability/special-hazard rating system (0–4 scale).
  5. UN Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS), current revision. unece.org/transport/ghs. GHS pictograms, signal words, and H-statement codes referenced in this guide.
  6. ASTM D1998 — Standard Specification for Polyethylene Upright Storage Tanks, current edition. astm.org. Cited as the design-specific-gravity standard (typically 1.9 SG) for industrial chemical-service polyethylene tanks.
  7. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards — occupational exposure limits, PPE, and IDLH data for Aluminum Chloride. cdc.gov/niosh/npg. CDC / NIOSH chemical-specific occupational-safety reference.

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