Coal Silo

Phil May · Post by **Phil May** » Fri. Feb. 21, 2014 2:21 pm

I am thinking about building a silo to hold a tt load. I was going to buy a hopper bottom feed bin. Problem #1 they are rated 40lb/cubic ft and the coal I have been getting is 50lb/cu ft. This coal stuff is like cocain. I have access to a couple old feul tanks gears are grinding now. What ever I come up with is going to be outside. I plan to get the coal in summer so the water can drain out all summer so it wont freeze up.

Hambden Bob · Post by **Hambden Bob** » Fri. Feb. 21, 2014 5:48 pm

What The Hell,why not? Gravity+Dry Coal=Happy Warm Guy That's Not Broke!

ShawninNY · Post by **ShawninNY** » Fri. Feb. 21, 2014 7:04 pm

I love it!

davidmcbeth3 · Post by **davidmcbeth3** » Fri. Feb. 21, 2014 8:07 pm

Phil May wrote:I am thinking about building a silo to hold a tt load. I was going to buy a hopper bottom feed bin. Problem #1 they are rated 40lb/cubic ft and the coal I have been getting is 50lb/cu ft. This coal stuff is like cocain. I have access to a couple old feul tanks gears are grinding now. What ever I come up with is going to be outside. I plan to get the coal in summer so the water can drain out all summer so it wont freeze up.

So you are having issues with getting an accurate loose density value?

Interested in knowing dimensions you think the bin would need to be...

V=pi*r*r*h

V/pi*h=r*r

taking 45 lb/ft^3 .... 44000lbs=about 1000 cuft

if 10' high ... 1000 cuft/3.14*10ft = r*r=1000cuft/31.4ft=31.8ft^2

r= about 5.6 ft .............

So a 10ft high by 11 ft wide silo would work....likely need slightly higher to account for an exit strategy..angled bottom I guess that focuses the force out near the exit bin

a pretty big footprint..but not outrageous

davidmcbeth3 · Post by **davidmcbeth3** » Fri. Feb. 21, 2014 8:26 pm

lets look at 1/2 a full load, 22,000 lbs

22,000lbs / 45 lbs/cuft = 488 ft^3 of coal

go with 7 foot high ...

488ft^3V/3.14*7ft=r^2
22ft^2=r^2
4.7ft=r

7 ft high by 9.4 ft wide

staying with 10 ft high...

r=4 ft(about)

then 10' high by 8' wide

davidmcbeth3 · Post by **davidmcbeth3** » Fri. Feb. 21, 2014 8:30 pm

might be better off just making a shed to hold it ...

OK,,,,1 full load ... 44,000lbs or about 1000 cu ft

V=L*W*H

Fix width at 10ft and, L=20ft .... H=5ft ... an easily do-able structure .. low cost too .. guessing about 2-3K in wood/roofing supplies, flooring

Look at W=16 H=5ft L=12.5 ..... Or W=12.5, L=16,H=5 .....

No nice hopper system, could use a digger to fill buckets though ... and would be easier to maintain .. a removable roofing system would be sweet

windyhill4.2 · Post by **windyhill4.2** » Fri. Feb. 21, 2014 8:42 pm

48' container, auger load/unload,loader would work if you can vent exhaust fumes,containers can be ugly but tough.

lzaharis · Post by **lzaharis** » Fri. Feb. 21, 2014 9:02 pm

If you use the big mafia blocks for walls it will
cost you much less money to do

3 blocks high, 3 blocks deep, and 3 blocks wide
for the storage and you could buy a silo tarp to
line the bottom and by a high quality tarp for the
top and simply support the tarp with a bunch of
2 by's from one side to the other.

flat ground

2 hours with a back hoe to move the blocks after the ground is level $270+-

27-mafia blocks 9 on the left wall, 9 on the back wall, 9 on the right wall. $900+-

12 2" by 4" by 12' $175+-

1 silo tarp for the floor $15+-

1 high quality water proof tarp for the top 30 by 30 feet $50+-

Might be a bit north of $1,300.00 USD+-

Sting · Post by **Sting** » Sat. Feb. 22, 2014 8:15 am

You wanna just buy my iron Fireman under bin feed system??

you would have to get it from my shed in Wisconsin - and no I will not give it away for scrap price
I have already been offered scrap price

Phil May · Post by **Phil May** » Sat. Feb. 22, 2014 10:55 am

Sting
Send me a pic.
I was thinking 8'diameter x 20'high with a hopper on bottom. I am going to auger it into the inside bin. The trouble with using the loader to move is that you always spill. As much as I like coal, it is filthy and I hate the mess. I want a contained system. I am most concerned with freezing. I still like the idea of a feed bin. I am going to do some more checking to see if I can buy one rugged enough for coal. I would have to epoxy paint it on the inside so it would not rust.

Scottscoaled · Post by **Scottscoaled** » Sat. Feb. 22, 2014 6:56 pm

How you going to fill it?

Sting · Post by **Sting** » Sat. Feb. 22, 2014 7:17 pm

I have pics somewhere =====will post Monday when I am back on broadband

CapeCoaler · Post by **CapeCoaler** » Sat. Feb. 22, 2014 7:40 pm

A silo loader of course...
Chain elevator...
Bunch of children with buckets...
Something gotta lift it 20 feet...
Now a hill would be nice to have...

Post by **Rob R.** » Sat. Feb. 22, 2014 9:39 pm

An old gravity flow wagon can make a pretty nice coal bin.

SWPaDon · Post by **SWPaDon** » Sat. Feb. 22, 2014 9:55 pm

Rob R. wrote:
An old gravity flow wagon can make a pretty nice coal bin.

That's cool, I like that.