why no baffles in tankers

Yup, it's a cleaning issue. Chem tankers must be squeaky clean so that there is no chance of cross-contamination between products ( or even between different grades of the same product). Our loads are lab checked before release from the loading plant and before unloading. They're so serious that our trailers are "white-ragged" (wiped with a clean white rag) after cleaning and before being loaded. Any discoloration on the rag and your trailer is rejected as unclean (a contract buster if it happens too often).

Caught a "loader" once who deliberately scraped dirt from his boot into the open hatch. He didn't want to load us because it was too close to shift-change time. His butt got fired.

BTW, anyone who wants to know how liquid acts in a smooth bore, do this.... 1/2 to 3/4 fill a "pop" bottle with liquid (yeah a PB will work) and lay it on it's side in your open palm (well next time put the dang cap on first you doofus) and move your hand around. See how the bottle moves with the liquid??? (######.... put the cap on TIGHT you freakin dummy.... Keeripes!!! )

 

What would be the difference in driving a smoothbore compared to baffles? Not much I would imagine. Baffles control surge somewhat but you won't ever eliminate it entirely. The first time I hauled some 500 gallon pesticide totes in a dry van trailer I figured out pretty quickly you gotta be easy and smooth every time or you're in for a rough ride. To make matters worse they were loaded right down the middle of my trailer.

 

Oh yeah, there is a HUGE difference between smooth bore and baffled.

Drive was mentioning that milk trailers are seperated in bulkheads, which will make them quite a bit easier too. That way the liquid doesn't have as much room to get momentum and throw you into an intersection.

 

I meant to say what would be the difference between smoothbore and a compartmentalized... sorry

 

well, again, there would be less space for the liquid to gain momentum and throw your truck into an intersection. Rather then having 40-50 feet of movement, they have 15-20.

 

I have hauled milk in tankers and the reason for no baffles is as has been said here its food grade and with baffles the washer wouldnt be able to properly clean the tanks, there is a big wash wand that has high pressure that goes in thru the top hatch and a mild acid is used to clean the tanks, with baffles the washer wouldnt clean the other side leaving milk on the baffles which creates bacteria and fungus and contaminates the next load of milk, do you really want milk in the stores or cheese, sour cream etc thats been contaminated and make you really sick? Thats why no baffles in milk tanks.

 

It is not just food grade tanks that don't have baffles. Chemical tanks don't have them either, but for the same reason.

Bottom line, with baffles you can't get the product out of all of the nooks and crannies when cleaning it.

As for multi-hole tanks (separate compartments) I have pulled 3,4 and 5 hole tanks and there is a HUGE difference. At a light (or stop sign etc.) you get just a little back and forth motion with a multi-hole. Whereas with a shotgun (smooth bore) tank, you get much much more movement.

 

Like the hands before stated on a food grade tanker (shotgun) its a cleaning issue with baffles they cannot clean them properly thus you get bacteria and ruins the next load you haul. Its pretty much a common sense thing that you dont fly up to a intersection or around a curve with one. I used to love to watch the newbies take off with their first load and listen to them about to tear the tranny out because the didn't take into account the liquid surge.

 

LOL I remember my first day hauling a smooth bore.