Falling flat for storage!

Bulkagram 22. 18 October, 2023

Continuing our discussions on bulk terminal port side operations, this bulkagram deals with flat storage system design.

AUTOMATIC FLAT STORAGE RECLAIM FOR CEMENT: LOW COST CEMENT LOGISTICS FOR IMPORT, EXPORT AND INLAND DISTRIBUTION.

Fully automatic flat storage cement reclamation uses fluidized floor pads in the flat storage warehouse on the same principle as the air assisted gravity conveyors typically used for the cement plants.  Since cement can flow at about 7 – 8 deg. slope on an aerated fabric medium, this principle is used in the flat storage floor and modular sections of the floor are fluidized and evacuated through vertical pneumatic suction pipes which take the cement directly to the packing station or to the ship loading system.  Fig 2  shows a typical arrangement for such a fluidized floor flat storage system.     With India becoming a low cost, high skill manufacturing hub in the world economy, such modular fluidized floor pads manufactured here and retrofitted for existing flat storages will increase the use of flat storage systems as a viable and economical storage system for  small and large terminals.     Ballpark  figures on cost for such a fluidized floor module with associated blower would be USD 300 per sq.m. which includes the cost of the aeration flooring, aeration fabric, supports for fabric, blower, piping etc.   To this, we must add the cost of the pneumatic suction system that will evacuate the cement from this floor.

An interesting cost is given below for a complete flat storage shed of size 40m x 20m x 6m eaves height to store approximately 5000MT of cement with automatic reclaim as above which includes the following:

1.              Flat storage steel structure complete with all sides covered with precoated steel sheets.

2.              Flat storage distribution pipe and valves

3.              Instrumentation

4.              Filters

5.              Utilities (Compressed air)

6.              Aeration blower with floor aeration fabric and supports

Cost manufactured in India: USD 400000. It will be interesting to know what the price will be in other countries both in the West and in the East.

Given below is some more cost information for higher storage capacities:

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