What is a 55 Gallon Drum?
A 55 gallon drum is a cylindrical storage container commonly constructed of materials such as steel, stainless steel, and many available plastics. It can serve as a versatile vessel for many uses, such as rainwater collection as a rain barrel, burn barrel, wood smoking, and composting to name a few.
Although they can generally hold a variety of substances, suitability will depend on the actual construction of the 55 gallon drum.
Some common items that are stored or shipped in 55 gallon drums include liquids of various physical and chemical properties, paints, chemicals, powder and granule mixtures, and food ingredients.
The widespread popularity of the 55 gallon drum is its size, which is 55 gallon capacity, or approximately 208.2 liters. The 55 gallon drum was developed after the discovery of oil, because there was a continued need for a reliable transport container to transport large amounts of oil.
While the early wooden barrels built to transport and store oil were more likely to leak and were unstable, the 55 gallon size and design was very stable with enough capacity, and over the years became the ideal size and design to use to transport crude oil because of the capability of handling and toughness of the container.
What began as an oil transport container, the 55 gallon drum has adapted and changed significantly into those shipping uses.
The steel traditionally used has all but been replaced with plastics and fibers that are now able to hold lighter contents like granules, powders, and condiments.
Nowadays, 55 gallon drums are manufactured from long lasting and durable materials built to withstand the rigors of transport of materials.
All 55 gallon drums are made to the same dimensions, standing 34 inches (86 cm) in height and having a diameter of 24 inches (61 cm). The dimensions for plastic and metal drums are the same. Generally, the bungs can be 2 inches (5.08 cm).
An empty steel drum weighs between 38 to 42 pounds (17 to 19 kg) and, if filled, the weight is due to the contents and their density.
The terms barrel and drum are often used interchangeably, since both types contain products, but are quite different. The traditional definition of barrel refers to a round container that is wider in the middle relatively to the ends.
This term is also closely related to the history of alcohol product and oil prices. Barrels are traditionally made of wooden staves with seams sealed, while barrels have a lid and a base.
Barrels and drums can be manufactured either open-head or closed-head, although closed-head drum types are more common.
Unlike barrels which have definitions, drums have various sizes and are made from a variety of materials like plastics, paper, steel, and aluminum. They receive their name from their shape relative to musical instruments which are played with a percussion stick.
All drums have straight sides and an enclosed bottom area, with an option of either sealed tops or removable top lids. Barrels are generally for liquids, while drums can be made for nearly any kind of solid material or liquid.
How are 55 Gallon Drums Used?
Standard 55 gallon steel drums are most commonly utilized for industrial storage and shipping of a variety of substances.
Due to the superior product design regarding strength, size and configuration for shipping and its portability, 55 gallon steel drums are invaluable containers for logistics, warehouse management, and the safe transport of goods.
Steel drums, whether an open-head or closed-head design, are engineered to minimize risks concerning leaks and contamination of sensitive materials.
Most open-head design 55 gallon steel drums will have a reinforced metal band or clamp ring that secures the top lid and prevents leaks or spills during handling or shipping.
Closed-head 55 gallon steel drums, of which there are usually three types to consider: “tight head”, “non-removable top” and “built-in bung openings” are filled, loaded, unloaded, or discharged through bung openings only, because closed-head steel drums do not have removable tops.
As such closed-head drums are generally recommended for the storage and transport of liquid, chemicals, powders, oils or smaller solids (grains), because of the many applications used by millions of businesses, industries, commercial activities and consumers throughout the world.
55 gallon steel drums (also known as steel drums or barrels) have gone through an evolution of their own since they were invented about 120 years ago, [used originally as a solution for shipping petroleum] into a critical element of a manufacturers supply chain; processing, transporting, handling and storage of goods e.g.: food processing, pharmaceuticals and hazmat materials, and even in emergency preparedness.
The utility and versatile strength, along with competitive pricing, has made the 55 gallon drum a universal container – relied upon in virtually all business and commercial activities.
These heavy-duty barrels serve businesses and individuals through their diverse usage scenarios of storage and bulk movement of goods.
Whether bakeries, assembly operations, warehouses of various types, agriculture activities, even chemical plants, these drums assist contributed to safe, useful storage and bulk transportation.
The use of these classic 55 gallon steel drums or barrels is virtually universal, with companies that handle steel drum containers taking their use for granted, in terms of the dependable containment and safety features including; UN/DOT acceptance for hazmat shipping; compatibility with all types of drum handling systems and equipment.
Petroleum Industry
The variety of storage drums used in the initial utilization of crude oil was difficult because there were no standardized sizes in a space where volume was measured with variations.
The American Petroleum Institute (API) made the 55 gallon steel drum the industry standard (API Specification 7A-1).
This standardization helps in having inventory control at levels, organizing the stacking and storage, and showing oil volumes measured and loaded for billing throughout the supply chain.
Steel 55 gallon drums – are designed to resist environments and will contain petroleum products such as fuel oils, lubricants, solvents, petrochemicals etc. securely.
Although improvements in the oil and gas sector, including pipelines, tanker trucks, and oil shipping vessels, have all reduced direct drum use for large-scale shipments, 55 gallon steel drums are still very important for distributing petroleum and specialty oils.
Additionally, the drum still represents the world amount for naming crude oil prices and shipping volumes.
These durable steel barrels are still commonly used in oil refineries, terminals, and end-user facilities for product transfers, sampling, emergency response, or transport of specialty blends and lubricants.
Food Drum
In order for a 55 gallon drum to be used in food-grade storage, it must comply with strict FDA food safety standards. This includes approved resins for food-grade plastic drums (ie: high-density polyethylene, or HDPE), approved linings and unreactive materials for stainless steel and carbon steel food drums.
