When it comes to finding the right liquid packaging solution for your organization, you cannot simply select the first container you find that seems appropriate. The size and material of liquid packaging containers can play a large role in how safely and reliably your chemicals are stored and/or transported.
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Even the elements of heat, cold, and UV rays can affect the type of packaging that is suitable for your operation. This comprehensive guide will go over the most important aspects of liquid packaging and explain the importance of working with an expert to find the best solution for your needs.
Considerations For Liquid Packaging
The first step in identifying the best liquid packaging solution for various chemicals is to understand the specific properties of the chemical in question. The chemical bottling procedure that works for one substance may vary completely from another substance, even if they are similar at the molecular level.
At a minimum, know the following properties and how they affect your choice in liquid packaging.
Temperature
Liquid chemicals must be filled and stored at the proper temperature required to maintain stability. Excessive heat or cold may impact the chemical&#;s performance for the end user. Additionally, certain chemicals also require specialty packaging machines engineered to perform within a certain temperature range. Use the correct machine to ensure the bottling process is smooth from start to finish without any delays or downtime.
Viscosity
Viscosity plays a large role in liquid packing since it affects three important aspects of the bottling process. The rate at which the chemical dispenses for bottling and packaging is heavily impacted by the viscosity of the chemical. The type of bottle filling machinery used for a chemical must be carefully selected, especially if the chemical is hazardous. The machine must use enough force to fill the bottle without causing splatters or overfilling.
Particulates
If your end liquid product contains particulates, you must consider their impact on the bottling process. The average size of particulates will determine the type of machinery used to fill the containers. The filler must be able to dispense the liquid product and the particulates seamlessly into the container. Otherwise, errors can occur during the bottling process.
Container Size
Once you know the viscosity and temperature of your chemical and size of any particulates, you can move on to determining the proper size for your liquid packaging containers. Container sizes can vary greatly, from just one ounce to millions of gallons. The size of the container will largely be determined by your needs and how you are transporting your liquids.
The most common sizes of small and bulk liquid packaging containers include:
- 1 Pint
- 1 Quart
- 0.5 Gallon
- 1 Gallon
- 2.5 Gallons
- 5 Gallon Pail
- 5-20 Gallon Drums
- 20 to 55 Gallon Drums
- 275 Gallon IBC Totes
- 330 Gallon IBC Totes
Material Options for Liquid Packaging Containers
Numerous material types are available for liquid chemical bottling. Some materials can support various chemicals (even hazardous ones) while others will be limited to a select few.
Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBC)
For bulk liquid packaging, IBCs are the perfect answer. They can be made of plastic or metal, and vary in flexibility. These pallet mounted containers allow for safe and secure shipment of most types of chemicals in large quantities.
Plastic
Plastic is widely used for a chemical bottling because it is sturdy and cost-effective. Plastic is less sustainable than other options, but can hold a wide range of chemicals, meaning it&#;s often a default choice for manufacturers.
Glass
Glass has long been used for small amounts of liquid in need of packaging. It does not corrode, and it provides a safe barrier to store chemicals. It can even be tinted, which is important for photosensitive chemicals. However, glass can easily break and must be handled with great care.
Carbon or Stainless Steel
Metal is an exceptional choice for storing and shipping flammable and combustible liquids. Even most solvents can safely be stored in metal containers. Most commonly, oil, gasoline and petroleum are shipping in metal 55 gallon drums. It is important to note that metal can corrode over time, and it must also be grounded/bonded to prevent igniting a flammable chemical.
Lined Drums
Certain types of chemicals react with metal drums, which indicates a barrier needs to be placed between the container and the chemical. An epoxy lacquer is used to coat the inside of the drum to protect the chemical from any reaction. The pH range for lacquered line drums is limited, so not all chemicals can be stored in this type of container.
Potential Liquid Packaging Hazards
When handling chemicals, challenges and hazards must always be taken into consideration for the safety of employees, shipping crews and customers. Before beginning your liquid packing services, you must identify hazards and determine the packaging capabilities required to handle your specific needs. Some of the most common hazards related to liquid chemicals include the following:
Physical Hazards
Some liquids or chemicals can pose threats known as physical hazards, such as burns, if they come into contact with the skin. These types of chemicals should also be handled by a liquid packaging machine to ensure human interaction (and risk of injury) is limited.
Health Hazards
Any toxic hazardous chemicals must be packaged by a bottle filling machine. These chemicals pose numerous health concerns, so the amount of human interaction must be kept to a minimum.
Environmental Hazards
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Your liquid packaging company must remain in compliance with the EPA. Certain chemicals can cause extreme damage to the ecosystem if they leak during shipment or while in storage. The right containers must be selected to ensure any environmental damage is minimal.
