Sizes and types of IBC tote
Two sizes and four builds cover what the desk sees. The sizes are 275 and 330 gallons on one 48 by 40 inch base. The builds are caged, all-plastic, metal and bag-in-box, and only the caged composite is the common tote.
01Sizes
| Size | Base | Height | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 275 gallon | 48 by 40 in | 46 in | The 275 gallon tote |
| 330 gallon | 48 by 40 in | 53 in | The 330 gallon tote |
Sizes run from 110 to 550 gallons by one source, with 275 and 330 the most common. The desk matches those two.
02Builds
| Build | Made of | What the desk does with it |
|---|---|---|
| Caged | HDPE bottle in a galvanized steel cage on a pallet base | The common tote; matched in all eight grades |
| All-plastic | Molded polyethylene, no cage | Matched where the plate and condition allow |
| Metal | Carbon or stainless steel | Matched for fuels and solvents plastic cannot hold |
| Bag-in-box | A liner in a cardboard cradle, single use | Not matched: it is made for one fill |
03Which build for which job
Water, most chemicals and food ingredients go in the caged composite. Class I flammables never go in plastic or composite, and metal is the build for them. A one-way shipment of a food or a liquid sometimes uses a bag-in-box, which is thrown away. A buyer who knows the job picks the build, and a buyer who does not can ask the desk on the ticket.
04Choosing a type before a size
The tote families differ in material, and the material decides what can go inside. IBC totes are offered in plastic, carbon steel or stainless steel. Most of the used market is the caged, composite type: a high-density polyethylene bottle inside a galvanized steel cage. All-plastic totes have no steel, metal totes are made wholly of steel for products plastic cannot hold, and bag-in-box totes use a disposable liner inside a rigid crate.
Fire changes the choice. Plastic IBCs containing combustible or flammable liquids can melt or burn fairly rapidly and release their entire contents, while metal IBCs can withstand fire for at least 30 minutes if fitted with a pressure vent. Plastic and composite totes should never hold Class I flammable liquids, and listed rigid nonmetallic totes are suitable only for Class II and III combustibles.
05Sizes and footprints at a glance
Caged poly totes come from 110 to 550 gallons, with 275 and 330 the common pair. All stand on a 48 by 40 inch base, 13.3 square feet. A 275 stands 42 to 46 inches tall and holds about 1,040 liters; a 330 holds about 1,250 liters and needs about 53 inches of clearance. An alternate 45 by 45 inch footprint is used mainly in Europe. Rigid IBCs are capped at 3 cubic metres, 793 US gallons, under Title 49.