Does anyone know if there exist a large can-like dispensers which is specifically designed for 55 gallon drums of (potentially) hazardous waste? A boss of a friend wants to store these gallons efficiently, and is interested in this type of design.
When I say a can dispenser like apparatus I mean something like this.
Thanks all,
Mattprole~
Try McMaster-Carr, probably under ‘material handling’.
I assume that you don’t really want a rack that you can pop out a barrel of hazardous waste and then have another one roll down into its place, right? Because 55 gallon barrels are fucking heavy.
Googling “55 gallon drum rack” gives you a host of solutions including this one:
http://www.bascousa.com/drum-handling-equipment-26/drum-racks-and-stackers-28.html
He wants to store full drums like that? Letting them roll around and slam into each other? I can’t recall seeing anything like that.
Most places handling many drums store them on pallets of 4 and stack them with a forklift. How do you plan to load the rack? With a hoist? Or are you going to stack empty drums on the rack and fill them in place? If you don’t have a forklift, I assume whoever picks the drums up has a way of loading full drums.
If you are using a hoist to handle the drums, I think you could make the stacked pallets work.
Does he have giant fridge he wants to store them in as well?
Is it even permissible to lay a filled drum on its side? I’d be concerned about leaks.
And why are they looking to store large quantities of hazardous waste on-site?
ETA: To expand on “55 gallon barrels are fucking heavy” - They’re heavy enough when empty, and you’re in the neighborhood of 500-550 pounds each when filled.
Yeah, I know it sounds silly, unfortunately i know as little as the rest of you guys. Thanks for the responses so far.
I have used racks like that for oil storage. It was a home built job with cross-braces to keep the drums from rolling. We used fork trucks to put the drums in and take them out.
We would just drive the truck in and lift the drum. Set the drum on its side then lift the front edge and set it up.
Never saw any problems with leaks. The drums had a sealing ring and a band clamp.
It took up less storage space than leaving them upright.
I would second the McMaster-Carr (drum rack?) suggestion although I doubt one would be hard to make at the local welding shop.
I had an image of a colossal Coke machine that spit out drums of toxic waste. I figure you’d have to put manhole covers in to get one though.
This is a common technique for dispensing from drums. You install a valve in the bung while still upright. You then lay it down with the valve at the bottom. You can even buy stands that clamp on to a standing barrel and have a rocker to allow ease in laying it down.
I think the usual thing is to accumulate what you generate and have it picked up within the legal limit. While waiting, you need secure storage.
That is a little high for most materials. If I remember, the tare for a drum is about 40 pounds. Add 55 gallons of water and you are only a little over 480. Most organic materials are lighter.
Even a 450 pound drum isn’t that hard to handle. A quick jerk and you have it balanced on edge and can roll it to where you want it. Barrel carts are easier and safer.
Well, yeah, that’s the main point of drums- you can roll them along like that without having to support all the weight.
Which is way different from catching the whole quarter-ton coming off a giant coke-can dispenser with some amount of speed.
Anyway, I’m wondering how the containment for the dispenser would work (You* are* going to have containment, aren’t you?).
The end of the bottom row of cans is uphill to keep the cans in place until you pull one out.
I’ve seen stands for 55 gallon drums which have a built-in reservoir which will hold the entire contents in the event of a leak. I think I’ve seen stands which hold four drums, same thing.
I am in the Hazardous waste industry. I have not seen anyone use what you are interested in for storing hazardous waste.
I have seen sideways racks for storage and dispensing of virgin chemicals. Valves are installed in the 2" bung and a vent in the 3/4" bung before the drums are hoisted into the rack.
If you are storing HW you need to have it properly labeled (that are visible) with proper aisle space between drums to comply with your weekly logged inspection.
I recommend having your drums banded on 48"x48" unbroken skids stored in a containment area separate from virgin products. Depending on the waste they would weigh 1600 to 2500 pounds. This is ideal for plant handling and transportation. If you have to you could store them on the ground and handle them with barrel carts.
Loading a truck with 4 drums on a skid is much faster than one at a time.
Hazardous waste haulers are going to charge you with demurrage if it takes longer than a specified time to load the truck. This could be a factor removing drums from the sideways contraption.
BTW empty closed head steel drums weigh between 40 to 60 pounds depending on the type and rating.
