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26 / November 2020 powderbulk.com zation knows about and schedule next year's in-house inspection. Should something unexpected happen, you'll want all of the individual silo information in one handy place for immediate reference. Analyzing concerns Should your silo inspection turn up some trouble spots, analyze the concerns. Are they maintenance items that can be accomplished in-house, like cleaning, sealing, or spot painting, or do you need input from an outside contractor? Structural concerns such as dents, pitting, or base metal thinning require professional inspec- tion, including examinations like ultrasonic thickness testing for base metal or dry film thickness testing for coatings. Internal confined-space repairs require spe- cialized equipment and training. Schedule and make repairs with the appropriate qualified professionals, updating your silo information file as you go. Once your silo is refurbished, you're responsible for keeping it properly maintained, which should be easy if you adhere to your planned silo inspection and maintenance schedule. Don't ignore your silos. Instead, subject your silos to regular inspection and maintenance. If you don't wish to take on a silo inspection yourself, there are reputable silo manufacturers who offer their own professional inspection services. These professionals would be happy to assess your silos and make recommendations for your unique storage needs. PBE For further reading Find more information on this topic in articles listed under "Storage" in Powder and Bulk Engineering's article index in the December 2019 issue or the article archive on PBE's website, www.powderbulk.com. Mandy Landwehr (mandy@imperialind.com, 715-359- 0200) is the quality control-quality assurance manager and customer service and claims manager at Imperial Industries. The company is made up of multiple divi- sions, one of which is the ITS division, which offers tank inspection, cleaning, installation, and repair services. Imperial Industries Rothschild, WI 715-359-0200 www.imperialind.com include paint or coating that is peeling, bubbling, flak- ing, cracking, checking, fading, or corroded. Compiling your information Once you have your findings, put them in a reference file. Include dated photos of the full inspection. Docu- ment everything you know about the silo and make a list of the things you aren't sure about, so that you can reach out to the appropriate parties and request more information. Perhaps, you have the silo's original con- struction drawings. These are valuable, as they tell you important facts about the silo such as what material and material density the silo is designed to hold. Assessing variables Material change. If the material you're storing has changed in type or density over time, or the conveying system connected to the silo has changed in pressure or velocity, you may find that your silo isn't actually usable at maximum capacity. For example, if your orig- inal silo design was to store a pelleted material but the current conveying process causes the material to break down, this would ultimately lead to a denser material for storage. Knowing your current material's bulk den- sity and understanding what the silo was originally designed for are both important factors to understand- ing if your silo is the proper storage for your material. Silo design. Original construction drawings might also show the coating system, if there is one, as well as verify the original sidewall, roof, and hopper thick- ness measurements. You might come across company names involved in the original design of the silo or processing equipment. Research those names to find out if they are still in business as you'll want to know whom to contact should your silo need maintenance or replacing. Better to find out ahead of time that your silo's manufacturer is no longer in business when you don't need their help than when your silo requires immediate repair or replacement. Silo age. No matter the age of the silo, if you don't know much about it and weren't with the company when the silo was erected, seek out those employees who might know more. There might be individuals within your organization who remember the silos' arrival or other details about them. Discuss with these people everything they can recall about the silos and document this information. As people move towards other jobs or retirement, knowledge can be lost with them. Gather all of the information you can, and then assess what you have. If your silo is relatively new and appears to be in great shape, tuck your file away or save electronically in a place that at least one other person in your organi-