CouchHatter
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working with drums
I've recently acquired a 55 gal drum of ethanol. It is extremely heavy. I know that there are hydraulic machines that can hold and tip barrels for
pouring, but I do not want one of those. I have worked with fuel transfer pumps before but those aren't really rated for a variety of liquids.
Are there any novel ways of working with large containers - to transfer small amounts to jugs? I can imagine a few but they all involve spillage.
Maybe I'll build a teeter-totter.
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DavidJR
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Put the drum on its side with the opening at the top. Remove the cap. Rolling the drum so that the opening is below the liquid level allows controlled
removal of contents.
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Texium
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The safest and easiest option would be a lever or piston action drum-pump. Look up hand drum pump and you can find plenty of options for pretty cheap
on Amazon and elsewhere.
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happyfooddance
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I usually take a flask large enough to hold what I need, and put an adapter that accepts a tube and has a side barb for vacuum into the flask. A
length of tubing (hdpe for me with most things) runs from the flask. Use as much as you need to reach the liquid in the drum. Pull a vacuum on the
flask (aspirator o.k.) and place the tip of the tubing into the liquid in the drum. When you have removed the amount you need lift the tube out of the
liquid, and remove vacuum and voila. I don't know if this makes sense but I can explain it more if you need better detail.
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Assured Fish
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Grab a hose and a container that you want to fill with the ethanol, put the container beside the barrel so that its below the level of the ethanol in
the barrel.
Either use your mouth or a aspirator to pull the ethanol through the hose so that it fills the hose all the way and then cover the end of the hose
thats not in the barrel with your finger. Lower this end into the container you are filling ensuring that the end of the hose that is in the barrel is
above the end of the hose with your finger over it and then let your finger off the end and watch the ethanol run over. Just before you have enough in
your filling container, take the end of the hose thats in the barrel out of the ethanol.
Keep in mind that any ethanol still in the hose will run into your container and you run the risk of over filling it if your not careful.
This is the same technique used to siphon petrol out of a car, its also used alot in winemaking and it has an official name but i cant remember and am
too busy to look it up right now.
Sufficiently advanced science is indistinguishable from madness.
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BromicAcid
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Get a faucet with the proper thread for the drum. Buy a dispensing drum truck. Connect the faucet. When you need to dispense flip the drum on its
side and use gravity, when you're done flip it back up again. If you want to preform the transfers inertly though you'll want to evaluate using
nitrogen pressure to dispense your liquid. In all situations make sure you are grounded/bonded especially in the winter months and try to limit any
solvents free-falling through the air.
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JJay
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You can get drum pumps at any auto parts store. You can also get siphons with priming bulbs at any auto parts store. Remember to make sure that you
ground the container that you are filling. The flash point of ethanol is 16.6 C.
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j_sum1
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I concur. A drum pump is your friend.
If you want to do it on the cheap, siphoning can be done easily with a piece of PVC tubing without having to suck on the end.
Long piece of tubing. Insert into the drum so that the tube gets filled with liquid. Place finger over the end to form a seal. Pull the tubing down
the outside of the drum so that the end is lower than the level of the liquid in teh drum. Put the end of the tube in the neck of the flask and
remove finger. Liquid should flow. Lower the end of the tube and the flask to increase flow rate. Lift up when finished.
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Loptr
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A siphon is a quick/easy and cheap option. I use one I got from an auto parts store for use with my 4L bottles. Works very well.
[Edited on 26-11-2018 by Loptr]
"Question everything generally thought to be obvious." - Dieter Rams
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DrP
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This is what drum pumps are for. Otherwise - decant an amount to a smaller storage container through a funnel and decant further from that into
squishy bottles or whatever you keep it in usually.
I don't like the syphon idea - it is dated - we have these pumps for a reason. I don't like sucking anything into my mouth in the lab.
\"It\'s a man\'s obligation to stick his boneration in a women\'s separation; this sort of penetration will increase the population of the younger
generation\" - Eric Cartman
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j_sum1
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Quote: Originally posted by DrP  | | I don't like the syphon idea - it is dated - we have these pumps for a reason. I don't like sucking anything into my mouth in the lab.
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I don't get the problem, DrP
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Loptr
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| Quote: Originally posted by DrP |
I don't like the syphon idea - it is dated - we have these pumps for a reason. I don't like sucking anything into my mouth in the lab.
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Haha you think I use my mouth. Good lord!
My syphon has a hand pump to get it started. 
"Question everything generally thought to be obvious." - Dieter Rams
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DrP
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| Quote: Originally posted by Loptr | | Quote: Originally posted by DrP |
I don't like the syphon idea - it is dated - we have these pumps for a reason. I don't like sucking anything into my mouth in the lab.
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Haha you think I use my mouth. Good lord!
My syphon has a hand pump to get it started. |
OK - Maybe I am talking about a similar pump.... you pump it over with your hands... quite easy. We have them at work. The lads do take the piss a
bit when they ask for stuff from the barrel - they ask if it can be 'wanked out' of the barrel because of the motion necessary to use the hand pump.
lol. 'Wank us out 10 L of IPA please'.
\"It\'s a man\'s obligation to stick his boneration in a women\'s separation; this sort of penetration will increase the population of the younger
generation\" - Eric Cartman
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Herr Haber
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I can only imagine the endless jokes in the lab if you try to syphon ethanol and end up with a mouthful 
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hissingnoise
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Drums, eh? Richard Feynman liked drums and drumming...
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Loptr
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Pipetting by mouth used to be the technique!
"Question everything generally thought to be obvious." - Dieter Rams
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kulep
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To siphon liquids instead of sucking through the tube you can also blow through the hole (in the barrel), just need a little positive pressure inside.
I do that to transfer fuel, diesel doesn't taste great
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S.C. Wack
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One may have an extra cap, to poke two hoses through, one for alcohol one for vacuum...then pull the vacuum line off. Large jugs can go on the floor
to use the vacuum to start siphon action.
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CouchHatter
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Wow, I guess you just have to ask the right questions to get answers! Thanks everyone for your input, I feel much better equipped. Now to contemplate
buying more equipment...
Also because it's not well-enough publicized, and I just discovered it: Prudent Practices in the Laboratory
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DrP
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I've used these - they are cheap and nasty but work. https://www.coleparmer.co.uk/i/hand-operated-siphon-pump-7-g...
There are better ones made of metal but they are dearer....
Not tried these: https://www.coleparmer.co.uk/i/hand-operated-drum-pump-steel...
\"It\'s a man\'s obligation to stick his boneration in a women\'s separation; this sort of penetration will increase the population of the younger
generation\" - Eric Cartman
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woelen
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23-5-2019 at 11:45 |
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