Stainless Steel Drum Closures and Accessories

Stainless steel is an iron-containing alloy. It is a substance made up of two or more chemical elements that is stain and rust resistant. There are more than 57 stainless steels recognized as standard alloys, in addition to many proprietary alloys produced by different stainless steel producers.

Stainless steel is used in innumerable applications and industries: marine and shipbuilding, industrial containers, bulk materials handling equipment, building exteriors and roofing, automobile components, chemical processing plants, pulp and paper manufacturing, petroleum refining, water supply piping, consumer products, pollution control, sporting goods, food handling, storing, cooking, and serving equipment and transportation, to name just a few.

A Closed Head Drum is a drum in which the top or head of the drum is separate from the body of the drum. Lids of closed head drums are secured with wings.

A Tight Head Drum is a drum in which the top or head of the drum is permanently attached to the body.

Unlike other forms of industrial packaging, stainless steel drums come in a variety of sizes and can package both liquid and dry items including hazardous materials. There are stainless steel food drums, stainless steel fragrance drums, and stainless steel specialty chemical drums to name a few.

Stainless steel drum closures and accessories vary depending upon the use of the drum. For example, Con-Tech makes special application flanges, such as the buttress thread flanges used with the Entegris dip tube. This closure system is designed for drums in which high purity chemicals are stored and transported.

The 55-gallon steel drum holds an average of 55 gallons or 208 liters of material, though the exact amount varies with the exact composition and design of the barrel.

Typically, a 55-gallon steel drum is 33.5 in/851 mm tall with a standard diameter of 22.5 in/572 mm, though some designs may be narrower and taller.

The reconditioning thickness for steel drums is the minimum gauge set by federal regulators for reconditioning or recycling of steel drums. As of now, steel drums constructed for re-use (per CFR 173.28) must have minimum wall thicknesses of 0.92 mm or 20 gauge.