Anything that comes in contact with consumables must be inspected and approved to prevent contamination and preserve ingredient quality, and to meet supply chain safety stipulations.
Open-head polyethylene 55 gallon drums are preferred for bulk ingredient storage because of their clean, non porous surfaces and their outstanding resistance to a variety of chemicals. Food products often stored in open-head barrels include grains, flour, beans, sugar, rice, salt, syrups, cooking oils and powdered ingredients.
In order to ensure the integrity of stored food products, food industry professionals implement strict inventory rotation and cleaning protocols to ensure freshness and avoid contamination.
Food-grade 55 gallon drums can also include tamper-proof lids, liners to avoid corrosion on sensitive and/or acidic ingredients.
In addition to HDPE food barrels, we also commonly use stainless steel drums and epoxy lined carbon steel drums for storage and shipment of foods under food contact regulations.
Bulk food processors, beverage producers, and ingredient manufacturers rely on drums when they are transporting food products to factories, distributors, and commercial kitchens.
Their design allows for easy cleaning, the ability to stack securely, and allow for safe palletization in warehouses and during freight shipping, thereby helping ensure food safety and supply chain efficiency.
Pharmaceutical Drums
In the pharmaceutical industry, 55-gallon drums are critical for meeting Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulatory compmliance as required by the FDA.
CGMPs provide pharmaceutical manufacturers with a foundation for product integrity, purity, and safety.
Pharmaceutical-grade drums are produced according to FDA requirements and have attributes of being inert, non-leaching, and cleanable including pharmaceutical stainless steel barrels and some FDA-approved HDPE drums.
The drums provide safe packaging and transportation for raw materials, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), excipients, solvents, and chemical intermediates.
They have a solid construction and designed linings to protect against contamination, chemical stability, and environmental hazards.
Drums sold for pharmaceutical manufacturing will often have labels indicating certifications such as UN/DOT rating for hazardous materials and traceability for audit compliance.
Because pharmaceutical manufacture often involves the storage and handling of hazardous, unstable, or sensitive materials, there is additional diligence placed on selecting appropriate drums, inspecting drums, and providing documentation.
The containers must be durable, resistant to corrosion, and compliant with continually updated regulations.
Also, there is thought behind the containment systems, such as closed-head drums with tamper proof seals and dispensing bungs with a structured access, which consider worker safety, and quality assurance practices.
Chemical Industry
The chemical industry relies heavily on the use of industrial grade 55 gallons drums for the safe storage, transportation, and disposal of chemical products, even where only haz-mat waste is being disposed, regulations by OSHA and EPA and other regulating bodies require the disposal to be done in acceptable containers and with labeling to minimize risks while handling the products to help in not contaminating the environment.
The kind of drum will vary across applications based on the chemical properties of reactivity, toxicity, and corrosiveness even when the two are similar.
Stainless steel 55 gallon drums, cold-rolled steel drums, coated carbon steel, and high-density plastic barrels (blue HDPE drums or barrels) are used to store every chemical from solvents, and acids to bases, oxidizers, flammable liquids, and granular additives.
For the more aggressive or highly reactive chemicals, manufacturers typically choose drums that do not promotes a chemical interaction and also leaks might be an issue with the product.
Many chemical drums are from materials that are UN-certified, which identifies that they are compliant for transporting materials considered hazardous in any given situation.
Blue plastic 55 gallons drums, in particular, with regards to storage of caustics, acute oxidizers or acidic or water-based chemicals were selected because of their ideal chemical resistance and the blue color provides higher visibility than the white barrel providing more awareness of chemical hazards.
Steel drums with coatings as an anti-corrosion approach would not normally be selected for jars containing volatile or flammable materials.
There are drums that have EU approval based on a food standard for regulatory purposes for products that have typical application of food and/or pharmaceutical standards.
For storage and logistics processing or what we would call mixed use of chemicals, there are industrial drum handling products/drum pumps, drum dollies, containment pallets, etc.
To help support employee safety and standards in the handling of chemicals, when storing them or the logistics of hauling them, a systematic approach to providing a chemical or hazmat standard is encouraged.
Waste Disposal
Waste disposal drums are essential to the safe transport, storage, and management of waste materials across the industries of industry, healthcare, and agriculture.
The phrase ‘waste disposal’ covers many materials, including hazardous waste, contaminated liquids as well as bulk powders, sludges, and even radioactive materials.
The need to comply with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations is critical. The drums utilized for waste have to pass various testing for resistance against leaks, durability, and tracking on labels.
Waste is generally separated and handled by physical and chemical-type of material using both opened-head and closed-head 55 gallon drums.
Specialized waste management companies provide drums that meet strict EPA and DOT guidelines for hazardous waste storage, transportation, and disposal.
Many of these companies will provide services for drum pickup, environmental testing, label tracking, and documentation for safe handling, and assist the business in compliance with each regulatory framework and some best practices for the environment.
The initial step of more waste management starts after the drums are collected by the transportation waste company, the filled drums undergo assessment (like, waste characterization testing) that includes toxicity testing and determining the appropriate disposals.
It is the level of toxicity that determines whether the contents go to landfill, incineration, recycling, or specialized hazardous waste processing.
Hospitals, labs, manufacturers, and farms all use these industry top waste drum providers to ensure health, workplace safety, and responsibility towards the environment.
Choosing the Right 55 Gallon Drum for Your Application
When procuring 55 gallon barrels, it is very important to consider the products you will store in the barrels, the end use of those products, and regulatory requirements.
