Your guide to protecting tanker-filled

silos from over-pressurisation

Contents
3 Background to silo safety guidelines
4 Prepare for peak airflow
4 Silo filters the first line of defence
5 Pressure Relief Valves (PRVs) the last line of defence
5 Implications of the new guidelines for PRVs
6 Choosing an effective PRV
7 Auto shut-off your early warning system
7 Choosing an auto shut-off system
8 Making sense of maintenance guidelines
9 Ground-level testing a solution to work at height restrictions
10 Summary: Safeguarding your silos against over-pressurisation
Background to silo safety guidelines
Silos that are filled directly from a pressurised tanker need to incorporate suitable
mechanisms to allow displaced air within the silo to escape during filling. If these
mechanisms are insufficient for the pressures created within the silo, or if the
equipment is poorly maintained and becomes inefficient, dangerously high pressures
can build up within the silo. This can lead to a catastrophic blow out, damaging plant
and equipment, dispersing possibly toxic silo contents over a wide area and
endangering the lives of employees.
It was just such an incident that led to the publication by the Health and Safety
Executive (HSE) of new Guidance to prevent over-pressurisation of storage silos
during the delivery of powder in the cement, concrete and quarrying industries. Defra
has published its own guidance notes on Blending, Packing, Loading and Unloading and
Use of Bulk Cement, which covers requirements for environmental protection, as its
objective. However, both documents provide similar recommendations on how to
prevent dangerous and environmentally damaging over-pressurisation during silo filling.
To simplify this extensive guidance, the British Cement Association (BCA) put out its
own straightforward guide to help plant managers make sense of the new
recommendations. The BCAs Customer Site Safety Brochure takes the user through a
step-by-step assessment of their plant. The BCA uses these completed assessments to
determine whether it is safe to continue tanker deliveries to a plant, or whether
further safety systems need to be implemented.
While all of this guidance is targeted at the cement industry, the safety
recommendations set out apply equally to any storage plant that receives bulk
deliveries of powdered material from pressurised tankers.
In this report, we bring together all of the guidance and recommendations into a
single, easy-to-understand guide to safeguarding your plant against silo over-
pressurisation. At the same time, we highlight the implications of the HSE and Defra
guidance for silo safety equipment.
3 Return to index
Prepare for peak airflow
One of the major changes to existing assumptions outlined in the HSE document was
the need to specify silo safety equipment to cope with a peak airflow from the silo of
13,000m/hour. The previous assumption had been that peak airflow caused by over-
pressurisation during tanker filling could only reach around 2,000m/hour.
To test the new assumption, Portasilo built its own test rig and modelled a variety of
over-pressurisation incidents. The company found that it was possible to reach a peak
airflow from the silos of almost 13,000m/hour as a result of over-pressurisation. The
next step was to investigate the ability of existing safety equipment to cope with this
increased airflow and, where necessary, redesign it.
Silo filters the first line of defence
All silos that receive pressurised tanker deliveries must be fitted with a filter in the
roof. This allows displaced air from within the silo to escape to the atmosphere.
Portasilo tests found that filter sizes and specifications did not need to be changed in
response to the new peak airflow assumptions in the HSE guidelines. If properly sized
and maintained, existing filters could already cope with an airflow of 13,000m/hour
and it was our assumed minimum filter velocity that had changed not the requirement
for more filter area.
However, regular filter maintenance is essential to sustain the required levels of
performance. Silo filters incorporate filter bags to prevent dust escaping into the
atmosphere. These bags must be regularly cleaned to prevent clogging which could
inhibit the free outflow of air from the silo.
A number of automated filter cleaning mechanisms are available, but the most efficient
and effective are reverse jet-cleaned filters. These systems use jets of air to blow the
dust from inside the filter bags. Its also important that the air supply to the filter is
clean and dry. Moist air can quickly exacerbate the clogging of filter bags, particularly
with particulate powder silos.
4 Return to index
Return to index
Pressure relief valves the last line of defence
If pressures within a silo build up to such an extent during filling that the filter cannot
release enough air to maintain silo pressure within safe limits, the pressure relief valve
(PRV) is triggered. This valve is designed to open below the design pressure of the silo.
Each pressure relief valve is designed to open at a particular set pressure.
PRVs contain a plate which lifts up when pressure reaches the set pressure, releasing
air to the atmosphere and immediately reducing pressure within the silo. The plate is
held in place either by springs or by a dead weight, depending on the design.
Implications of the new guidelines for PRVs
Given the new guidelines for a maximum 13,000m/hour airflow from the tanker, it is
essential that PRVs are sized for this maximum potential outbreathing. Many PRVs on the
market at the time the guidelines were released were not large enough to allow this volume
of air to pass through, potentially allowing dangerous pressures to build up inside the silo.
Investigations also found that some spring-type valves could become coil-bound and
werent opening properly. This could cause dangerous pressure build-ups in the silo.
When tested, such coil-bound valves caused air to accumulate within the silo by
preventing it from escaping at the required rate. The silos design pressure is quickly
exceeded in these conditions, with potentially catastrophic results (see Figure 1).
Figure 1: Performance test
for a spring-operated PRV
5
Choosing an effective PRV
When choosing a PRV you should look for a model that has been tested and certified
for a specific volumetric capacity and set pressure. The volumetric capacity of the valve
should be 13,000m/hour to meet HSE guidelines and you should choose a PRV with a
set pressure slightly lower than the design pressure of your silos.
