Safely tank blanketing

If inert gas is available on site, gas blanketing of solvents stored within their explosive range is usually justifiable. Solvents such as toluene, heptane, isopropanol and ethyl acetate fall into this classification. Air with its oxygen content reduced to below 10% win not support combustion but it is normal practice to err on the safe side and use 2-3% oxygen for tank blanketing and clearing pipelines. Solvents which are particularly prone to form peroxides, e.g. THF, must be protected by pure nitrogen if they have to be stored uninhibited. 

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