In determining the right barrel, some important variables include: the material of the drum (steel, HDPE plastic, stainless steel), the head style (open-head or closed-head affair), UN or DOT certifications if you are shipping hazardous goods, and food-grade vs. pharmaceutical-grade and compliance for use storing consumables.
You will want to look for available options and considerations that affect your drum choice, such as tamper-evident, the lining availability of corrosion-resistant coating, or reconditioned (‘reco’) drum versus new drum, and compatibility between your selected drum and drum accessories (such as pumps, valves, liners, palletizing systems etc.)
When considering drums, businesses and individuals often evaluate the environmental, cost, reusability, and recycling aspects of the barrels. Reconditioned 55 gallon drums, in most cases provide a safe and sustainable and cost-effective option barrel for non-critical or less critical applications.
New barrels are commonly used for high purity or regulatory sensitivity purposes only. To ensure you are purchasing safely, source your barrels only from reputable 55 gallon barrel suppliers or certified barrel manufacturers who have recorded certification standards, industry regulated specifications, and product specifications and documentation.
Based on all aspects of product review and selection process, when you compare suppliers (beyond pricing and delivery services), you can make sure you are getting the right industrial containers for your storage, shipping, processing, or waste disposal option.
Materials Used to Make 55 Gallon Drums
55-gallon drums, often called another industrial workhorse, are used across many industries as essential containers to bulk store, transport and safely handle liquids, solids, and dangerous materials.
55-gallon drums are manufactured of plastic, steel (both stainless and carbon steel), and fiber. Each material exudes durability, strength, chemical resistance, versatility, and is appropriate for industrial markets, commercial product, and food-grade packaging.
The majority of users associate 55-gallon drums with sturdy containers specifically if made from, as stainless and carbon steel drums very much set the standard in the industry.
The innovation of fabrication techniques and materials over the years have consistently delivered manufacturers better quality production and a wider range of structural choices including; UN-certified, food-safe plastic drums for the food & beverage industry, and efficient fiber drums for more price-sensitive applications.
The existence of the 55 gallon drum originated in the early-20th century with the need for larger shipping/transportation containers for the oil industry.
Originally made of metal, drums back then also had problems such as leaking and faulty seams because the technology of the day did not pay attention, to seam sealing, and leaking precautions today.
This tradition of development is what leads to continued advancements in the industries standard of 55 gallon drum development and inspections to provide a safe and secure packaging solution for chemicals, petroleum products, pharmaceuticals, additive ingredients for food and other bulk goods.
Today’s 55 gallon drum are developed and manufactured with parameters outlined by ISO and UN standards to help ensure the safeguarding of materials in any conditions as well as the safety of the environments they are being transported and stored in by using compliant, due diliigence objects.
Layout and design has changed over the century to ensure consistent shipping within containers compliant to ISO and additional regulations.
The decision to use which drum material is usually based on the use case: fiber drums are best to use for dry powders and granular materials; plastic drums, stainless steel drums and carbon steel drums are used for a variety of liquid, corrosive and hazardous materials.
Each drum material has specific benefits for storage, disposal and recyclable benefits, some of which support use in chemical processing, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, waste management, food processing, and some commercial and industrial industry.
Stainless Steel Drums
Stainless steel grades from which 55 gallon drums are manufactured include type 304, type 316, and type 409. Stainless steel drums are a choice material for storage and transportation due to its corrosion resistance, tensile strength, durability, and reusability.
Stainless steel drums can contain and transport solutions, chemicals, hazardous materials, pharmaceuticals, food products, and any product that requires purity and cleanliness.
While the initial purchase cost for stainless steel drums is usually higher than other drums, the longevity, cleanliness, and re-usability means notable life cycle cost savings for the company in need of a reusable container.
Among the different grades and types of stainless steel, type 304 is the most commonly used and versatile. Type 304 is a stainless steel grade classified by its chromium and nickel content with no or low content of carbon.
Stainless steel is not only easy to fabricate and clean but also prevents and protects products from contamination. Type 304 is also classified as a strong corrosion resistant steel. Type 304 surpassed other grades of stainless steel because of the high composition of chromium (18% chromium).
Type 316 is designed for advanced corrosive resistant materials that subject to aggressive chemicals or saline solutions. Type 316 is most common for specialty applications in pharmaceutical, biotech, and food processing where compliance and legal requirements may include “sanitary” conditions.
Stainless steel drums are UN/DOT approved for hazardous materials, and FDA and USDA compliant for food applications.
Plastic Drums
Plastic55 gallon drums, or poly drums, have taken a prominent role as all-purpose containers for transport and storage of liquids, chemicals, powders, and food-grade ingredients, particularly as technology and manufacturing methodologies have improved to create various industrial plastics.
Unlike in the past, today these drums are either supplementing or replacing the use of drums made from stainless and carbon steel.
The containers are made from many types of industrial plastics designed for various applications, such as linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
HDPE is also widely regarded as a material providing benefits such as highly favorable strength-to-weight ratio, excellent chemical resistance, and the ability to withstand different types of impacts and environmental stressors.
Plastics have benefits as materials, including combination of lightweight, flexible, and resistive to attack by solvents, diluted acids, alkalis, alcohol, and other aggressive chemicals.
Regardless, plastic 55 gallon drums are very well suited for storing and transporting many liquids, powders, and chemicals such as hazardous chemicals (as long as the drums have UN certification), detergents, pharmaceutical ingredients, and industrial liquids.
Plastic drums are also progressively being used for food-grade types of applications, because they can be manufactured in ways that meet unlawful FFDA or USDA specifications for the safe handling of food-grade materials.
