Thin-Shelled Concrete Storage Domes and Fluidized Floor Reclaim Systems for Long and Short Term Product Storage at Cement Plants and Terminals

Market and climate conditions have a large effect on the type and capacity of required storage. Most production facilities have a high and low demand season. During the low demand period material must be stored to supplement production during the peak demand period. The duration of the low demand period and the sold capacity during the peak period affect the inventory required. The trend is to provide large capacity structures to provide for various market conditions. The dome has always been one of the most practical solutions for storing large volumes of cement at plants and terminals. At the beginning of dome development, storage domes were basic hemispheres without regard to how this shape affects the total project cost. Currently, dome storage applications are refined using cost studies considering not only the dome shell and ring beam foundation, but the effect of interior tunnels and vaults, including multiple lane drive though tunnels. This closer examination of the total dome scope has resulted in very significant overall project cost savings. Further, domes diameter to height ratio (subject to project soils reports) have allowed economical dome solutions from the old 50% ratio to over 125% taller than diameter, even in high seismic areas, optimizing the project cost efficiency. Material reclaim from domes can be achieved either pneumatically or mechanically, and the industry has not consistently embraced one method or the other. Over the past 50 years there have been several mechanical reclaim systems introduced to the industry, each with varying operational requirements and degrees of efficiency and reliability. During this same time period the principle of fluidized (pneumatic) reclaim has remained constant and the system designs have been improved to respond to industry demands for lower equipment, installation, operation and maintenance costs. Today´s fluidized floors offer nearly 100% coverage and reclaim efficiency, low average power consumption and- minimal maintenance.