Silo Bags

Description

What is a silo bag? In general, it is a polyethylene bag 60 meters long and 2.75 meters in diameter for storing grain in the open. Plastic silo bags are suitable for storing wheat (up to 200 MT) maize, barley, paddy, mustard, soya, and other commodities.

Silo Bag Composition

• A laminated plastic sheet made of 3 layers of coextruded polyethylene with 220 microns thickness but this can be changed according to the customer’s requirements.

• The first 2 layers make the bag weather proof and act as a UV filter. The third layer is black and protects the grain from sunlight. The UV STABILIZER used is Tio2

Uses of Silo Bags for Grain Storage and Protection

• The bag is sealed and airtight.
• It is designed to stretch by 10% ensuring the grain is packed tightly and most air is expelled at filling.
• Have been used for decades for storing silage in the Midwest.
• After filling and sealing, the few pockets of air/oxygen are eliminated by the grain breathing thus producing a modified atmosphere, rich in CO2.

Silo Bag Debagging

• By using a specially designed un-loader that opens the bag and lifts the grain to a grain cart or truck at 200 Mt per hour.
• The Silo Bag un-Loader features a bag roller shaft and a spring-loaded clutch on the bag roller for easy bag removal.
• The equipment with a large 10” inch cross auger, 17” inch main auger along with the 50-degree angle of the main auger for more reach an height.
• It is capable of extracting approximately 150-180 MT of grains per hour from the Silo Bag.

Storage of Silo Bags

• In the open, on any clean, well-drained ground that is free from sharp objects and does not have a too steep incline.
• This can be even a harvested field as long as the crop stubble is not too spiky.
• Place bags on high and well-drained fields, far from trees and any possible source of breakups
• The ground must be firm, plain and clean.

What if there are Insects?

• The bag is an airtight environment, anything alive (insects, bacteria, the grain) consumes the limited oxygen in the bag and expels carbon dioxide.
• Usually, within 10 days, the oxygen volume in the bag drops from 20% to 3%; the carbon dioxide volume rises from 0% to 17%.
• The inside of the bag has become anaerobic.
• Thus these bags provide: Fungi Control and Insect Control

More About Plastic Silo Bags

How long can grain be stored in a Silo bag?

If the moisture level is within the recommended limit, grain can be stored in a bag up to 24 months.

What levels of grain moisture can be stored in a Silo bag?

Wheat can be stored for up to 2 years if below 12% moisture but can be stored for shorter periods at levels as high as 14% -16%.

Can Silo bags be reused?

No, they have to be cut open along its length while emptied.

What can be done with used Silo bags?

Silo bags can be recycled as each bag is made of 120 kg of high-quality polyethylene.

How secure is a Silo bag?

A Silo bag can be opened with a sharp knife but cannot be transported. Pilferage from them needs a recipient to carry the spilled grain.

If a Silo bag is damaged can it be repaired?

Minor damage can be repaired with tape.

How are samples taken from a Silo bag?

By using 6 feet sampling probe grain spear directly through bag and samples can be taken from any level and portion of the bags, a small hole is resealed with tape.

Are Silo bags affected by temperature?

• Grain is stored in Silo bags at temperature extremes with no adverse effect. Bags have been filled in temperatures over 45 degrees in Australia, 50 degrees in Sudan and been covered in snow and left at minus 20 degrees in Canada.
• The bags are made of polyethylene which can be affected at temperature extremes, more elastic in heat, more brittle in cold. Having a low profile and contact with the ground heat dissipates quickly but doesn’t impact on stored grains.

What is the limit of grain that can be stored in Silo bags?

None! With available land, just fill more bags. There are grain ‘parks’ in South Africa that hold more than 50,000 MT of grains and Sudan have more than 200000 MT.

Advantages of Silo Bags

• Scientific bulk storage & preservation.
• Economic solution as compared to conventional warehouses/Silo storage.
• It is a versatile storage system which can be deployed at the farm level and any suitable location.
• The lead time for the mobilization for storage is just 4-5 weeks.
• Can be kept in the open field.
• Quality and quantity remain intact the same during the storage period.
• Long- term storage solution (more than 2 years).
• No fumigation required up to 24 months of continuous storage
• Silo Bag hermetically sealed storage system which perpetually produces 17% of carbon dioxide within 30 days, thus inhibits any kind of incest and microbiological.
• The storage capability during the procurement season can be scaled from 200 tons per hour and onward because it handles the grains mechanically at a very fast and efficient way.
• Storing near to the farm level enables farmers to bring his produce quickly. The system allows appropriate price at an appropriate time to farmers.
• These bags have been tried and tested under weather conditions of -40 degrees C to +55 degree C in various countries.
• The system tangibly saves the recurring cost of wooden crates, tarpaulin, gunny bags, and fumigation cost.
• Optimizes manual handling.
• It is the most suitable and convenient backward integration for completing a cycle of the bulk supply chain.
• Diameters we can offer- 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10 feet.
• Length of bags- 60, 80, 100 meters depending on requirement.
• Thickness ranging from 100 to 250 microns.
• We can offer all combinations of length, diameter, and thickness based on the requirement of the customer.
• Silo Bag is a cost-effective solution for farmers to increase the on-field storage.

Standard Combinations