The seamless construction of drums also reduces or eliminates risks associated with leaks and contamination of materials and products.
Poly drums are also supportive to sustainability initiatives via recyclability and applicability for numerous reuses, especially when deploying closed-loop systems. Likewise, because of usefulness and cost-effectiveness, they are the drum of choice in markets where contamination, cost, and operation efficiency are chief concerns.
They are available with open-head (removable lid) and closed-head (tight head) drum design options for different applications, including filling (open head drums), dispensing (closed head), and bulk material handling (open head and closed head).
Carbon Steel Drums
Carbon steel is a preeminent material for the manufacture of heavy duty 55 gallon drums, especially with the storage or transport of hazardous materials, chemicals, and oils.
Carbon steel drums offer superior mechanical strength and resistance to impact and is the trusted choice for packaging flammable, combustible, or toxic materials.
The strength of carbon steel is more than adequate to meet the requirements of the United Nations (UN) for the packaging certification and satisfying stringent requirements set forth by the DOT and OSHA regulations enabling these drums to be used in global supply chains for regulated waste collection, hazardous chemicals, paints, and coatings.
A UN rating consists of a compliance framework that incorporates a detailed set of strict guidelines for industrial packaging and a set of safety standards, and they are applicable to all varieties of 55 gallon drums.
Carbon steel drums can satisfy both closed-head (liquid-tight) and open-head (removable lid) applications including but not limited to hazardous waste disposal, lubricants, and specialty chemicals.
Carbon steel’s increased tensile strength and rigidity ensures that the integrity of the drum structure when utilized for transport or storage applications.
Furthermore, a carbon steel drum can be reconditioned and recycled, reinforcing environmental stewardship in the industrial and commercial sectors across the lifecycle of the drum.
Fiber Drum
Fiber 55 gallon drums are distinctive and cost-effective purposed for the storage and shipping of dry products, powders, and lightweight bulk materials.
Fiber drums are manufactured from multiple layers of strong kraft paper that are rolled and bonded to form a rigid cylindrical container typically encased with a moisture resistant liner.
Open head constructions consisting of a cap that can be removed from the top and bottom makes filling, dispensing, and warehouse stacking efficient.
While fiber drums do not have the strength and chemical resistance of steel or plastic drums, fiber drums maintain a strong market presence for shipping and storing non-hazardous dry goods, pharmaceutical tablets, food products, agricultural goods, adhesives, and any product not exposed to corrosive or caustic agents.
Fiber drums are valued for their low weight which decreases shipping costs and improves handling. The drums are manufactured with customizable wall thicknesses based on the application specifications and have several diameters and heights for specific bulk storage requirements.
Fiberboard construction is sustainable and cost-effective because fiber drums are recyclable and can be reprocessed to create new paper products which helps lessen the disposal of waste in landfills.
Fiber drums offer foldability, rigidity, and grammage (250 g/m²) that provides a balance between physical protection and flexibility to accommodate a number of production and shipping environments.
Wet or moisture will diminish strength so fiber drums are not suitable for storing liquid, chemical, or hazardous materials.
How 55 Gallon Drums are Made
The standard 55 gallon drum is made from a variety of different resource materials depending on its intended use. More stressful, hazardous and demanding conditions require more robust and durable over non-hazardous environments like kitchens, warehouses, and open environments.
Although there are some manufacturers that specialize in durable 55 gallon drums for hazardous conditions, all manufacturers will give their clients all pertinent information to assist and select properties for a 55 gallon drum to suits their applications.
55 gallon drums are constructed with different types of resource materials so the manufacturing process also differs depending on what material has been used to construct the drum. Metal drums are constructed using coils that are curled, rolled and resistance welded along their seams.
The two methods of construction for plastic drums – blow molded and rotational molded, require the use of large complex equipment. The drum construction using fiberboard involves the adhesion of multiple large sheets of paper to create a solid cylindrical form.
How Steel and Stainless Steel 55 Gallon Drums are Manufactured
Manufacturing steel 55-gallon drums is fairly straightforward, but there are quite a few steps involved.
All steel drums start out as a roll of coiled steel, which has been produced and delivered in large rolls of steel that had been formed by being rolled and annealed from molten metal. When the metal cooled it was rolled into large rolls.
Step One
The starting point in the production of 55 gallon drums is the shaping of the bottoms and tops of the drums. The rolled and coated steel sheets are placed in a punch press that will cut and form the bottoms of the drums.
The die that forms the bottom of the drum gives the edge that will be used to attach the bottom to the body of the drum. The bottom of a 55 gallon drum is a solid round piece of steel unlike the top which has a feature to allow it to be sealed.
After the punched circle has been formed, they are sprayed with a sealant that will be used to seal the drum and avoid leakage.
Step Two
The process for making the lids for drums are the same method used to form the bottoms of drums. The process of forming the lid of a 55 gallon drum can be for an open head or a closed head drum with both having bung holes.
The two bungs are two inches each, with one bung for emptying the drum and another for relieving air pressure. As with the bottom of the drum a set of rollers turn down the edge of the lid of the drum to connect to the drum body.
When the edges of the tops and bottoms of 55 gallon drums are chimed, this forms a seven layer seal, which can be checked through inspection of pressurized air in the drum.
Step Three
To seal a 55 gallon drum, the bung holes must be fitted with threaded fittings. Just as with the punch press process, the drum lid passes through a press that applies the fittings to both of the bung holes.
