The Importance of Bulk Density When Choosing FIBC Bags
Do you know the bulk density of your product? Bulk density can make a big difference in the packaging of your product, especially for dry, flowable goods that are best stored in FIBC (flexible intermediate bulk container) bags. A product’s bulk density will impact the flow of powder or grain through the packaging equipment; hence, it directly influences the packaging design and size of packaging or pouch used. Here, we’ll discuss the importance of bulk density and how it may affect a good FIBC design.
What is Bulk Density?
Bulk density can be defined as the mass per unit volume of powders or grains in a bulk state. We use bulk density to determine how much of a substance or particles can be safely stored in a defined amount of space (like an FIBC bag). Therefore, product density influences how you choose your FIBC bags, the type of discharge options you implement, the overall size of the bags, etc.
If you underestimate your product’s bulk density, you can run out of FIBC bags before storing all your product, or you can cause danger to yourself or your customers as strained bags could fail. On the other hand, overestimating bulk density can lead to inadequate estimation of target weight per bag and unsafe long-term storage solutions.
Determining Bulk Density
Finding suitable FIBC bags to store your product safely is not always easy. You need to check critical parameters like construction type and SWL (safe working load) to make sure the FIBC suits your choice of dimensions and can also handle the weight of your specific product.
Some strategies to follow to avoid bulk density issues while choosing FIBC bags:
Multiply the bag volume in m3 with the material density in Kg/ m3 to get the weight of material (in kg) that can be packed in an FIBC Bag. This will help in arriving at the right bag size for the specific application for which the FIBC bag is to be used.
Choose bulk bags with coatings or liners to prevent moisture or contamination. Bulk density can be affected due to exposure to moisture during storage or transportation. FIBC bags designed with poly liners can help reduce this risk.
Reach out to Bulk Corp International for any assistance on your packaging needs.
