Problems associated with the storage of styrene
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This post was last edited by zgj2405 on 2009-10-21 at 20:14. Our company produces unsaturated polyester resin, and we plan to use two horizontal storage tanks with a capacity of 50 m3 each to store styrene; the storage period is expected to be around one week. To reduce the temperature, it is planned to bury it underground (with about 1.5 meters of soil on top), with no other measures taken. Is this feasible? Thank you!
Whether it is feasible depends on the amount of inhibitor contained in your ST storage, as well as the average temperature in your area. It is best not to store it in this way, as we know that ST tends to undergo self-polymerization. If self-polymerization occurs, it becomes more difficult to deal with the issue, and it may also cause changes in the purity of your product. Our company’s storage tanks are equipped not only with cooling systems but also with N2 sealing; we recommend that you conduct tests, as ST tends to undergo self-polymerization at higher temperatures, which could affect the quality of your products.
Thank you! Can someone provide something similar to a standard diagram?
When I designed styrene-butadiene rubber factories in the past, the styrene storage tanks were designed as cylinders but not buried underground; since it was difficult to empty them and they tended to polymerize on their own, they were left exposed, with an overflow dam added for protection. To prevent temperature increases, I installed a sprinkler system on the top of the tanks for cooling. I also used a small circulation pump to circulate the styrene itself, and added a polymerization inhibitor (TBC) at a concentration of about 20–50 ppm, which solved the problem. As for the nitrogen seal, 150–220 mm of water column was sufficient