The concept of a horizontal silo was first introduced in the 1800’s, but today these low-level silos have modern-day advancements in structure, construction material and usage. Mobility and ease of set-up has enabled this equipment to become a real contender compared with vertical silos for storage considerations in mining, civils and agricultural applications.
Essentially, a silo is used for storing bulk materials. A cement silo, for example, is a crucial piece of equipment used alongside ready-mix concrete batching plants and with machinery producing concrete products. In fact, the ready-concrete mixing process cannot be done without a cement storage silo. Silos come in a range of styles – horizontal or vertical, mobile or fixed, with each having its advantages.
The Difference Between Horizontal and Vertical Silos
Horizontal silos are a good choice when storing and discharging cement, lime, fly-ash (used in concrete mixes) and other bulk material is required. They are often used at building sites, or for roadwork and urban work operations, where they are conveniently used to move around, requiring no fixed installation. In addition, they can be transported on trucks or in containers, with lifting jacks fitted for ease of loading or dismantling. When used in conjunction with concrete batching equipment, these storage silos become an indispensable partner.
Vertical silos come in circular or rectangular shapes, taking up “sky space” and are able to be used with any time of load due to the customisable flow cone at the bottom.
Although vertical silos can be made with a higher capacity than horizontal silos (up to 2,000 tons), they tend to be fixed on a site, requiring crane installation and certification of anchoring. These silos are most often round, but can be rectangular and are useful for directly feeding into batching plants, mixer trucks or industrial mixers.
Why Choose a Horizontal Silo?
Freedom of movement and easy set-up are the main reasons behind opting for this kind of silo. Mobile horizontal silos are known for their high productivity benefits, which include fast start-up and dismantling compared to the painstaking installation of vertical silos. This consideration is vital with construction work which is focused on delivery deadlines.
The horizontal silo is generally fitted with electronic controls and a view panel, providing visual and easy operating systems, which make it stress-free to manage the storage loads. They are excellent when sticky materials with high humidity levels are being used and, where needed, can have two or more storage compartments for different constituents. This type of portable silo has a standardised width, which enables familiarity and make it easy to operate. It should be noted that as the storage volume increases, so does the height.
Other advantages compared with vertical storage are:
- Self-erecting with telescopic legs, so no crane is required.
- Minimum environmental impact due to lack of fixed base.
- Can be made in both carbon plating or stainless steel when used for recycling or chemical applications.
- Ideal for environments where there is low height availability.
- Safe with no seismic risk to the job site or surrounding area.
Blend Plants Horizontal Cement Silo Storage Solutions
MMI Zimbabwe’s BLEND Plants S-Range of horizontal silos are focused on their ability to store cement on large construction sites. Their solutions of four different options cater for a wide choice of applications whether it be stabilisation cement, bridge mix, laboratory specified mix, colour cement, backfill, cold asphalt or standard concrete. Contact Blend Plants for more information on your specific needs.
All Silos are fitted with:
- Lifting Legs – rack jack 10T/leg
- Control Panel – manual and timed control of screws and vibrators
- Discharging Screw – 4500mm to 6700mm
- Filter Cartridges – Dust collector for venting filled silos, ,electric vibration system is intergrated
Optional extras:
- Hook Lift Chassis – available for trucks with hook lift system.
- Stairs and Walkway – safe access to silo roof for maintenance
- Level Sensors – for minimum and maximum material levels
- Weighing System – with load cells and control panel with decrement dosing that is programmable
- Powerpack Diesel – 19KW, 4 cylinder with 72.5DBA noise level including 42lt diesel tank
- Lifting Pistons – replacing jack rack system with hydraulics
- Self-Assembling Discharge Screw – hydraulic folding mechanism, no need to remove for transport