Types of Bulk Salt Storage Facilities
Salt storage is essential, and there is also a limit for how much salt you can store in a particular area. The storage facilities should blend with the surroundings, well kept, and clean every day. There should be no junk or scrap material piled up, that would allow foreign objects to enter. Read on to know there are how many types of bulk salt storage available.
How Much Space Will It Occupy?
Mainly there is no limit for salt that can be stored in an area. Taking into account the physical characters of salt, the space that will be occupied can be calculated. Generally, a cubic yard of salt weighs 2160 pounds so that you will require 25 cubic feet of storage space for a ton of salt.
Types of Bulk Salt Storage
1. Stock Piles
In most of the stock places, salt is stored in stockpiles. So it is easy to calculate the space required since the slope of the pile is known. So for 1000 tons of salt, the stockpile will be in a cone shape and occupies a space of about 3540 square feet. The height of the pile would be approximately 21 feet with a volume of 25000 cubic feet.
2. Storage Bins or Buildings
Buildings are the most used types of bulk salt storage. To calculate the space required in the building, divide the weight of salt to be stored by 80 to obtain the number of cubic feet required. You also need to deduct the lost space due to the slope of the pile. For a 30 ft wide and 40 ft depth building, the salt stored would be about 384 tons when the pile height is 10 feet.
3. Putting on a Pad
For salt, permanent and covered storage is always recommended. So salt is also stored outside on cement pads. Pad storage provides maximum storage capacity and also ease of access. One thing to be noted is that, whether stored inside or out, salt should always be stored on pads only. For outside storage, salt must be adequately covered. It is essential to see that pads are located away from water storages, wells, and groundwater supplies.
4. Put it Under Cover
Salt is stored outdoors is covered with various materials for protection. The materials are
- Polypropylene
- Polyurethane foam
- Water-resistant canvas
- Polyethylene
- Any other covers that are waterproof and strong
Industrial adhesives are used for fixing the sheets firmly on pads, and sewing is preferred to join the coverings. Old tires combined with sandbags are placed uniformly on the covers to provide a tie-down weighting method.
Build it Strong
For storage of salt, storage shed or buildings are the best options. There are many storage buildings available for bidding. These buildings are mostly built with waste or spare materials. If building your storage store, then you can use assorted lumber, old bridge timbers and decking, concrete blocks, pressure treated timbers, corrugated sheet metal, and a variety of other materials available. Make sure that the doors must be high enough to provide a route for the vehicles coming for loading or unloading. Areas around the storage space should be well lighted and take precautions to avoid corrosion.
Considerations to Follow for Withstanding Wind and Snow
1. Location and arrangements
The location should have more trees to shield the place and building against strong winds and snowfall.
2. Foundation and Anchorage
Strong winds have the power to lift roofs of a building. Buildings must be anchored securely to protect from lifting winds.
3. Building Materials
Defects in materials may be fatal to any building. You could use plywood for sheathing and for doors that may be exposed to the exterior climate. The walls must withstand pushing forces, so use proper poles and construction bricks for your building.
Conclusion
Proper storage of salt is crucial as it can be easily washed away by water and wind. You need to follow appropriate guidelines in the construction of the storage building of salt. The winter needs can be met only when salt is stored in proper conditions. In addition to providing quality salt products, Canada Salt Group Ltd also offers world-class storage facilities for bulk and bagged salt based on your requirements. Contact or call our sales team at 866-321-7258 for more details.