A cement silo is a type of vertical tank that is used to store various bulk materials, for example, fly ash, grain, and cement. The vertical tank is fitted with a clear material level system, which shows the position of the contents.
In a concrete batching plant, cement silos are used to store fly ash, cement and other bulk materials required for concrete manufacturing. So, how does a cement silo work? Well, let’s outline some of the working principles.
Cement Silo Working Principles In A Concrete Batching Plant
– When it comes to installation, a truck crane is used to lift the cement silo up and place it onto prefabricated concrete foundations. Next, installers must ensure that the silo is vertical before welding the unit firmly into place using the embedded steel structures in the foundation.
– Once the empty silo is fixed into place, a bulk cement truck arrives on-site and a conveying pipeline is attached to the outlet of the cement truck and the feeding pipe of the silo. A gas pressure pump is then used to convey the cement from the truck into the silo.
– During the conveying stage, workers can periodically activate the vibration motor on the dust collector to ensure no cement attaches to the filtering bag and causes blocking and blasting.
– The level of material in the silo can be observed from the outside as the conveying advances.
– To discharge cement from the silo, the manual discharge value – located at the base of the core – must be opened. The cement will then flows through the screw conveyor. If arching occurs during discharging, the electromagnetic valve button is pressed to blow air into the system to eliminate arching and allow for smooth cement delivery.
– If any failures occur with the cement delivery device, the manual discharge value should be quickly closed to prevent any cement from overflowing.
The working operations of a cement silo are very simple. You basically just have a large vertical tank with a cone base featuring a manually operated valve. The cement flows from the silo due to the force of gravity, so no pumps are required for discharging.
As the installation of cement silos requires concrete foundations, steel pipes, and welding processes, it’s important to buy high-quality units. You don’t want to risk installing a poor-quality silo that requires replacement soon after installation. The good news is that there are loads of manufacturers of high-grade cement storage silos in the marketplace, you just need to know how to choose the best suppliers.
If you are planning on purchasing a concrete batching plant, many suppliers will include some silos as part of the design. However, you might prefer to purchase additional silos from a different supplier to extend your plant operations.
When looking for cement silos for sale, be sure to check out all the technical specifications of cement silo and not just the price tag. You need a unit that has adequate capacity for your material storage needs.