Finding an efficient method to reclaim bulk materials like dry cement or fly ash can present a dilemma when using traditional storage facilities. You already have less space to store product and bulk material handling is usually less efficient because of the structural design. For your business, this can mean extra costs lost to material that cannot be reclaimed over time.
A dome by Dome Technology can make the whole process of handling bulk material much easier. These structures are already better equipped for bulk material storage because they can utilize a higher percentage of internal structure volume than a warehouse or even a traditional silo.
Domes can also be designed to meet multiple material handling configurations. Useful reclamation systems that can be employed in dome silos include the mechanical screw and the fluidized floor.
Mechanical screw
Avoiding bulk material extraction using a front loader or another inefficient method is easy. Reclamation using a mechanical screw gets the job done much better.
A mechanical screw cuts into the bulk material pile, assisting in moving material toward the discharge opening where it can be collected. Gravity works in the beginning to discharge bulk material until it hits the angle of repose. At that point, the mechanical screw takes over. It draws cement to the center discharge opening located in the dome floor using a pneumatic conveyor pump.
Mechanical screws work in concert with gravity until the final reclamation phase. Then it takes over completely in moving bulk material to the opening.
Fluidized floor
Domes can also be designed to use a fluidized floor in the reclamation process. Fluidized floors offer even greater advantages beyond those offered with a mechanical screw system.
Fluidized floors offer complete floor coverage and clean out material at a nearly 100 percent rate. It requires lower power consumption than other reclamation systems. The fabric membrane used to fluidize material is durable and requires little maintenance. This system also allows for simultaneous filling and reclamation.
A typical fluidized floor is divided into zones. Sections within these zones can be activated individually until all the material in that section has been reclaimed or they can be activated in a timed sequence to draw down bulk material evenly.
Bulk material handling made simple
When you need to reclaim stored bulk materials, the job needs to be cost effective and efficient. Only using a dome can make material handling meet those parameters. A dome’s design allows for automatic reclamation systems that save both time and money.