The primary reason to choose plastic drum taps and faucets is for its superior resistance to chemicals that would rapidly destroy conventional metal fittings. When dealing with hazardous or aggressive drum contents, the tap material is the single most critical factor for ensuring long-term safety and operational integrity.
1. Superior Chemical Inertness for Drum Taps and Faucets
The major benefit of using specific polymers, such as Polyethylene (PE) and Polypropylene (PP), is their chemical inertness. Unlike metals such as brass or aluminum, which can suffer from galvanic corrosion or react directly with strong acids, these specialized plastics do not react with most corrosive substances. This passive resistance is the foundation of their reliability. While metals rely on passive oxide layers that can be stripped away by strong chemicals, plastics offer a solid, non-reactive structure. This inherent resistance guarantees the tap’s internal and external components will not weaken or become brittle simply from prolonged contact with the liquid.
Best For: This unparalleled resistance makes plastic taps the ideal choice for dispensing:
- Strong Acids: Such as sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid, which aggressively attack common metal alloys.
- Alkali Solutions: Like caustic soda (sodium hydroxide), powerful bases that degrade many metallic surfaces.
- Non-Flammable Cleaning Agents: Including concentrated industrial cleaners and bleach solutions, whose active ingredients are highly corrosive over time.
2. Preventing Dangerous Reactions
When a corrosive chemical comes in contact with a non-resistant metal tap, a toxic and destructive chemical reaction occurs. The consequences of this incompatibility extend beyond mere wear and tear:
- Rapid Failure: The metal tap degrades quickly, leading to leaks and uncontrolled spills. This accelerated decomposition often starts internally and leads to sudden, catastrophic failure, creating a significant injury risk in the workplace.
- Contamination: Metal ions can leach into and contaminate the liquid. In industries where product purity is paramount—such as food processing or pharmaceutical manufacturing—this metal contamination can ruin an entire batch of expensive liquid, leading to massive financial loss.
3. Ideal for Agricultural and Non-Reactive Chemicals
Beyond the warehouse, plastic taps offer exceptional performance in the farming sector. Many modern agricultural chemicals, including liquid feeds, nutrients, and pest control agents, are complex, often acidic formulations that necessitate a non-reactive dispensing system. Choosing a durable PE or PP tap eliminates the risk of chemical degradation, ensuring that the valuable contents are dispensed accurately and safely, preserving the integrity of the formula until the last drop.
What Taps and Faucets do ScopeNEXT provide?
For ScopeNEXT customers, having the right material is a core part of safe drum handling. If your liquid is corrosive or a strong alkali, a durable Polyethylene or Polypropylene tap is the non-negotiable choice to protect your team and prevent costly, dangerous spills. This choice is about prevention, reliability, and long-term compliance. Take a look at what we offer:
This Polyethylene drum tap is ideal to use with large containers where the contents have to be dispensed very quickly but safely. Most commonly used in industry. The EPT Gasket (colour may vary) ensures no dripping with a strong connection to the container itself. The large handle is designed to ensure the tap can be used with ease and better control.
High Flow Drum Tap (Foodgrade)
This high flow drum top is ideal to use with large containers, where the contents have to be dispensed quickly and safely. As well as a secure EPT gasket, the tap/faucet has a larger handle to ensure ease of use. The HFDT is available in food compatible materials.
Small drum tap, best used to dispense smaller quantities of liquids quickly. The handle is designed to be ribbed to ensure a better grip, allowing a more controlled motion whilst using the tap. The polyethylene body is also very hard wearing and long lasting.
The SNXD312 is a white small drum tap, designed to dispense liquids from, ideally, 25 litre containers. The ribbed handle ensures a better grip to assist with a more controlled output function. Best to be used with any liquid that needs to be dispensed quickly.
