Where and how to store alcohol. Are plastic containers suitable?

Factors influencing safety

The duration of storage largely depends on the composition of the liquid . A well-purified ethyl substance, without additives or impurities, retains its original characteristics for years. The list of factors influencing the safety includes:

1. Bright sunlight that disrupts the integrity of the chemical chain of the ethyl compound.
2. Moisture changing the structure of the compound.
3. Elevated temperature, activating unwanted chemical reactions.
4. Containers containing strong alcohol. The ethyl group of organic compounds belongs to a number of active chemicals. Ethyl reacts with many materials, resulting in the formation of harmful impurities. Glass exhibits the greatest inertness to the effects of alcohol-containing compounds.
5. Sealing of packaging. Sealing prevents the process of evaporation and the possibility of foreign particles entering, changing the original composition of the liquid.

How can you store alcohol?

The most suitable material for storing alcoholic beverages is glass. It doesn’t matter what is stored in it - medical alcohol or raw alcohol, the glass will not react with the components. If the plug is secure, it will not allow the ethanol to evaporate. The only drawback of the material is its fragility.

To prevent the glass from breaking due to a careless impact, protective cases are used. You can buy such a case or make it yourself. One of the suitable materials for its manufacture is polystyrene foam. It is easy to cut parts out of it, and polyurethane foam is used to connect them together.

An alternative to glass can be:

• Stainless steel. In steel containers, ethanol is supplied to health care facilities, industrial enterprises, etc. Canisters with a capacity of 21.5 liters are stored centrally for a long time. To prevent the alcohol from oxidizing, the canister is equipped with a sealed lid that does not allow air to pass through.
• Oak barrels. This container is better suited for expensive alcohol. Wood enriches the drink with tannins, allows it to breathe, improving taste and aroma. Oak barrels are great for storing cognac, whiskey, etc. But if purity is important (for example, for technical liquids), then wooden barrels are not suitable.

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You can find containers for storing alcohol in any home. Even a regular three-liter jar provides safe storage for 1–2 years.

Optimal savings conditions

When storing for long-term storage, it is extremely important to create optimal conditions. It is recommended to keep the strong drink in a hermetically sealed container made of glass or stainless steel. The optimal storage temperature range is from +5° to 20° , relative humidity level is ~ 85% . Place the container with alcohol in a dark place (protected from direct sunlight).

It is recommended to periodically check the appearance of the product and the tightness of the packaging. An important condition is compliance with fire safety measures (ethanol is a highly flammable substance).

Alcohol storage standards

The question of proper storage of alcohol, at first glance, is not difficult. The general provisions of this process at the household level can be deduced based on the characteristics of the product. Since it is liquid, volatile, flammable and potable, it means that it must be kept in a barrel/bottle/canister made of suitable “food” material, away from fire, with a tightly sealed lid or stopper, and a seal on the filler hole. For toxic methanol, it would also be a good idea to stick a warning sign on the container, one with a skull and crossbones on it.

There is nothing wrong with the above. But, since alcohol is stored not only at home, but also in production, it is better to cover this topic from a regulatory point of view. That is, familiarize yourself with what is written in GOST 5962-2013. It says that ethyl alcohol is bottled “in specially equipped tanks or containers intended for it, made of materials approved for contact with a product of this type” (clause 4.3.1). It further states that the mentioned containers must be equipped with sealed lids, as well as air vents with safety valves.

The valves are mentioned because in the warm season, if the tank is not in the shade, the temperature inside it rises and the alcohol increases in volume. Even lower, GOST states that ethyl alcohol can be poured into barrels and canisters made in accordance with GOSTs 13950-91, 6247-79 and 5105-82 (these are regulatory documents for steel containers), as well as glass bottles.

For storage issues, GOST directs the reader to the Instructions for acceptance, storage, dispensing, transportation and accounting of ethyl alcohol. In this document, Chapter 7 is devoted to the topic of ethanol storage. It says the following:

• Tanks must be made of steel (clause 7.1.1).
• For small volumes, you can use steel barrels, metal flasks and bottles. It is prohibited to use containers made of aluminum or galvanized steel (clause 7.1.4).
• Each tank must have a tightly closed lid with a rubber gasket, as well as a breathing valve with a fire safety device (clause 7.1.11).
• In spring and summer, tanks, reservoirs and barrels are filled to a maximum of 95% volume. In autumn and winter - by 97%. The same applies to transporting alcohol in tank trucks - the liquid is not added to barrels. For every 20 dal (20 deciliters) of volume: in summer by 1.0 dal, in winter - by 0.5 dal.

Section 3.1.3 is also interesting. Its essence is that it is impossible to use the same container for rectification by-products or raw alcohol and rectified alcohol without pre-treatment. It is first steamed, then washed with water, and then rinsed and necessarily wiped with rectified alcohol.

