Winter checklist: silo, conveyor and storage
November is when drying, filling and the pellet season really get going. The plant has to run day after day, often under time pressure, and that is when small faults do the most damage. Half an hour with this checklist now saves a lot of trouble later.
1. Check the conveyor
- Wear on the belt, rollers or screw.
- Tension and tracking, so that material does not end up outside the belt.
- Outlets and transfer points: are they free of old material?
2. Go through the silo
- Clean out residues that can clump or start to mould.
- Check hatches, seals and aeration.
- Make sure you can tell how full it is without climbing up.
3. Test the protections
- Does the overflow protection on the conveyor work? Test it by activating it manually.
- Does the level switch alarm or stop at the right level?
- Are cabling and connections intact and dry?
4. Keep it clean
Dust and spillage are more than a cleaning problem. Dust in the air and on surfaces is something you want to keep down in any plant that handles dry material, and a clean plant is easier to monitor.
5. Review the level switches
Mechanical level switches have few parts that can fail, but they still need a look. Check that the diaphragm is clean and moves freely, that the switch is mounted at the right height and that the signal reaches the control system.
Missing a switch at a critical point? See our level switches for silos and vessels and overflow protection for conveyors. Not sure which one suits? Describe the material and mounting position and we will answer: info@levelswitchsweden.com or +46 8 32 33 00.
