Bulk material storage vessels (e.g., silos, bins, hoppers, elevators, bunkers) are available in a variety of sizes, shapes, and materials of construction. Proper selection of a silo, bin, or hopper requires evaluation of many factors, and in cases where basic material characteristics have been ignored, undesired consequences such as structural failures, caked or segregated material, and erratic discharge have resulted.
Jenike & Johanson engineers excel at thoroughly reviewing your storage needs, measuring critical bulk material flow characteristics, selecting the appropriate hopper discharge pattern, and designing a storage vessel that will operate correctly from the start and provide a long service life.
Review our solution approach and experience highlights below to better understand how we can help you implement a new storage vessel or retrofit a poorly operating vessel that continues to incur unnecessary costs.
Our Solution
Jenike & Johanson provides effective functional engineering for silos, bins, and hoppers. Our designs consider:
- General configuration that meets capacity and spatial constraints
- Bulk material flow properties that help select vessel design parameters
- Hopper shape, angle, and internal surface required for bin flow pattern
- Outlet size and shape engineered to avoid poor flow and ensure discharge rate
- Feeder selection and design to maintain reliable discharge from hopper outlet
- Unique design features for powder and bulk solids reliable handling, processing
Experience Highlights
- Converging/diverging mass flow silo for highly cohesive wet bran
- Mass flow purge column that efficiently strips polyolefin hydrocarbons
- Expanded flow silo retrofit for handling hot lime at 800° F (427º C)
- Diverging silo and apron feeder that handles saturated gold ore tailings
- Air assisted discharge silo for feeding kaolin clay at high rates into railcar
- Mass flow portable container, Y-branch, and mass flow surge hoppers for dual-sided press compacting potent pharmaceutical powder into tablets
What’s Next
After completion of the functional design for a silo, bin, or hopper, Jenike & Johanson can perform accurate load analyses and structural engineering to develop design drawings needed to achieve successful project completion.
Contact us to discuss our full-range of engineering services and how we can strive to meet your bulk material storage vessel needs.