Additional information on storing alcohol can be obtained in section 2.4 of the Handbook on planning and rationing the consumption of ethyl alcohol in enterprises and organizations (author - A. I. Yashchura). It also says here that, in case of thermal expansion of the volume, alcohol is not added to the tank at least 20 - 25 cm in level.

Another important point is described in paragraph 2.4.12: “Work involving hitting or tapping containers (barrels) filled with alcohol with a metal tool is prohibited.”

The storage of ethyl alcohol in medical organizations is reflected in clause 30 of the “Rules for the storage of medicines” (Order of the Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation No. 706n dated August 23, 2010). It states here that the container should be filled to no more than 90% of the volume, and for large quantities - up to 75% of the volume.

Acceptable deadlines

Recommended storage times vary slightly for different alcohol formulations.

The deadlines are set in accordance with the special requirements for medical and food alcohol-containing products. As a rule, ethanol, stored under optimal conditions, does not deteriorate even after the period allotted by regulations. Experts do not recommend using liquid that has been stored for a long time. However, it is quite acceptable to use ethyl substance for household purposes .

Alcohol storage containers

Having studied the above regulatory documents, we can conclude that for storing alcohol, the legislation offers mainly two types of hermetically sealed containers - glass bottles and steel containers: barrels, canisters, flasks, etc. To determine the best option, we must remember that the most convenient ethanol tank during operation must have the following qualities:

• The material from which it is made must not react chemically with the stored liquid.
• Strength.
• Wide range of volumes.
• Ease of storage, transportation and use.

Rice.
4 Analyzing the four points listed above, and taking into account that it is best to take stainless steel, we can draw the following conclusion:

• On the first point, glass and stainless steel are equivalent. Neither one nor the other material reacts with alcohol molecules.
• The strength of stainless steel and glass are incomparable. The first one resists mechanical stress well. And, even in the case of slight deformation, it still remains fully functional. The second one fails immediately.
• The list of containers of different “calibers” made of stainless steel is wider than glass. If we are talking about large volumes (over 50 liters), then in general only steel is used.
• Here the advantage of steel is due to its higher strength. A stainless steel canister does not need to be placed in a wooden or polyethylene frame like a glass bottle (Fig. 4).

Thus, the conclusion is clear - stainless steel is much better suited for storing alcohol than traditional glass. The latter has only one advantage - through the transparent walls you can clearly see how full the container is.

The most common stainless steel containers for alcohol are the following products:

• Barrels.
• Flasks.
• Tanks.
• Canisters.

Barrels for alcohol

Rice.
5 A classic, stainless steel alcohol barrel that meets GOST requirements (Fig. 5) is a vertically located cylinder with hoops for rolling on the shell and two flat bottoms. On the top, closer to the rim, there is a hermetically sealed plug. It can be screw-type, on a chain, with a hole for filling. There is an air valve opposite it. The most popular volumes are from 50 liters. up to 200 l.

Rice. 6

Currently, stainless steel barrels for alcohol are offered on the market with slight deviations from the standards (Fig. 6). They are no worse than the one described above; their appearance is due to consumer demand. Such products may have a shell without rolling hoops, and a drain valve is inserted into the lower part. Often three support legs are made - removable or stationary.

Rice. 7

Speaking about stainless steel barrels for alcohol, we must also say about models with a floating lid (Fig. 7). Their main advantage is that you can close an incomplete volume so that there is practically no air inside. This product consists of:

• The actual barrel with a drain tap, possibly on a stand.
• Floating cover with sealing inflatable ring around the circumference.
• Pump with pressure gauge.
• A regular lid to prevent dust and debris from getting inside.

The container is filled with alcohol, after which the floating lid is placed on the liquid mirror. Air is pumped into the ring, causing the volume to be hermetically sealed. If it is necessary to drain some of the contents, release the air from the seal and open the tap. The floating lid lowers as the level decreases. Then the tap is closed and air is pumped in again.

Other products

Rice.
8 In addition to barrels, other stainless steel products are used for storing alcohol: flasks, cans, tanks, canisters. You can even take a tank (Fig. 8). The main condition is a hermetically sealed lid. In addition, in any case, both with and without an air valve, filling the container to the maximum is not recommended. It is always necessary to leave part of the volume free, as a reserve for thermal expansion.

A stainless steel barrel is the best container not only for storing alcohol, but also for transporting it in any conditions.

Loss of original characteristics

Deterioration in the quality of an alcohol-containing liquid can be determined by the following signs:

• Formation of sediment (this symptom does not apply to moonshine with additives).
• Change in color (the shade depends on the reagent that caused the change).
• The appearance of an odor not characteristic of alcohol.
• Change in taste.

The use of a modified drink is strictly prohibited . External metamorphoses indicate structural changes and increased toxicity. Most often, the reason for the transformation of alcohol into a toxic substance is the interaction of a chemically active substance with a container material that is unsuitable for containing it.