Silo control and protection systems play an essential role in bulk material storage and handling processes. PLC based systems provide realtime full control over silo while maintaining plant, silo and worker safety. Full control concept includes not only the silo itself, but also the connected upstream and downstream equipment. Silo filling equipment could be any kind of pneumatic or mechanical conveyor like bucket elevator, dilute or dense phase pneumatic conveying system, bulk tanker truck etc. By processing the signals coming from several sensors, silo control system prevents overfilling, overpressurizing and underpressurizing of the silo. Health of critical components are monitored continuously. A self testing system is operated periodically and before each filling operation.
Silo Control, Silo Protection and Silo Monitoring Systems
Bulk material storage silos provide a safe and efficient way of storing valuable raw materials. Filling and discharging of silos should be carefully handled to keep plant and operators safe. Polimak silo control and monitoring systems include wide range of powder handling equipment, automation systems and software solutions to operate and protect the silos in most efficient way. Polimak brings one of the most sophisticated silo control, monitoring and protection system to bulk materials handling industry, letting the plant owners monitor and manage their silos at one or more locations locally or globally.
Silos that are filled by bulk trucks (also known as road tankers) have several equipment to be controlled for safe and efficient silo loading. Automatic filling control system has a PLC controlled electrical panel that has full control over silo equipment. Silo top jet filter, silo inlet pinch valve, level sensors, pressure sensors and other components are connected to control panel. The power of air compressor of bulk solid tanker truck is supplied by built in power supply plug. Silo filling control system checks silo before filling for safety, controls the power sent to bulk truck, checks the product level, silo inner pressure during silo filling. System both controls the equipment and protects the silo from overfilling and over pressure.
Pneumatic conveying systems that fill silos in industrial plants generally have their own electrical controls with SCADA, DCS or similar systems. Implementing new silo equipment or several safety devices may require substantial effort. Depending on mechanical and electrical configuration of pneumatic conveying system, a local control panel handling all silo functions might be much more convenient. Polimak silo filling control system panels have the capability of connecting to DCS or SCADA units. Start, stop, level, alarm and pressure signals can easily be transmitted between both units, providing cost efficient and practical way of implementation.