Identifying and controlling silo vibration mechanisms — Part I
If your silo vibrates, discovering how harmful the vibrations are and evaluating their cause can help you eliminate the vibration source or take some other step to remedy the problem. And if you're designing a new silo, understanding how various vibration mechanisms can cause the silo to vibrate can help you design a silo and related handling operation that won't be subject to vibration problems.
This two-part article defines various vibration mechanisms, with examples of each based on the authors' experiences evaluating actual silo installations. Each discussion includes recommendations on how to reduce or eliminate the vibrations. In Part I, a discussion of silo vibration basics, vibration measurements, and the factors contributing to silo vibration mechanisms precedes the discussion of five silo vibration mechanisms. Part II, which will appear in the December 1994 issue, discusses another four silo vibration mechanisms.