By Rebecca Long Pyper for Dome Technology
Cement is one the most common products stored within a DomeSilo, Dome Technology’s most popular storage model to date, and there’s no slowdown in sight.
In 2022, Dome Technology tackled two cement projects and two fly-ash projects. One of the highlights was Ozinga’s new 50,000-metric-ton dome at the Port of Palm Beach, Florida. The structure’s custom appearance is the result of a cooperative effort between Ozinga, Dome Technology, the Port of Palm Beach and the City of Riviera Beach and is designed to enhance the visual landscape of the area and complement the marine environment.
“Dome Technology is grateful for the opportunity to be part of the solution for this unique and challenging project,” Dome Technology CEO Bradley Bateman said. “Our team appreciates the chance to work with Ozinga on another exceptional project.”
The facility will receive and store international shipments of cement that will then be transported to other locations for use in the production of ready-mix concrete.
Another recent highlight was another DomeSilo for Continental Cement Co., this time at its Davenport, Iowa, USA facility.
This DomeSilo can store 125,000 short tons of cement powder, and according to Dome Technology’s records, the structure is among the largest-capacity cement storage facilities in the world, said sales manager Lane Roberts.
The dome size is a response to demand that’s been building for the past decade. CCC Davenport ran short on storage for many years, resulting in cement being loaded on barges and stored on the river. Over the past decade, CCC has stored significant amounts of cement each year, resulting in substantial demurrage costs. With demand for cement and barge demurrage costs increasing each year, Summit Materials and Continental Cement were confident that it was time to invest in larger, more permanent storage.
“CCC will reduce its demurrage costs for cement storage on the river and eliminate the need to curtail production or shut down the plant. This helps to ensure we have sufficient cement to ship coming out of the winter months into the busy spring and summer seasons,” Continental Cement Co. plant manager Shawn Mages said.
This DomeSilo is 165 feet in diameter and 171.5 feet tall. A center-discharge FLS Ful-Floor™ reclaims the cement to the center of the dome to a single tunnel that is 14 feet wide and 12 feet tall. The cement is reclaimed at 350 stph.
Dome Technology’s scope of work also included construction of a mechanical/electrical building and overseeing site preparation and earth work. The team demolished three bays of an existing building to clear way for the DomeSilo and the new mechanical/electrical building.
Key dome benefits
Dome Technology customers benefit from six key features:
- Moisture protection. An exterior PVC membrane covers the DomeSilo for complete waterproofing and zero dust emissions. Thermal insulation means no condensation either. This drastically increases the structural life of the DomeSilo compared to other structures.
- High capacity. In a DomeSilo, more product can be stored on a smaller piece of land than within a silo of comparable dimensions. A DomeSilo can be filled to the top because it can support the storage load into the roof. Silos can’t say the same.
- The DomeSilo is built to last indefinitely. Its construction is natural-disaster resistant, and its round geometry yields higher tolerance for settling and supporting large loads on the apex of the DomeSilo.
- When a DomeSilo is designed with operations in mind, expenses drop. Companies can depend on automation to run the facility for less. Custom reclaim and transport systems meet diverse conveyance needs.
- A turnkey solution. The Dome Technology team provides the entire package, including design and installation of the mechanical systems required for bulk storage, from equipment on the inbound side to reclaim systems and throughput speed.
- Foundation options. Dome Technology builds economical foundation systems, customizes each dome’s shape and provides efficient tunnel systems. Since most construction takes place on the inside of the dome, the building schedule is accelerated.
Looking ahead
This year is turning out to be as busy as 2022. Dome Technology is building two DomeSilos for Titan America. The first is in Tampa, Florida, USA; this dome will store 67,500 metric tons and stand 142 feet in diameter and 141 feet tall. The second dome in Virginia will be nearly identical.
Additionally, an international cement company has hired Dome Technology to build a 50,000-metric-ton dome in Texas, USA, and a 25,000-metric-ton dome in Colombia.
Editor’s note: This text was prepared for the November 2023 issue of Dry Cargo International.