GB2349907A

GB2349907A - A storage silo with flexible containment bag

Info

Publication number: GB2349907A
Application number: GB0007995A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ernest Roger Collinson
Original assignee: Collinson & Co Ltd E
Current assignee: Collinson & Co Ltd E
Priority date: 1999-04-08
Filing date: 2000-04-03
Publication date: 2000-11-15
Also published as: GB9907890D0; GB0007995D0

Abstract

A storage silo comprising a support structure (1, 3, 5) a weather proof skin (11) made of sheet material secured to the support structure, and a roof structure (13, 17). The silo further comprising means (41, 43) mounting a flexible containment bag (37) from the support structure at a position within the weatherproof covering.

Description

2349907 TITLE: Storage Silo

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a storage silo.

Storage silos are widely used in agriculture and industry for storing powered granular or pelletted materials.

A particularly economical form of construction which is widely used in agricultural applications comprises a plurality of upright legs to which sheets of steel are secured (usually by bolting) to define the periphery of the silo (usually circular). A series of roof beams interconnect the legs and support a roof structure. Usually a feed pipe is provided to introduce material into the top of the silo. Usually the lower end of the storage compartment of the silo is defined by a frusto conical portion tapering to an outlet. The lower conical portion of the silo may be exposed or the sides may be extended to ground level to enclose the discharge cone. Such a design is known as a skirted silo.

The construction provides a weather proof housing for the material which the silo is to contain and is particularly convenient because the parts can be supplied in kit form for easy erection on site.

For certain applications a single skin construction is unsatisfactory, for example where the conditions are such that condensation could form on the inside of the silo. One solution has been to construct a second skin spaced from the first skin and infilied with thermal insulation to avoid condensation forming on the internal sides of the silo. With some types of materials which have to be accommodated within the silo, the sheets forming the silo may have to be 2 specially treated or be of special materials to withstand abrasion andlor to meet hygiene requirements. Where there is a risk of explosion or for hygiene requirements bolted sheet constructions are unacceptable, usually dictating a welded construction utilising either epoxy coated mild steel, aluminium or stainless steel, and with a roof which will lift if there is an explosion. Such constructions are expensive and cannot be readily supplied in kit form.

Transporting complete silos adds to the expense.

An alternative to the rigid silo constructions described above utilises a flexible containment bag suspended from a support structure. Bags are made of different matehals according to the particular application and can include breathable materials. The use of flexible containment bags has proved popular with materials which pose an explosion risk. However, a disadvantage of the containment bags is that they are not weatherproof and thus have to be located indoors. Often a special building is constructed to accommodate the storage bags and its support structure. By locating the bag indoors the need for insulation (for example to avoid condensation) can be avoided. However the requirement for a separate building increases costs, especially where the size of the storage silo dictates a building which is larger than would otherwise be required for other activities of the business.

The present invention aims to provide a solution to the above mentioned problems.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a storage silo comprising a support structure, a weather proof skin made of sheet material secured to the support structure, and a roof structure, and further comprising means mounting a 3 flexible containment bag from the support structure at a position within the weatherproof covering.

The support structure serves to locate both the weatherproof covering and the support bag. Conveniently the support structure comphses a plurality of uprights with interconnecting bracing. Accordingly, the need for a purpose made building is avoided. Furthermore, the weatherproof covedng can be a relatively simple construction and use economical materials comprising for example bolted steel sheets since it is not in contact with the material being stored. The flexible containment bag is spaced from the weatherproof covering thereby avoiding condensation problems and the air gap may provide sufficient insulation for many applications. In some applications it may be advantageous to provide a second skin within the weatherproof skin. Thus, there may be two skins, one within the other but both out with the flexible containment bag. This second skin can be conveniently provided by secudng it to say the inside of the support structure where the weatherproof skin is secured to the outside of the support structure. The spacing between the weatherproof outer skin and the inner skin may be infilled with insulation material. The inner skin may comprise steel sheets or other sheet material which is bolted to the support structure. The matedal for the bag is chosen to be appropdate for the material to be stored.

The bag can be readily replaced to suit aftemative contents. The structure can incorporate any necessary explosion accommodation measures.

More particulady, the support structure is provided with a support member for the flexible containment bag. Conveniently it comprises a dng like member extending continuously within the periphery of the weatherproof covehng. More 4 particularly still it is sdpended from a roof support beam. The roof support beams are carried from the support structure.

The present invention will now be described further by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: - Figure 1 is a side view of a storage silo according to the present invention including internal detail, Figure 2 is a plan view of the storage silo of Figure 1 to a larger scale with the roof covering removed, Figure 3 illustrates the upper end of the silo showing the support ring for the flexible liner, Figure 4 is a section on AA of Figure 3 showing further detail of the connection, Figure 5 is a plan view of the silo shoWing the roof construction, Figure 6 is a side view of a suspended flexible containment bag excluding external detail of the silo, and Figure 7 is a plan view of Figure 6.

