Firm Builds One of UK’s Largest Silo Facilities

Bulk material handling solutions provider SN Engineering recently finished the construction of a silo with 3000 m3 capacity in at Francis Flower port facility in Cheshire, England, said to be one of the largest silos of its type in the United Kingdom, the project’s contractor, SN Engineering announced in a press release Thursday.

Supplying reclaimed and processed mineral by-products products to the food and pharmaceutical, agricultural, and construction industries across the UK, Francis Flower embarked on the construction project to increase its capacity of Ground Granulated Blastfurnace Slag (GGBS), a by-product of iron and steel making used to strengthen Portland cement and other pozzolanic materials.

Francis Flower said it initiated the expansion project after customers requested additional volumes of GGBS, intending to increase capacity by some 70%, or more than 200,000 tn per year. Paired with the firms existing capacity of over 600,000 tn per year at its Scunthorpe facility, the new silo brings Francis Flower’s total GGBS annual capacity to about 800,000 tn.

SN Engineering said space constraints at the site shaped the construction plans.

“Having analyzed the various options open to Francis Flower, it soon became apparent that with such a restricted site area for final location and, more importantly, lay down and sub assembly areas, the only real option was for one large silo facility,” said Mark Osborne, director of SN Engineering, in a statement. “Having already supplied various 2600m3 x 12.5mØ silos in the past and with an all new 3000m3 silo added to our range, a proposal was put forward utilizing the new, larger silo model. This would represent the largest silo of this type undertaken by SNE and quite possible the largest of its type in the UK.”

Located in the Manchester Ship Canal, the silo’s design and construction included solutions to combat dust and equipment to monitor the silo’s inventory. Two high-capacity, high-efficiency fan-assisted dust plants were installed to manage dust-laden air.

“With the silo having a working capacity of approximately 3000 m3, stock inventory is maintained via a duel system of weigh indication: strain gauges fitted to each of the 16 x 2.25 tn legs; and a continuous level device utilizing the latest radar technology available to constantly monitor feedback data to the Francis Flower system via a 4-20mA interface,” said Osborne. “Pressure relief valves and mechanical high, and ultimate high levels, complete with continuous ground testing capabilities, have also been installed as additional safety devices.”

The silo discharges GGBS through an electro pneumatic, extra heavy-duty cast iron slide valve. A rotary valve-lean phase blowing system facilitates onward discharge to Francis Flower’s loading silos, which feeds road tankers for shipment.

To learn more, visit francisflowerggbs.com.

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