Open and closing fittings are larger than the vent fitting, there are two fittings that are placed directly opposite one another, and positioned in a way that the vent bung hole will not interfere with the emptying bung hole. Even though both fittings are not needed for open head drums, they are still applied.
Step Four
As with all 55 gallon drums, the thickness of the materials, which will form the body of the drum, is checked to ensure it fits the specifications for the materials the drum is to contain. Typically, a drum will be thicker depending on the gauge of steel.
The gauges of steel for [drums] [55 gallon drums] can range from 24 up to 16 with thicknesses of 0.6 mm up to 1.5 mm (0.0236 in up to 0.059 in). Only the thickest (0.9 mm – 1.5 mm (0.0354 in – 0.059 in)) will of a drum have a UN rating.
Step Five
Once the tops and bottoms are properly made, and the gauge and thickness of the steel is known, a section of the coiled steel is sheared to required size for forming the body of the drum.
To form the body, the piece of steel is placed in curling rollers that apply pressure to the sheet of steel to form a tubular shape. An important part of the process is welding the tubular shape to form a solid cylinder.
As the tubes move out of curling they enter electric resistance welders that seal and weld the tubes to form solid cylinders. The welder applies heat to bond both the outside and inside of the seam to form a tight secure seal.
Step Six
In the last step of the process, the completed tubes move to the flanger where both ends of the tube are stretched and pressed on the outer rims, creating a lip for the top and bottom for the drum to be secured to.
As with every aspect of the process, the flanging step is essential for proving that the 55 gallon drum will securely seal when the top and bottoms are together.
Step Seven
The flanged and welded drum body moves on the beater which forms rolling hoops on the drum. Added rigidity and support help to support the drum body just as there are supports for buildings in the drop.
The rolling hoops are an extra degree of strength to withstand the impact of the drum being in use. The rolling hoops appear as bump or outward stretching grooves which are placed near the midpoint of the drum.
Step Eight
The final step in the process is to attach or join the body to the top and bottom to create a 55 gallon drum. The conveyor brings the top of the drum, which is then placed on the body of the drum.
The drum body is rotated while rollers curl the edges of the top and body together, creating a tight connection currently called an interlocking seam, or chime. This process is used to create closed head drums.
Once the chime is formed, the chime is then flattened using another roller. The bottom of the drum is attached to the body of the drum in the same process, by creating a second chime, as to tightly and securely seal the top and bottom of the drum without the use of welding.
These interlocking chimes guarantee that there are a total of seven layers of steel that create the connection between the top and bottom and their respective chimed sections are leakproof.
In open head drums, the bottom of the drum is chimed while the top is not chimed, but sealed using straps or ring with different closure designs and means.
Testing
The defining characteristic of 55 gallon drums differentiating them from all other types of containers is their airtight seal. This is crucial when a drum will be used for transporting or storing hazardous, toxic, or predatory materials.
The testing procedure requires that forced air be applied under pressure to the interior of a closed drum. If the drum has a leak, it will bubble at the seam(s) indicating the problem.
Drum Colors
Traditionally, a black color would be considered the common color for 55 gallon (208 litre) containers. Today, manufacturers offer many colors including white, gray, medium and dark blue, yellow, red, and green.
Some manufacturers can also offer colors to meet their customers’ needs. The painting of the new drums is done by a completed drum is placed on a rotating surface and then is rapidly spun and painted on the outside surface with a spray application.
The paint offers another level of protection and provides a nice look to the drum. Once the paint is applied, a furnace is used which bakes the paint upon the surface of the container.
Drum Linings Liners
There are numerous techniques to line 55 gallon drums. One of the more stable methods is spraying the inside of the drum as part of the spraying process using a spray nozzle inside the drum and it applies a coating to protect the inside.
Once the drum is placed in the oven to cure the outside paint the inside cures and solidifies while sealing the inner contents of the drum. Instead of coating the drum’s interior no only does use rust inhibitors. Rust inhibitors prevents a drum from rusting and is applied as thin film.
Epoxy phenolic linings are a resin lining that come in many formulations to create a specific flexibility and resistance. Epoxy phenolic linings offered chemical resistance at pH levels that are between 7.0 and 9.0.
Epoxy phenolic linings are often used for storage of hazardous materials such as acids, detergents, chemicals, resins, surfactants, and emulsions.
Drum liners come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. They are constructed from a variety of consumable materials including LDPE plastic, HDPE plastic, and foil.
Drum liners can keep cross contamination from occurring and can make removing the contents of a drum without any remnants remaining once other products are deposited in the drum.
The consumable materials used in making drum liners does make it durable, flexible and robust enough to absorb the stress from use.
The main types of drum liners are anti-static, flat bottom, pleated, round bottom, straight side. Drum liners come in a variety of strengths as product categories such as 4 mil up to heavy duty 30 mil.
How Plastic Drums are Made
Plastic 55 gallon drums manufacturing processes are not as complicated as the processes for making metal 55 gallon drums and plastic 55 gallon drums require very expensive machinery to mold, shape, and form 55 gallon drums that can be used for many applications and in many situations where the wall thickness can vary widely.
There are many processes for manufacturing plastic products and using various size and types of molds. Although all the processes of manufacture can make a variety of products, none of the processes can make plastic items of numerous feet tall and I will address two ways of making larger plastic products: blow molding and rotational molding.
Both processes for manufacturing 55 gallon drums manufacture a product with molds that are large and precise enough to ensure a highly durable 55 gallon drum.
The processes differ in methodology, one process utilizing bursts of air to blast the molten polymer to the wall of the mold, while the other uses circular motion and rotation.
The materials for both processes are the same in regard to the properties of strength, durability, and toughness that can only be evaluated after forming and cooling a mold.