The drawings illustrate one embodiment of storage silo according to the invention. The silo comprises a plurality of internal support legs 1 (ten in the illustrated embodiment). A plurality of silo leg support braces 3 equally spaced between the upper and lower ends of the silo and each comprising a plurality of segmental elements 5, each of which is secured between a pair of adjacent internal support legs. The support legs connect to a bottom ring beam 9 at the base of the silo. The upright support legs are disposed in a circle and cladding 11 is applied to the outside of the support legs to define an external shell of the silo. The cladding comprises sheet material, usually it is sheet steel which is secured to the support legs and the support rings by bolts. The sheets may be preformed into part circular shapes or supplied in flat sheet which is readily bent to the curvature of the silo. The upper end of the silo is provided with a roof support structure comprising a plurality of radial support beams 13 each of which extends from one of the internal support legs to a central hub 15. The silo roof 17 is made up of a plurality of frusto conical portions 19 having edges formed for interlocking engagement with adjacent roof panels. The roof joint is shown at 19' in Figure 5. The configuration of the roof panels can be varied to suit customer requirements. Options including blank roofing panels, roofing panels with a viewing port 20, ventilation panels or explosion panels as illustrated at 21 in Figure 5. The hub 15 is provided with a flange 23 having a removable cover and providing a means of securing a lifting ring and allowing access for a filler pipe connection. A filler pipe is shown at 25 extending up the side of the silo and secured thereto by way of brackets 26 and entering the silo via the central hub 15. Also illustrated in Figure 1, but omitted from the other figures for clarity, is a fixed vertical ladder 27 with ladder cage 29 and walkway 31 with guardrail 33.

An access door is shown at 35.

The outline of a flexible containment bag is shown at 37 in Figure 1 and illustrated in further detail in Figures 4, 5 and 6. In the illustrated embodiment the containment bag has a generally cylindrical portion 37a and a lower frusto conical portion 37b leading to an outlet 39. Any suitable outloading device selected from a variety of outloading devices can be fitted at the outlet from the bag. The flexible containment bag is suspended from a support ring 41. The support ring is suspended from the roof beams 13 using a plurality of suspension link arms 43 which are connected to a respective channel section roof beam 13 6 by way of a respective support pin 45. Retaining pins 47 locate the support pin with respect to the roof beams. Ten silo support points are provided (in the illustrated embodiment), one for each roof beam. These may be more or less depending on the size of the silo. The upper open end of the fabric containment bag 37 is formed with a loop to receive the support ring 41. Ten cut outs 51 are provided in the upper edge of the containment bag corresponding in position to the support plates 43.

A filter area is disposed within the upper end of the containment bag. The top of the filter is shown at 57 and the bottom at 59. The filter area includes an upstanding tubular connection 61 to provide a connection between the filler pipe and the flexible containment bag. A further tubular portion 64 provides a connection between the silo viewing port 20 and the flexible container bag. A lower support ring is illustrated at 71 and connected with the containment bag by a suitable fabric loop or any other convenient means. The lower support ring may be anchored to the support legs by any convenient means if so desired.

Claims

7 CLAIMS

1 A storage silo comprising a support structure, a weather proof skin made of sheet material secured to the support structure, and a roof structure, and further comprising means mounting a flexible containment bag from the support structure at a position within the weatherproof covering.

2. A storage silo as claimed in claim 1 in which the support structure serves to locate both the weatherproof covering and the containment bag.

3. A storage silo as claimed in claims 1 or 2 in which the support structure comprises a plurality of uprights with interconnecting bracing.

4. A storage silo as claimed in claims 1, 2 or 3 in which the weatherproof skin comprises bolted steel sheets.

5. A storage silo as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 4 in which the flexible containment bag is spaced from the weatherproof skin.

6. A storage silo as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 5 in which a second skin is secured to the support structure within the weatherproof skin and out with the flexible containment bag.

7. A storage silo as claimed in claim 6 in which insulation material is present between the weatherproof skin and the second skin.

8. A storage silo as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 7 in which the structure incorporates any necessary explosion accommodation means.

9. A storage silo as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims in which the support structure is provided with a support member for the flexible containment bag which comprises a ring like member extending continuously within the periphery of the weatherproof skin.

8

10. A storage silo as claimed in claim 9 in which the support member is suspended from at least one roof support beam which islare carded from the support structure.

11. A storage silo as claimed in claim 10 in which the support hng is suspended from the roof beam using a plurality of suspension link arms which are connected to a respective roof beam by way of a respective support pin.

12. A storage silo as claimed in claim 11 in which retaining pins locate the support pins with respect to the roof beams.

13. A storage silo as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims and further comphsing a lower support hng which is disposed at and connected to a lower portion of the containment bag and which is anchored with respect to the support structure to restrain the lower part of the bag.

14. A storage silo constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.