Published June 2017
Hycontrol, Redditch, UK, has installed integrated SPS silo protection systems at the Leeds site of Everbuild Building Products Ltd, part of the international Sika Group, to ensure the ongoing safe and reliable pneumatic filling of two 10m high silos used to store finely powdered dolomite.
This material is delivered by road tanker and it is vitally important that the filling process does not result in the over-pressurisation or overfilling of the silos. Typical storage silos are not pressure rated vessels and as a result, they can rupture at pressures as low as 1 or 2psi above atmospheric. Failure of any safety system installed to prevent such problems can result in serious personnel injury, environmental pollution, loss of product and disruption to production.
Guidelines from the Mineral Product Association (MPA) for silo protection systems recommend that silos should be fitted with the following key components: a pressure sensor calibrated to trigger the protection system if the pressure in the silo approaches a dangerous level, a pressure relief valve (PRV), suitably sized for the application, an effective high-level alarm device, and an auto shut off system that halts the filling process should safe levels be exceeded.