Partnering with a Liquid Packaging Expert
If you have your chemical or blend ready for production, but simply aren&#;t 100% sure you know which size container to use, you may want to consider partnering with a contract manufacturer for your packaging needs. A contract manufacturer, or toll blender, is staffed with industry experts with the experience to know what works and what does not. Rather than going through trial and error, you can ensure you have the right liquid packing solution from the start.
Additionally, while this guide has covered all the bases of liquid packaging solutions, each organization and their chemical bottling needs are unique. Things beyond your packaging, like R&D, logistics and product formulas require custom planning to ensure the chemical or blend remains stable from filling through shipment and to the final end user.
If you are looking for a contract manufacturer to partner with your organization, Royal Chemical is here for you. We can assist you with every step of the process and identify the solutions that are best suited or your organization.
Schedule your free, no-obligation consultation with Royal Chemical today and let&#;s get to work identifying the best solutions for your unique chemical product needs.
Liquid packaging systems are able to accommodate a variety of viscosities and characteristics, including carbonation, but there&#;s no one-size-fits-all system.
The type of liquid packaging solution you&#;ll end up with will depend on a variety of factors, including whether you want an automated or semi-automated solution.
If you&#;ve set out to find a liquid packaging system, this guide will walk you through all of the important information you need to keep in mind when making your decision.
What is Liquid Packaging?
Liquid packaging refers to the process of packaging up any sort of liquid product, from beverages to cleaning agents. Liquids may be packed in a variety of container types with various seals and caps.
If you&#;re looking for a liquid packaging solution, you may be seeking a machine to rinse the bottles, fill the containers, or cap and seal them after they have been filled. In general, a liquid packaging system refers to the filling machinery itself, but a complete solution will do all of the above.
How do you pack liquid products?
Overflow Filling Machine
Packing liquid products requires extra care because liquids may spill, bubble, or overflow when not handled properly. This requires a smooth conveyor belt, at the very least, but also a liquid filling machine that is able to maintain pressure and temperature to keep the product at the right viscosity. Here&#;s a closer look at all of the factors that need to be controlled.
Managing Fill Temperature
Managing the temperature of a liquid as it is being packaged is important for a few reasons: When dealing with certain beverages, keeping a liquid in a given temperature range is necessary for preserving the taste and freshness of the product. However, temperature also impacts the viscosity of many liquids.
For instance, while some liquids remain easily pourable at a high temperature, they may become thicker and more difficult to work with when cooled&#;and vice versa.
Advanced liquid packaging systems will allow you to control the precise temperature of the product as it is moving through the system and into the containers. This is necessary for controlling both viscosity and quality in many situations.
Controlling Pressure
Pressure must be controlled for a number of liquid products, especially carbonated beverages where pressure differences could cause the product to bubble or foam and overfill the container.
Investing in a liquid packaging system with pressure control is necessary when working with these liquids in order to prevent spills and ensure staff safety and better product yield.
Why Size Matters
When determining the amount of product you would like to package into a given container, you must make the container slightly larger. Failure to leave this room will lead to issues when it comes time to fill and ship your products because natural changes in temperature will cause the liquid to expand.
If you do not account for enough excess volume in the container, product could burst and overflow after being filled, especially during transport or after sitting on store shelves for some time. Factoring this into your liquid packaging solution is a must-do.
Benefits of Using Liquid Packaging Systems
By far, the primary benefit of using a liquid packaging system is that it allows you to produce that much more product. In addition to time-savings, other benefits of using a system include:
- More accurate and consistent filling
- Reduced product loss
- Less manual labor required for production
Should we use automated or semi-automated liquid packaging system?
Liquid packaging systems are able to speed up the production line, especially when they incorporate a conveyor belt to automatically pull the bottles under the filling machine.
From there, the capping process can also be automated, and so can the sealing process. Labeling machines and other equipment can also be incorporated into the production line to create a fully-automated liquid packaging system.
Of course, semi-automated packaging systems are suitable for many operations. With these solutions, a person is often required to place the bottle under the filling machine, place on a cap, and use a manual interface to seal the container. The best choice for your operations will depend on a few criteria.
What to Know Before Packaging
Before packaging any liquid product, you need to think about a few key elements:
- Is maintaining a precise temperature important to quality?
- Is viscosity a concern within a given temperature range?
- Is the liquid prone to bubbling or foaming?
- How many containers would you like to fill per hour?
- How much manual labor will be involved in the process?
If you need help figuring out the answers to these questions, or finding the right liquid packaging system to suit your needs, contact our team of experts. We can help you select the right liquid packaging system for your production line, all while maximizing product yield, minimizing spills, and speeding up the process. Reach out to us today.
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