Can IBC Totes Hold Pressure or Be Pressurized

Let’s expand on this topic and look at why IBCs cannot be used in pressurized applications:

1. Design Limitations: The primary reason IBCs cannot be pressurized is a simple one: they are not engineered that way. IBC containers are manufactured with specific gallon volumes, dimensions, handling features, pressure regulation, and engineering standards. Their design parameters simply are not suitable for handling high or low pressures. Even metal IBCs, stainless and carbon steel, are reported by the manufacturer to only be suited for atmospheric pressure conditions.

3. Potential Risks: The commonly used poly caged IBC tote can potentially burst at pressures as low as 5 PSI: burst as in rupture of the sidewall with release of the tote’s contents. Low pressures present a similar hazard. Under low pressure, vacuum-like conditions an IBC tote can implode. Either event can cause significant damage to the tote as well as the potential to harm the surrounding environment and people if the tote’s cargo is a classified hazardous material.

4. Venting Requirements: Many times, IBC totes feature a venting mechanism built into the IBC lid that automatically operates when the tank’s internal pressure experiences a certain imbalance and force, typically around 0.25 psig. This feature helps to prevent excessive pressure buildup in an IBC tote but may not be completely sufficient in some use cases.

5. Factors Affecting IBC Pressure: Factors affecting the internal buildup of pressure within an IBC include temperature fluctuations, sunlight exposure, and off gassing from a volatile commodity. The more extreme these conditions are and the longer the duration between pressure-balancing, the greater the potential for pressure buildup.

6. Regulatory Restrictions: There are regulations in place to ensure the safe use, storage, and transport of IBC containers. Without proper venting features or operations, pressure that is either too high or too low can cause the tote to rupture or collapse under vacuum.

Proper Venting Procedures

Proper venting operations and guidelines should be incorporated into any business workflow that regularly uses IBC totes under conditions and/or with cargo with potential pressure concerns. Any IBC container that appears to be either swollen or constrained due to a pressure imbalance should be reset to ambient pressures.

The primary way to do this is to simply remove the IBC lid. This should be done slowly and while wearing appropriate protective equipment as is applicable for the IBC’s cargo, particularly if the IBC is full or near-to-full. The IBC’s internal pressure should be rebalanced after removing the lid.

Never discharge a cargo-bearing IBC from its discharge valve when the IBC has an unbalanced internal pressure as doing so can trigger a rupture or implosion event. This is often why removing the IBC lid is recommended prior to discharge after the IBC has been transported or kept outside.

A Heavy Duty IBC Tote Model

For work and cargo applications that require or experience higher pressure levels due to off-gassing and need an IBC container capable of handling the conditions, there is a Heavy Weight Ultratainer IBC tote model capable of handling pressure ratings up to 62 PSI (4.21 atm, 427 kPa). This pressure rating is 4x the pressure rating of any other IBC tote product option. The Heavy Weight Ultratainer IBC is only available on request. See our Ultratainer IBC tote products and available features.