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FIBC Types and Selection
TRGS 727 makes the selection of a flexible intermediate bulk container (FIBC) depend on the bulk material and the location of the filling and emptying equipment. Its selection table works alongside separate requirements for grounding the bag, nearby people and objects, and certain bulk materials. Adding a liner requires evaluation of the packaging as a whole.
The requirements below come from section 6.6 and Annex C of TRGS 727, the German technical rule on preventing ignition hazards from electrostatic charges, January 2016 edition corrected July 2016. They form part of static control in hazardous areas.
The four FIBC types
- Section
- 6.6(2)
- Types
- A, B, C, D
TRGS 727 section 6.6(2) distinguishes FIBC Types A, B, C, and D. Type A has no protective measures against electrostatic charging. The other types use different physical principles to avoid brush discharges (Types C and D), propagating brush discharges (Types B, C, and D), and spark discharges (Types B, C, and D).
Type A in explosion-hazardous areas
- Section
- 6.6(4)
TRGS 727 section 6.6(4) states that Type A FIBCs are fundamentally not suitable for use in explosion-hazardous areas. Table 10 nonetheless lists Type A, marked with note 4, in its Zone 21 or 22 column for bulk material that is not dust-explosive or has a minimum ignition energy above 1000 mJ. Note 4 limits that entry to cases where the handled bulk material determines the zone.
Table 10 FIBC selection by material and equipment location
- Source
- Table 10
The columns identify the location of the filling and emptying equipment. MIE means minimum ignition energy.
| Bulk material or MIE | Equipment outside explosion-hazardous areas | Equipment in Zone 21 or 22 | Equipment in Zone 2 | Equipment in Zone 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not dust-explosive, or MIE > 1000 mJ | A, B, C, D | A (note 4), B (note 4), C, D | C, D | C (note 1), D (note 1) |
| 3 mJ < MIE ≤ 1000 mJ | B, C, D | B, C, D | C, D | C (note 1), D (note 1) |
| MIE ≤ 3 mJ (note 5) | C, D | C, D | C, D | C (note 1), D (note 1) |
| Dust with a flammable solvent component (note 3) | C (note 2), D (note 2) | C (note 2), D (note 2) | C (note 2), D (note 2) | C (note 2), D (note 2) |
Each entry applies together with the notes marked on it, and the section 6.6 conditions on grounding, labels, liners, and bulk material remain attached to every entry.
Notes 1 to 4
- Note 1, on Types C and D in Zone 1 for every bulk material case except dust with a flammable solvent component: during filling of the FIBC, the marked types apply only in combination with additional measures, such as purging with air.
- Note 2, on Types C and D in every column for dust with a flammable solvent component: during both filling and emptying of the FIBC, the marked types apply only in combination with additional measures, such as inerting.
- Note 3, on the row for dust with a flammable solvent component: for the concentration of the solvent component, see also section 6.2.
- Note 4, on Types A and B in Zone 21 or 22 for bulk material that is not dust-explosive or has an MIE above 1000 mJ: the marked types apply only if the handled bulk material determines the zone.
Note 5 and the 3 mJ limit
- Limit
- MIE 3 mJ or less
Note 5 bases the restriction to Types C and D for bulk material with an MIE of 3 mJ or less on the ignition effectiveness of cone discharges. These discharges can have much higher energy in a Type B FIBC than in a Type C or Type D FIBC. In a Type B FIBC, the cone discharge energy can reach 3 mJ for bulk material with a median particle size of only 0.055 mm. In a Type C or Type D FIBC, the median must be 0.27 mm or higher for the cone discharge energy to reach 3 mJ, but bulk material that coarse usually has an MIE above 3 mJ. The note explains the restriction; it does not set a particle-size rule for accepting an FIBC.
Grounding the bag and its surroundings
TRGS 727 section 6.6(1) states that filling and emptying can generate electric charge, which can accumulate on the bulk material itself or on the surface of the FIBC. A charged FIBC can charge objects or persons by induction.
Type C bag grounding
- Section
- 6.6(5)
In the presence of flammable gases, vapors, or dusts, TRGS 727 section 6.6(5) requires a Type C FIBC to be grounded during filling or emptying.
Grounding near a Type D bag
- Source
- Annex C
Annex C of TRGS 727 states that Type D FIBCs meet the requirement of limiting charging to a non-hazardous level by the principle of corona discharge, and that Type D has no grounding devices. In the presence of flammable gases, vapors, or dusts, section 6.6(6) still requires grounding near a Type D FIBC: all persons and conductive objects in its surroundings that can become dangerously charged must be grounded.
Annex C of TRGS 727 requires proof, when a Type D FIBC is used, that no dangerous charging occurs.
What a Type C grounding system does not verify
- Source
- Newson Gale guide
Newson Gale’s Grounding & Bonding Applications, Issue 4, describes a Type C grounding system as checking electrical contact between the bag’s interwoven conductive threads and its ground connection points. The guide says the system does not validate the bag’s general condition or verify electrical continuity between an inner liner and those threads. It assigns responsibility for the bag’s suitability and general condition to the site owner.
Labels liners and bulk material
Labels and document pockets
- Section
- 6.6(7)
Under TRGS 727 section 6.6(7), labels, document pockets, and similar items on Type B, C, and D FIBCs must not cause ignition-capable discharges.
Liners
- Section
- 6.6(8)
When liner bags are used in an FIBC, TRGS 727 section 6.6(8) requires the packaging to be evaluated as a whole, because the manufacturer’s type classification usually does not cover the use of liners. Annex C adds that liner bags can change the behavior of a Type C FIBC.
Grounding of the bulk material
- Section
- 6.6(9)
- Threshold
- Below 10⁶ Ω·m
Under TRGS 727 section 6.6(9), bulk material with a specific resistance below 10⁶ Ω·m may be filled into or emptied from an FIBC only when grounding of the bulk material inside the FIBC is assured during filling or emptying. A note in section 6.6 warns that even a Type C FIBC does not ensure grounding of the bulk material without further measures.
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Frequently Asked Questions
No. In the presence of flammable gases, vapors, or dusts, TRGS 727 requires all nearby people and conductive objects that can become dangerously charged to be grounded. Type D limits charging by corona discharge and has no bag grounding devices; proof that dangerous charging does not occur is still required.
No. TRGS 727 warns that a Type C FIBC does not ensure grounding of the bulk material without further measures. Bulk material with a specific resistance below 10⁶ Ω·m may be filled into or emptied from an FIBC only when its grounding inside the bag is assured during that operation.
No. TRGS 727 requires evaluation of the packaging as a whole when liner bags are used, because the manufacturer’s type classification usually does not cover liners. Newson Gale’s Grounding & Bonding Applications guide, Issue 4, separately states that Type C grounding systems do not verify electrical continuity between an inner liner and the bag’s conductive threads.
No. TRGS 727 Table 10 attaches conditions to marked entries. Note 1 requires additional measures during filling; note 2 requires them during both filling and emptying. Note 4 limits the marked Type A and B entries in Zone 21 or 22 to cases where the handled bulk material determines the zone. The section’s grounding, liner, label, and bulk-material requirements also remain applicable.
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