Some PRVs are now 350mm in diameter, to cope with the greater volumetric capacity
requirements many were previously 250mm across. You should also choose a valve
with long travel springs that will not become coil bound over time, reducing the
effectiveness of the valve. Some PRV manufacturers use the same spring specification
for all sizes of valve and adjust them to open at higher pressures. This can lead to
inconsistencies in performance, especially if the springs are later adjusted by end users
at the plant. A more reliable system is to use different specifications of spring for each
PRV specification. It means there is no room for human error in spring tightening, as
the spring properties are set at manufacture and cannot be adjusted by the end user.
It is good practice to choose a PRV with a set pressure below the design pressure of
your silo, but not so close that even the slightest PRV inefficiency or delay would cause
the silo design pressure to be exceeded (see Figure 1).
Another problem with some PRV designs is that the weather-proof cover can impede
air flow through the valve. In testing, the valve works perfectly well without a cover, but
once a cover is fitted, its shape can inhibit the free flow of air. Try to look for a PRV
that has an aerodynamic cover that flares out at the edges, allowing air to pass freely.
As well as allowing air to escape from the silo, PRVs also help to relieve under-pressure
or vacuum situations within the silo by allowing air to flow in from the outside. Tests of
older Dead Weight type PRVs found that the inflow mechanism was often susceptible
to dust clogging, making them inefficient. Once again, its important to choose tested
and certified PRVs, preferably with an inflow capacity of 5,000m/hour.
6 Return to index
Auto shut-off your early warning system
PRVs should always be considered a last line of defence. Ideally, pressure build-ups
should be alleviated before the PRV is triggered. Thats because when the PRV opens, it
will emit dust from the silo over a wide area, with potentially harmful consequences
for human health and the environment.
Automated warning and shut-off systems can be installed to alert operatives that
dangerous pressure levels are being reached within the silo, before the PRV is
triggered. These systems require a probe to be fitted at a high level within the silo to
monitor pressure levels. When pressure approaches a pre-set level, which should be
just below the set pressure for the PRV, an alarm sounds to alert the operative filling
the silo, enabling them to reduce the pressure and stop filling. If pressure in the silo
continues to rise, the auto shut-off valve will be triggered, blocking the inlet pipe and
preventing any more powder from entering the silo.
Choosing an auto shut-off system
Its advisable to choose an auto shut-off system with a two-stage alarm, which will give
operatives a little more time to reduce the filling pressure, before the inlet pipe is
automatically shut off.
The first alarm is sounded as pressure reaches a set level, warning the operator that
they need to reduce the pressure. If they fail to do so and pressure remains the same
or rises, a second alarm will sound, giving the operator 20 seconds to reduce inlet
pressure before the inlet pipe is shut off.
These automated shut-off systems are now required on all new silos.
7 Return to index
Making sense of maintenance guidelines
The HSE and Defra guidelines set out recommended maintenance regimes for silo
safety equipment. Its clear from past experience that poorly maintained filters and
PRVs are a major cause of silo over-pressurisation incidents. If this equipment is
working properly, along with associated auto shut-off systems, there should be no
need for plants to worry about silo over-pressurisation.
The HSE recommends that valves should be tested routinely to ensure they have
not seized up. Defra recommends that the valve seating is tested weekly. Both require
filters to be checked weekly or three-monthly if remote-monitoring systems are
fitted. All of these guidelines mean that it may be necessary for an operative to climb
to the silo roof as often as once a week to carry out the necessary checks.
However, this requirement conflicts with the requirements of the Work at Height
Regulations, which were introduced in 2005. These regulations do not apply if a
permanent staircase is fitted to your silo to provide access to the roof. However, these
can be costly and, in most cases, silos are simply fitted with have a vertical ladder for
roof access. As such, they are governed by the Work at Height Regulations.
These regulations state that the need to work at height should be avoided wherever
possible. Where working at height cannot be avoided, measures should be taken or
equipment installed to prevent falls. If the risk of a fall cannot be eliminated, then
equipment should be installed or measures taken to minimise the distance and
consequences of any fall.
8 Return to index
Ground-level testing a solution to work at height
restrictions
One simple way to avoid the need to visit the silo roof on a regular basis is to fit
ground-level testing systems to your silos. PRVs can be fitted with ground-level test
facilities, and self-testing, self-cleaning pressure monitors can be installed in your silo to
ensure that high-level probes are working correctly. All of your silo safety equipment
can then be tested from ground level from an easy-to-use console fitted to the side of
the silo.
A ground-level testing regime should then be enforced for all filling operations. Before
filling can commence from a pressurised tanker, the operative should have to carry out
a series of ground-level tests to ensure all silo safety equipment is working correctly.
Only if all ground-level tests are positive will the inlet valve be opened allowing the silo
to be filled safely.
9 Return to index
10 Return to index
Summary: safeguarding your silos against
over-pressurisation
1. Select a suitable filter unit for your silo. Choose a reverse jet-cleaned filter to ensure
regular, automated filter bag cleaning.
2. Choose tested and certified pressure relief valves, sized for 13,000m/hour
volumetric capacity and with a set pressure just below your silo design pressure.
3. Select an auto shut-off system with two-stage alarm, giving operatives time to
reduce inlet pressure manually in the event of pressure build-ups, to avoid the need
for automated shut-off.
4. Install ground-level testing systems to ensure all safety systems can be monitored
safely without the need to visit the silo roof on a regular basis.
5. Follow a regular maintenance regime for silo safety equipment and keep records of
all maintenance activities.
6. Implement close management control of all silo filling activities to ensure correct,
safe procedures are being followed on all tanker deliveries.
For expert advice on safeguarding your silos against over-
pressurisation and to find out about the range of tested and
certified silo safety systems available from Portasilo, please call us
on +44 (0)1904 624872 or visit www.portasilo.co.uk
Porta and Portasilo are registered trade marks. Portasilo Limited 2011. Produced by the Portasilo Marketing Studio. PS7733/03/11.