Blow Molding
Blow molding is a process that resembles glass blowing where a monster craftsman blows air into a molten chunk of glass and shapes bottles and glass containers, etc. With blow molding for plastic, a compressed air “monster” blows puffs of air into a parison that is heated and formed by extruder.
Blow molding is conducted using a horizontal mold with the dimensions of a 55 gallon drum. Once the parison is present in the mold and the compressed air is applied to the parison, the parison will expand in the mold and force itself against the sides of the mold.
While blow molding is a process used to form a 55-gallon drum; it can also form a wide range of very large products.
Blow molding forms seamless, solid, single piece drums that do not require sealing, while eliminating weak corners that are known to crack leaving only the seams and weak corners where cracking can occur. Blow molding can produce an endless number of sizes and shapes.
The raw materials for blow molding are a variety of thermoplastics including: acetal, polyamide, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, low or high density polycarbonate and polypropylene.
Blow molding forms are defined by how the parison is produced: extrusion, injection, and injection stretch.
In all cases, the plastic resin / pellets have to be melted in order for them to be blown in the mold from the parison shape that resembles a long plastic tube with a hole at one end. The process of forming a parison is the critical part in determining the thickness of a 55 gallon.
The melted plastic parison will be inserted into the mold from the bottom or the top of the mold. In either case, the melted plastic parison is ejected from an extruder, which blows the parison upward or downward into a mold, where compressed air expands the parison which forces it against each side of the mold.
Regardless of how the parison is inserted, a compressed air process expands until the plastic is under pressure formed against the walls of the mold and maintained there until cooled and removed.
Rotational Molding
Rotational molding (also known as roto molding, roto casting and roto mold) starts with a large mold and a rotational mechanism that carries the materials to produce a 55 gallon drum in four phases. Unlike blow molding which produces a parison, roto molding starts with no heat, and dry resin powder is placed into the mold.
Similar to blow molding, once the resin is placed in the mold, the mold is hermetically sealed. The rotation mechanism has a rotary arm with hold the mold securely while simultaneously allowing the material to rotate on two axis to evenly cover the wall of resin even when overhead.
The second phase of rotational molding is where the mold is both heated and rotated. The rotation and the heating occur simultaneously; after the mold is of its holder, it is pushed into a heated chamber where the holder rotates the mold as it passes through the heating process.
The rotation is along two axes to evenly distribute the resin as it melts and forms together. After the heating phase is completed, the mold is moved to the cooling chamber while still rotating. This process cools the resin while at the same time producing the solid shaped object.
After the mold is passed through the cooling chamber, the drum is separated from the mold cavity and the process repeats. The slow process has heightened popularity and it’s not the production of a low price.
The biggest strength of rotational molding is the quality of dimensional accuracy. The biggest weakness for rotational molding is the time that it takes for each 55 gallon drum to form.
The equipment cost is more expensive than injection or blow molding equipment and the time to produce is many hours per unit, however, the price is still cheaper overall due to the better dimensional accuracy and tolerances, all while producing a 55 gallon drum.
How Fiber Drums are Made
Fiber drums consist of three layers; the outer layer, or skin, the inner layer, or liners, and the barriers that are interspersed in between laminations of the wound paper. The source material for manufacturing fiber drums is kraft paper.
The kraft paper is shipped to the fiber drum manufacturers in large rolls; similar to the large rolls of stainless steel used for metal 55 gallon drums.
Fiber drums are manufactured by one of the following two processes. In both processes, based on the composite structure of the fiber drum (the kraft paper, liners and barriers) manufacturing begins with the kraft paper being pulled from a winder to a mandrel that has the same diameter of a 55 gallon drum.
In the process of moving from the winder and wrapping around the mandrel, the kraft paper is coated with a polyurethane adhesive which creates a very strong durable elastic seal across the substrate of the fiber drum.
A liner for the drum is fitted to the mandrel prior to the arrival of the kraft paper winding. Once the kraft paper starts to flow on the mandrel, the drum shape is formed, and the barrier is inserted.
The kraft paper, as it moves from the winder to the mandrel, forms a long tightly sealed paper tube. Unlike the manufacture of 55 gallon drums from plastic or metal, the fiber drum begins as a long tube that becomes multiple drums.
This allows for an efficient process and, in particular, will ensure the drums are tightly sealed.Of the three manufacturing processes of drums, the winding on a mandrel method is called the lock rim method because of the chiming at the bottom and top of the drum.
Once the glue of the long tube has dried, the tube is cut into 55 gallon lengths and trimmed off for smoothness on the bottoms and tops for the installation of the chimes, which will lock the tops and bottom to the drum tube.
The process of connecting the chimes to the top and bottom of the drum is automatically done by rollers. The metal chimes are attached to the drum and processed with rollers until the chimes are sealed to the fiber tube. The processing is accomplished quickly and can seal multiple drums in a short amount of time.
The bottom chimes are crimped to connect them to the bottom of the drum to secure the chimes stronger. The chime for the bottom is intended to seal the drum to eliminate leakage. The top chime is crimped to connect to the body of the drum but is not sealed to allow the drum to use a cover.
The open head metal and plastic drums, the lids for fiber drums are attached with a lockband that is composed of metal. Locking rings can be several different types but are made of high gauge metal to ensure a tight fit.
Whether the bottom of the fiber drum is add or lock, the key must be tight to eliminate leakage or spillage. The most commonly seen lock ring is the lever type with drilled holes that allows for a padlock to be used to lock the drum.
