Storage silos: What they are, types, advantages, and disadvantages

Many industries require silos to store any material or substance. Therefore, according to its use, there are not only several types of forces, but many conditions that must be taken into account to get the most out of them. But what do we mean when we talk about storage silos?

What is a storage silo?

Storage silos are structures designed to store grain and other materials in bulk or powder. They are also used to store other elements such as cement, calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide, activated carbon, or plastic resins, among others.

The most common storage silos are cylindrical with metal support, but there are also rectangular and square silos. They are similar to a tower and the material from which they are built can be metal, stainless steel, reinforced concrete, wood, reinforced plastic, fiberglass, etc.

Generally speaking, they are custom made taking into account the stored product, environmental conditions, or their location. They can be closed or opened and the inner surface is smooth and lined with special coatings.

Types of storage silos

Depending on the raw material stored, the types of silos differ and are divided into 3 types: tower silo, bunker silo, and sack silo.

Tower power

They are the most common construction and can measure from 4 to 48 meters in diameter and 3 to 40 meters in height. They can be made of wood, cement, concrete, or steel, among others.

Grain, cement, and chip storage silos are usually unloaded by air chutes or augers. Silos can be emptied into railcars, trucks, or conveyors. Tower silos containing silage are usually unloaded from the top of the stack using mechanical unloaders.

Bunker power

Bunker silos are trenches, usually with concrete walls, that are filled and filled by tractors and loaders. The filled trench is covered with a plastic tarp to make it airtight. These silos are usually unloaded using a tractor and loader.

They are recommended where large quantities of material need to be stored and used in agriculture and other industry types. The military today has also adopted the use of this type of missile storage and handling force.

Sila for bags

They are plastic and airtight bags or tubes used for storing grain and fodder in the field. They usually measure from 2 to 21 meters in diameter. The length varies depending on the material to be stored.

They are usually very heavy and are compacted using a purpose-built machine and sealed at both ends. These silos are also the most economical.

Advantages and disadvantages of storage silos

Advantages

The use of storage silos has several advantages:

1. To store the same amount of material, they need a smaller area than if it were stored in a horizontal warehouse.
2. Products are stored in optimal conditions.
3. Its price is lower than other storage systems.

Disadvantages

One of the biggest disadvantages of storage silos is that there are many risks involved in handling them. The most common are:

1. The risk of fire and explosion, unfortunately, is prevalent in grain elevators.
2. Accidents due to suffocation and danger of poisoning. This circumstance occurs when inhaling flammable vapors, which are created during the decomposition of grains.
3. Risk of intoxication due to the use of fumigants and pesticides.
4. The danger of suffocation when opening forces due to accumulation of carbon dioxide.