Safety Measures for Calcium Chloride

As the name suggests, calcium chloride is a chemical compound formed by calcium and chlorine. Chemical formula of calcium chloride is CaCl₂. It is a chloride brine. Calcium chloride is moderately corrosive in nature. For that reason, special care should be taken for proper storage of liquid calcium chloride. The most common way to prevent corrosion of calcium chloride is to select the right kind of container for its storage and maintain a proper storing condition. These two basic safety measures for calcium chloride are discussed here in detail.

Choosing the Right Kind of Material for Storage Tank

Generally, tanks that are made up of mild steel are used for the storage of calcium chloride. However, it is often found that the liquid turns brown or yellow in color when it comes in contact with mild steel. This happens due to the release of iron ions in the liquid. To prevent such corrosion, it is advisable to coat the inside wall of the tank with materials like epoxy.

Tanks, that are made up of titanium or some other exotic alloys are good, because they are corrosion-resistant, even at high temperatures. Their only disadvantage is that, they are very expensive. Hence, they are used only for certain special applications like heat exchanger plates. Plastic materials like glass fibers are resistant to corrosion by calcium chloride. So, it can be used for the construction of storage tanks that are small in size.

When in contact with galvanized materials like zinc, calcium chloride produces hydrogen, which is highly inflammable. For this reason, calcium chloride should not be stored in containers made up of galvanized materials.

Steels with chromium content like stainless steel, should not be used in the manufacture of storage tanks for calcium chloride as it can cause pitting on the surface of the tank.

Storage Conditions for Calcium Chloride

Corrosion is an oxidation process. Oxygen plays a vital role in aggravating the process of corrosion in calcium chloride. It has been observed that the storage tank is worst-affected where the surface of the liquid calcium chloride is exposed to air. So, air should not be allowed to come in direct contact with the liquid stored.

Calcium chloride in acidic form is a highly corrosive substance. It causes corrosion at a very rapid pace. So, it should be should be kept in as neutral form as possible. If required, some basic substance like sodium hydroxide or calcium hydroxide should be added to neutralize calcium chloride.

The lower the concentration of calcium, the higher is it solubility in oxygen. Hence, it is better to store calcium chloride in a concentrated form. Calcium chloride with a concentration above thirty per cent is quite less corrosive and is considered ideal for its storage.

The higher the temperature, the faster is the rate of corrosion. So, a low temperature of the storage place will help in the prevention of corrosion to a large extent.

When the above mentioned safety measures for calcium chloride are strictly followed, the possibility of degradation of the chemical is minimum. In addition to this, the operating life of the storage equipment is sure to increase.