Fiber drums may not have the impact strength and durability of plastic or metal 55 gallon drums, however, they are very popular because of their lightweight, no corrosion or rust, high endurance under certain conditions.
Several different types of lines are added which allows the drums to carry a wider spectrum of products, safely and secure.
The primary products that fiber drums carries are powders, granular materials, pharmaceuticals, and hazardous chemicals. They are low cost, reliable and can safely transport a wide range of products and materials.
What Are The Materials Used to Make 55 Gallon Drums
The 55 gallon barrels of the 19th Century have quickly evolved into an indispensable component of modern day transport and shipping from oil and fuel transport to food ingredients to pharmaceuticals and other necessities.
The once cornerstone of oil production has become a necessary part of material and substance handling.
Closed Head Drum
Closed head drums are utilized for hazardous waste and must adhere to strict criteria. They are tested to determine conformance to drop, stack, leak, hydrostatic and vibration standards set by the United Nations. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has four classes of hazardous waste.
- Listed:
- F – manufacturing and industrial processing
- K – other industrial waste
- P – chemical products
- U – chemical products
- Characteristic: Ignitable, corrosive, reactive, or toxic.
- Universal: Batteries, pesticides, mercury containing, and lamps
- Mixed: Radioactive
Closed drums used for these purposes have to meet the EPA standards and requirements.
Open Head Drums
Open head drums are very commonly used, dependable, and are usually provided for storage or shipping. They are relatively resilient and made to take the abuse of storage and shipping.
Open head drops are durable enough for indoor or outdoor jobs based on your needs. They come in a rainbow of colors and are easy to tag and label so anyone would know what is inside them.
Open Top Plastic Drums
Open top plastic drums are constructed of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and are closed with a removable top or lid that bonds to the drum with a metal locking ring that is affixed with either a nut and bolt or a lever lock.
Open top plastic drums, or open head plastic drums, are weather resistant making them useful for storage and transport. They are both durable and reusable, similarly to metal drums.
Open top plastic drums are designed for use when handling hazardous materials, for spill containment purposes, and biomass disposal.
In addition to the straight sided configuration, open top plastic drums can also be tapered at the sides. While a plastic open top drums is only one of many types of 55-gallon drums, the significant fact about plastic open top drums is that they are recyclable and there is a significant demand from the food and beverage industry.
Salvage Drums
Salvage drums are designated containers for holding material, in the event that they are damaged, leaking or if there is a shipping compliance problem. All salvage drums have tight closure options to make sure that the damaged or potential some type of hazardous material is safely transported.
Overpack Drums
Overpack drums are meant for the containment of already packaged or sealed packages or materials that have already met the requirements of safety and shipping regulations.
They are meant to consolidate un-leaking packages and to provide another physical barrier. For all intents and purposes, an overpack drum is just a larger container that holds another container packed pilfer-proof inside.
Wine Barrels
The wine industry is beginning to take advantage of stainless steel drums used for the development, fermentation, maturation and storage of wine. New products are being designed for stacking on wine barrel racks.
Taper Sided Drums
Tapered sided drums are lighter weight and easier to manage than other types of drum containers, allowing a more efficient use of resources.
Tapered shape nesting allows for easier product storing for added convenience. Typically, 55-gallon tapered-sided drums are open-headed and use a variety of colors, blue is used most often.
Rain Barrel
A rain barrel drum collects rainwater. The rain barrel comes with a vinyl hose, PVC couplings, and a screen to keep out debris. Rain barrel drums are simply designed for easy use and may be located anywhere rainwater can be collected. Basic rain barrels can help to use soft rainwater, reduce reliance on public utilities, and foster self-sufficiency.
Reconditioned, Refurbished, and Reusable
A developing industry is looking at the reuse, reconditioning, and refurbishment of 55-gallon drums after they no longer serve a purpose of any industrial use. The barrels are still strong and able to be reused even if they no longer fit their original use.
The repurposing process consists of several steps, each more detailed than the last, to be able to safely reuse the drums in other applications.
Steps to refurbishing 55 gallon drums:
- Phase One – The entirety of the drum’s previous contents must be removed and washed out of the drum so as to eliminate contamination, hazards, and spoilage. Options for cleaning 55 gallon drums vary greatly, including chemical agents, various materials, and procedures for cleaning. Which agent to use depends on the drum’s previous contents. The best option would be a biobased cleaner that will clean the drum without harming the environment. Open-head drums can even be thrown in a furnace to burn off the contents, then chemically spray cleaned like closed-head drums.
- Phase Two – In professional drum cleaning, the next step involves dipping the drum in a chemical acid bath to remove anything that may be attached to the sides and/or inside of the drum, as well as remove coatings such as paint. This step is primarily designed for metal 55 gallon drums, as coatings on plastic or fabric drums are not needed.
- Phase Three – The used drum has developed dents, creases, and other bruises on it’s exterior. While these can appear harmless, in order to sell a reconditioned drum, they must be removed. There is also the possibility that the damaged portions of the drum have some unsuitable or harmful material captured in the dent or crease. Given that the drum will be resold, removing the dents and other creases will enhance the appearance.
- Phase Four – As an additional safety measure, the drum should be steam cleaned, rinsed, and dried. At this step of the process, it is very critical to inspect the drum, especially the plugs. For open-head drums, check the cover and sealing gasket for dents, bruises, creases, or other damage. The only area that can be inspected on a closed-head drum is the exterior, and, more specifically, the welds on the top and bottom of the drum. The bottom weld of the open-head drum should also be inspected too.
