If your facility handles any kind of bulk materials, you’re in need of a silo tank (or two, or three). Silo tanks are designed for multiple industries, delivering the ability to not only store but also protect, distribute, and load and unload the materials that are your business’s bread and butter. But there’s more to silos than just the duties they perform. To give you a better idea of what these silently standing sentries do for you, here’s everything you need to know about silo tanks!
Give Up the Goods!
The first thing your silo manufacturer or installer will need to know is what kind of silo you need. Materials, size, and the ability to be filled and discharged all depend on what the goods are, the size of individual particles, and what the material requires to stay fresh or keep moving. For example, if you’re dealing with foodstuffs, you’ll need a silo that contains dust, keeps out pests, and can be cleaned thoroughly between uses to avoid contamination. Fill in your manufacturer about what you’ll be filling your silo with.
Highs and Lows
Another thing to consider when choosing a silo is how much space you have to work with. If the silo is built outdoors, there should be no problem with going with a larger size—though, even then, you may need to ensure there’s enough area and width to accommodate it. If building indoors, you must take the ceiling into account, as well as any surrounding obstacles. One final thing to keep in mind is how you will fill and discharge the silo. Account for room above and below the silo so you can easily fill, empty, and clean it. Clearance is important. Be sure there’s enough room for a railcar, hopper, or another container, which is something you can work out with the manufacturer or installer.
Material Issues
The next part regarding everything you need to know about silo tanks has to do with how the stuff your silo is made of affects the materials inside. We lightly addressed this issue above, but it’s worth going into more depth here. Silos come in a variety of materials, including metal, concrete, wood, plastic, and others. These materials can be further treated through various processes to ensure the items and objects they contain can be stored and discharged easily and with little chance of spoilage or loss. If the material can cake or build up, some surfaces can be treated with baked-on powders to ensure a smooth flow, for example.
Size and Shape Matters
While you might think that a bigger and wider silo is better for holding more material, you must take physics and gravity into account. A larger and wider silo could indeed hold more material, but the more it contains, the more pressure is put on the bottom and sides because of the considerable volume of materials within. A taller and thinner silo could hold as much as the larger one and have the benefit of using that pressure for discharging the goods.
Keeping Up on Upkeep
Nothing lasts forever, but most things will last longer if you take the time to keep them clean and in good repair. Even so, some silos are easier and cheaper to care for than others. Look for a silo that allows you to do most of the maintenance, repairs, and upgrades rather than hiring an outside firm—though there’s always something to be said for leaving certain jobs to the experts. Establish a cleaning and testing schedule every month and keep replacement parts in storage and readily available (and make sure they’re the right parts). Look for a low-maintenance silo that still does the job.
Looks Matter
As industrial machinery, you may think that silos don’t need to be pretty to do their jobs. Although this is true, you shouldn’t dismiss regular painting and other treatments that can make your silos not only shine, but also communicate your company and its branding, especially if the silos are located outdoors. At the minimum, look for silos that can be kept clean and easily painted and repainted for a better reflection of your facility.
Keep the Environment in Mind
This is a twofold issue. On one hand, make sure that your silo is clean and considerate of the local environment, especially when located outdoors. Make sure it tightly controls the contents and doesn’t allow spills or waste to escape and damage local flora and fauna. If you’re dealing with food materials, you don’t want to let anything go that might attract vermin or other pests that can infest, contaminate, or spoil the goods. From another angle, consider the environment regarding weather, climate, wind speed, snow accumulation and rainfall, the potential for natural (and even manufactured) disasters, and the like. Special considerations like these should be brought up with silo tank manufacturers who will be able to suggest how to address these issues.
High-Tech Silos
Silos can be more than giant containers. Unlike cans and bottles and similar receptacles, silos can be equipped with attachments that permit them to monitor, protect, and adjust their contents. Some silos can be equipped with devices that pump the oxygen out of a silo, leaving it less prone to grow mold, mildew, and other disgusting things, or to aid in chemical processes like fermentation. As mentioned, some materials generate tremendous weight and pressure that can risk building up, exploding, or causing accidents and fires. Some silos can be equipped with valves and other means of decreasing that pressure, leading to greater safety. Still, other silos can be equipped to move materials through pipelines to other areas inside and outside the facility. Again, they’re not simply big buckets!
Time and Money
Finally, silos not only come in assorted sizes and shapes, but also assorted values. Construction time is another factor as well. If you have questions about the best system for your facility, contact us so we can work out a budget and projected timeframe for picking out and setting up the right silo for you and your business.
