Cement Mill Distribution System

The scope of this project was to distribute finished cement from a new finish mill to an existing bank of twelve concrete silos, an existing bank of 6 concrete silos, and two new steel silos. Included in the scope was a new air gravity conveyor and bridge from the finish mill, a new bucket elevator to elevate the material to the top of the silo bank, an extension of an existing air gravity conveyor support structure, a new bridge to divert the material from the bank of twelve silos to both the bank of six silos and the two new silos, a new air gravity conveyor distribution system for the bank of six silos, a new support structure with rail loadout equipment for the two new silos, a new rail scale, and pneumatic conveying equipment to recirculate cement from the existing silo banks to the new silos for rail loadout. LVTA’s responsibilities included layout of the system, mechanical arrangement, chute design, dust collection design, coordinating with equipment vendors, and design of the structures and foundations to support the process. Key challenges in this project include the following:

• A long-span bridge with limited area for foundations to no impede existing truck traffic lanes below. a space truss was utilized with monopole supports to best accommodate the constraints
• Fitting the two new silos and their support structures and equipment between the two existing silo banks
• Coordinating with a variety of equipment vendors