Silo Servicing
Effective and competent silo servicing routines are essential for any safety system. The MPA (Mineral Products Association) has recently published (2022) a detailed document explaining all of the nessasary checks required to maintain your silo safety system. These checks include the pressure relief valve (PRV), pressure sensor, filter, inlet control valve, panel and the ultimate high-level sensor: all essential for maintaining a healthy and reliable silo safety system.
Every employer has a legal responsibility under The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER REGS) to ensure that the equipment used in the workplace is suitable for use and for the purpose and conditions in which it is to be used: i.e maintained in a safe condition for use so that people’s health and safety is not at risk. It must be inspected to ensure that it is and continues to be safe for use and the inspection should be carried out by a competent person. This person must have the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to perform this task and a record kept until the next inspection.
Unfortunately in many industries these guidelines are often overlooked or misunderstood. Typically, the average silo service includes a visual inspection with a quick once-over and dusting that fails to assess their true condition. Additionally, any leaked product on the silo top is often disregarded with no effort made to establish the cause - a clear danger sign if left ignored.
Many operators are not aware of the consequences of a faulty system with the risk associated with an over pressure. Sites also have the added complication of a reluctance to work at height, with site employees not keen to climb high silos in poor weather conditions for their regular weekly checks.
- Industry award-winning silo safety system designers - no-one knows this application like Hycontrol
- Fully conversant with latest MPA & DEFRA guidelines
- Full critical component tests - not just visual
- Comprehensive service checks - 70 points on the silo alone
- Competent engineers who understand silo safety
- Largest UK silo instrumentation company
- Pioneering silo safety technology
- Reduced service costs with advanced equipment
- Fully MPQC SPA safety passport-trained engineers
- On-site silo fault diagnosis capability
- Scheduled servicing - Hycontrol takes responsibility
THE HYCONTROL SERVICING DIFFERENCE
Hycontrol has over 40 years of experience servicing silo instrumentation. Our service engineers conduct an exhaustive 70-point service check of the complete system from top to bottom.
Hycontrol conducts a physical test of all critical components on the silo, using specially-designed pressure and load-test rigs to ensure all safety devices are not merely clean but in good condition and fully operational.
This includes the level and pressure sensors, the pressure relief valve and the filter.
Hycontrol has developed special test equipment that allows its engineers to test the lift-off force of the PRV in situ physically. No other company has this capability to offer.
Pressure relief valves (PRVs) are the last line of defence against over-pressure. With effective protection and servicing, blocks like the example above can be avoided.
On initial inspection, this PRV appeared fine, but a closer look under the lid reveals the opposite. This problem would indicate the silo safety system has failed.
After physical testing, this PRV and associated pressure sensor failed to operate at the correct setpoints. Previously this unit was serviced with only a visual inspection.
Damaged and neglected filter cartridges if they are completely blocked, will have the potential to cause a serious silo over-pressure. Damaged or split filter cartridges can cause serious emission issues if they burst.