- Phase Five – At stage five, this is a continued inspection of the drum. While it is possible to do a visual inspection on the exterior of the drum, it is by no means fool-proof. Viewing small, minute, and/or tiny punctures will be missed. To verify the drum leaks tightly, in addition to visually inspecting the drum, the drum should be hydrostatically leak tested by submerging it in water (tank). This leak test will help you determine whether the drum seals tightly or if it has minor holes that may need repair.
- Phase Six – During the cleaning of the drum, and acid bath process, the drum lost its original coats that helped to protect the sides and walls of its integrity against rusting or corrosion. These protective coats will have to be reapplied. The interior of the drum should have a rust inhibitor, an epoxy coating, or similar type of rusting and corrosive inhibitive materials put on it. The drum may go through a curing process to harden the interior coating. When the interior coating cures and sets, the exterior be coated, as the last step.
There are several advantages to using refurbished and reconditioned 55 gallon drums, the most important being that they are being salvaged from a dump site.
Refurbished 55 gallon drums are utilized for planters, rain barrels, compost bins, horse feeders, deer feeders, rodeo barrels, flotation devices, and the like. Drum manufacturers refurbish and recondition their products to be sold to be used as storage and shipping containers.
What Are The 55 Gallon Drum Standards?
55 gallon drum regulations are examined at both a national level and an international level since they are used to ship products from country to country all over the world. The UN rating system was introduced in the 1990s when the Department of Transportation (DOT) recognized and accepted the Performance Oriented Packaging (POP) system.
The UN system developed because of the confusion that existed due to the different shipping regulations used by countries combined with the growth of international trade, a problem which was not significant until midway through the 20th century.
The UN rating system created some universally accepted regulations that leaped to the forefront by making it easier to ship between countries, and less confusing.
The codes identify the contents of a container and whether the materials being shipped are dangerous materials or not. The condensed information protects workers from hazards, makes handling easier, and provides condensed information.
The UN classification system is comprised of letters and numbers that identify the type of container and materials that it is constructed of, and what the substances that it can contain are, along with background and history pertaining to a container.
There are items that receive a rating from a certified laboratory that identify the capabilities of a container based on parameters. The primary considerations are the materials which a container is built of and what it can contain.
The acceptance of the UN rating system provides companies purchasing and receiving imports with important and easy to read information.
The rating system that was developed by the United Nations is universal, and makes a drum identifiable by any country in the world. It is a quick, convenient, and easy way of quickly identifying what materials or substances a drum is certified to carry.
Packaging Identification Code
The packaging identification code of the UN rating system is achieved through a two numbers and a letter. The first number indicates whether the package is a box, bag, drum, etc., while the letter indicates whether it is made of steel, wood, aluminum, or fiberwood to make the packaging device.
The second number and also the last part of the code indicates whether the package is open or closed headed.
Packaging Types
- Drum/Pails
- Barrels
- Jerrican
- Boxes
- Bags
- Composite Packaging
- Pressure Receptacle
Material
- Steel
- Aluminum
- Natural Wood
- Plywood
- Reconstituted Wood
- Fiberboard
- Plastic
- Textile
- Paper, Multiwall
- Metal other than Steel or Aluminum
- Glass, Porcelain or Stoneware
Open or Closed Headed Codes
- Closed Head (One Molded Piece)
- Open Head (Removable Lid)
Packing Group Level
Packaging groups organize the hazardous materials packaging levels using the letters X, Y, and Z. As the alphabet letters progress, the hazards assigned to a certain packaging level, decreases.
For package group X is a high hazard level, a package group Y is a medium hazard level, and package group Z is a low hazard level.
There is also a specific gravity code referring as a ratio comparing the substances being shipped to the density of water at a specified temperature and pressure. This measurement only applies to liquid shipments.
Packaging GroupSpecific Gravity X1.2
Hydrostatic Test Pressure
The following indicator, hydrostatic test pressure, is vapor pressure measured in kilopascals (kPa), which is testing conducted to achieve a UN rating. This specific test applies to liquids and is expressed as a three digit number like 250.
Following the hydrostatic test pressure are two digits identifying the year. This component is important in identifying how long a drum has been in service; many products deteriorate simply from age.
Country of Origin and Manufacturer
In the final two sections of the UN certification code, this gives the country of origin for the container and the manufacturer of the container. When a manufacturer receives a UN rating, they will receive an identification code made up of numbers and letters.
Thus handlers will know a manufacturer has received a UN rating approval, when handling, and are approved for shipping anywhere in the world.
55 Gallon Drum Manufacturing Organizations
Reusable Industrial Packaging Association (RIPA)
RIPA is an organization that represents reconditioners, manufacturers, and distributors of reusable packaging products. The organization has established a code of practices pertaining to the operation of packaging reuse and recycling.
RIPA is trying to establish the performance of the packaging industry. The organization is a founding member of the International Confederation of Container Reconditioners (ICCR), an international body representing reconditioning companies.
Industrial Packaging Alliance of North America (IPANA)
IPANA represents manufacturers of industrial packaging in North America. They are an organization that works to increase the visibility of the packaging industry, emphasizing safe arranged economic transportation of goods.
Essentially, IPANA promotes and supports member companies, and communicates the benefits of secure industrial packaging.
Conclusion
- A 55 gallon drum is defined as a cylindrical container made of various materials designed to hold a nominal 55 US gallons (208 liters).
- The method of setting the standards of 55 gallon drums was developed by the United Nations.
- Most 55 gallon drums are generally made of plastics, steel, stainless steel, or fiber.
- The construction method of 55 gallon drums shall be determined by the type of material used.
- 55 gallon drums, once viewed as the very basis of oil production, has become a critical tool in the handling of materials and substances.