In wastewater treatment applicationsStorage hoppers for biosolidsInSilo'sthat provides and completes temporary storageBiotreatment systemsis often required. Storage is required for wet dewatered sludge as it is prepared for transport in bins or trucks, to receive material from truck deliveries, or to provide regulated transport or pump feed to downstream processes such as incinerators, thermal dryers, or thermal hydrolysis processes . Biowaste storage can also be used for thermally dried sludge downstream of dryers and greenhouses.
When considering the cost of a living hopper or silo for biowaste storage and delivery, there are two important things to consider:
- The capital cost of the equipment
- Equipment lifespan or Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).
Capital costsare start-up costs incurred in purchasing real estate, construction, and equipment to bring a project to commercial operating status. Project design criteria and specifications drive up the capital costs of equipment.
To explore the basic design criteria for determining budget costs for Bio-Hoppers, we have divided Bio-Hoppers and Bio-Silos into the following general categories:
Costs for silos, workshop welded
Cylindrical, shop-welded tanks with tapered bottoms are limited to shippable sizes, typically 8 feet for legal truck loads, often up to 10 to 12 feet when routes allow higher height loads, and rarely 14 feet and larger. Cylindrical tanks, silos, are typically used for free-flowing dried sludge and include container activators and airlocks. They may be painted carbon steel, but are usually stainless steel due to the economics of shop fabrication and internal coating issues with a closed welded container.
Budget prices for this type of funnel range from$50,000 to several hundred thousand dollarsdepending on volume requirements.
Costs for silos, the site has taken flight
These bolted cylindrical tanks with conical bottoms are manufactured in shippable segments and built on site. They are large diameter, high volume silos used for free flowing dried sludge with container activators and airlocks or living bottom screws for dewatered sludge. The cylindrical shape is the most economical per volume to manufacture, but this shape is not as efficient for storage as a rectangular or square footprint. Because the container segments can be produced in manageable dimensions, high-quality coatings can be applied to carbon steel during the production process. This is usually the first choice. Stainless steel is also an option for this tank.
The budget capital cost for a cylindrical silo vessel can range from$50,000 for a small silo with bolts to over $1,000,000depending on size and construction materials.
Costs for Hoppers, shop orders
Thisrectangular or square shop welded funnelstypically have inverted four-sided truncated pyramid bases terminating in living base screws. They are limited to shipping sizes, and typically legal height is more of an issue than width when considering shipping. The capacity of the welded hopper can vary up to 50 cubic meters.
Costs for funnels, screwed/welded locations
These rectangular or square point-welded and/or bolted hoppers typically have inverted four-sided truncated pyramid bases terminating in live-bottom screws. They are typically designed in segments to be shipped as legal freight. These can be large volumes, ranging up to and sometimes more than 500 cubic meters.
Both rectangular and square, factory welded and spot welded/bolted tanks are commonly used for the storage of dewatered sludge, with active bottom augers discharging through bottom sliding gates to trucks, pumps or conveyors for the downstream process.
Rectangular or square hoppers are the most volume efficient relative to their footprint, but usually cost more per unit. cubic meter usable volume. They may be painted carbon steel, but the container is often stainless steel due to stainless steel prices, coating costs and handling. Large stainless steel hoppers often use painted carbon steel or vertical HDG columns due to the limited availability of heavy stainless steel I-beams and their cost.
Would you like to know more about stainless steel construction versus painted carbon steel construction? Read this JMS Learning Center article for more information.
The budget capital cost for a live bottom hopper can range from$50,000 to over $1,000,000depending on the size, construction materials and system complexity as defined in the scope of the project. Each funnel design is application specific, but JMS can offer budgets based on historical experience.
Total cost of ownership(TCO) is a financial estimate intended to help buyers and owners determine the direct and indirect costs of a product or system. It includes costs for capital, installation, operation, maintenance and sometimes disposal. When designing installations, mechanical equipment generally has a life cycle of 15 to 20 years.
JMS has been producing high-quality water and wastewater treatment equipment for more than fifty years. We have pioneered many design and manufacturing improvements that reduce equipment operation and maintenance requirements and extend equipment life. JMS Equipment is designed for optimal performance and built to meet or exceed a 20-year life cycle, reducing total cost of ownership.
Greg Hyde
Greg Hyde joined the JMS Sales and Marketing team as Product Manager | Material handling. Greg has more than 30 years of experience in material handling systems and has held senior engineering, sales and business management positions with major complete conveyor manufacturers. He is responsible for the overall support and growth of the JMS Bio-HANDLING product line. Outside of work, Greg is a founding member of “Jammin' 4 Water” (Water Charities Fundraising Inc.). Commenting on his role, Greg says: “JMS has a rich history in design, quality and materials handling. I am excited to join this great team and look forward to driving the Bio-HANDLING product family to long-term growth term."
