STORAGE

Bentall Rowlands Storage Systems

Limited talks grain storage

W
by Bentall Rowlands

ith over a century of

experience in the design,
quality and installation
of grain storage systems,
Bentall Rowlands
Storage Systems
Limited is a leading UK
manufacturer in complete
storage and processing
equipment for the agricultural and industrial markets.
They offer a wide range of galvanised steel silos and hoppers,
water tanks, catwalks and platforms, material handling
equipment, cleaning and grading and weighing and drying
systems that are assembled worldwide.
Their engineering and technical expertise combined with
continued focus on customer satisfaction places them in a
strong position to capitalise on the expanding market in storage
systems. With the capabilities to design, manufacture, supply
and install storage systems from an extensive range of products,
they provide comprehensive end-to-end solutions, which can be
designed to any specific clients requirements.
Bentall Rowlands have designed and installed silos worldwide,
including the UK, Kenya, Thailand, Germany, Holland, France,
Ukraine, Malawi, New Zealand and many more.

60 | October 2016 - Milling and Grain

Kevin Groom, Technical Director stated recently that, Our

storage systems are individually designed for all clients. Each
project has a bespoke design that is sure to match, if not exceed
client expectations. We are extremely proud of the projects
that we have undertaken in many challenging areas, proving
that whatever the specification, we are sure to provide the most
suitable design necessary.

Silo Design

There are a number of reasons why each silo/project is a

bespoke design and it simply comes down to the fact that not
every customer or area is identical. Geographical conditions have
a huge part to play in the design of silos (e.g the application of
the latest Eurocode norms in Europe) as do climate conditions
(influencing aeration and long term storage practices) and site
limitations.
As the worlds population increases we are finding that the
projects are becoming closer to cities and towns. This brings with
it a new dimension where we have to take into account the impact
the project will have on local areas. Not only the increase in local
traffic, but also dust and noise pollution is becoming more of an
issue.
When starting any new project, the first round of meetings
with a customer always proves to be the most important. Great

F
attention to detail is a must when it
comes to a successful project. As a
supplier we must first understand the
needs of the customer. The heres one I
made earlier approach to grain storage
projects has become a thing of the past.

The need for galvanising

Galvanisation is the process of

applying a protective coating of zinc to
the raw materials of the manufactured
parts of the silos in order to prevent
rusting. In areas where high levels of
corrosion could be present, this is a
necessity. Compared to other companies,
we use Z600 (similar but above G185)
as standard whereas some companies
may only use Z270 (equals G90).
This greatly increases the life
expectancy of our silos. For example,
in tropical marine areas where storage
systems are required, you can expect
them to last somewhere around 35 years
which is a huge advantage over other
companies.
Countries that have high levels of
precipitation and humidity will rely on the galvanising of the
silos in order to protect them from this corrosion. This is standard
on all types of storage equipment, to add that extra bit of security
on life expectancy. Powder coating of silos, as per customer
requirements is a part of the services we can render.

Seismic activity

When we are tasked with the job of designing a new storage

facility, there has to be a thorough inspection and survey of the
site done prior to any work taking place. The geology of the
area is key to the design. When designing a storage system for
erection in a known earthquake region, they must be designed to

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Milling and Grain - October 2016 | 61

STORAGE

F
the country's relevant seismic standards.
All silos will need to be built a great deal stronger to cater for
the horizontal loading at ground level and it is far better to keep
the silos height down. Silos that are shorter and wider are far
better than those that are tall and thin. When seismic activity
strikes, a structure that has a larger base area is more likely to
withstand the pressures and remain intact.
If you have a taller and thinner structure, this presents a huge
amount of stress to the lower sections of the silo, which will
ultimately result in the collapse of this structure. Due to the fact
that the magnitude of earthquakes varies greatly, all of our silos
are individually designed to suit each areas requirements and
regional norms.

Dealing with high winds

High winds can cause great problems for a number of

structures, including our storage facilities. We make sure that our
silos are designed to withstand gusts of 50m per second, which
equates to 180km per hour. A couple of years ago, there were
fierce storms that occurred in Scotland.
We had reports that all of the silos withstood the gale force
winds, with no reported problems or damage. In areas where
silos could be prone to these high winds, the structure needs to
be quite similar to that where seismic activity takes place. Silos
will withstand these huge wind speeds when they are designed
to cover a greater base area. This gives them the stability needed
to remain intact once a storm is passing. As much as possible,
Bentall Rowlands will adhere to local legislations.
The local annex of the Eurocodes for Germany for example
brings the height of the site over sea level or the proximity to the
sea into the equation of the wind load pressure calculation.

62 | October 2016 - Milling and Grain

Temperature change

For countries that are prone to temperature fluctuations, the

design of the storage system needs to be carefully thought out,
especially in countries prone to high levels of moisture. In severe
cold weather where snow can be quite extreme, it is the roof of
the structure that needs to be one of the main focuses. Snow load
is the reason for engineering changes.
When designing the roof, it is important to know what depth
of snow can be expected in a given area. We designed a bespoke
storage system for an area within the Ukraine where the snow can
get extremely deep. We specifically designed the roof on each silo
to be able to withstand a standard pressure of 1 kN/M^2 which
equates to 1 meter of snow. Our engineering department will
confirm with our customer the specific snow loads and norms to
be applied.

Why do silos fail?

On a number of occasions, the failure may only involve

distortion or deformation, which doesnt necessarily pose an
immediate safety hazard. On the other hand, failure can mean
complete collapse of the structure resulting in the loss of use and
in some cases, the loss of life. The major causes of these failures
are predominately down to design errors, construction errors and
utilisation errors.
We make sure that our silos are built to meet the specifications
set out in the design, eliminating any chance of silo failure. We
work hard to build the best relationships with our customers and
spend time making sure that they receive the best possible service
from the initial design concepts through to installation and
completion of the project.
www.bentallrowlands.com