Cement silos are large storage containers designed to make storing and managing concrete on a work site simple. These silos store cement to prevent dust contamination and to reduce spillage, this is particularly helpful on windy days where dust and foreign elements can be easily blown into the cement, contaminating it. They can also be implemented into a bin-fed concrete batching plant to speed up bulk concrete processing.
There are a few types of cement silos available on the market, primarily monolithic, telescopic and modular. Generally made from hardened plastic or steel, cement silos are actually far more portable than they seem, and some of the smaller models can be erected and usable within 4 hours.
Choosing the right size cement silo will mostly depend on the size and scope of your project. The general rule is that you want to be able to store around 2 days' worth of cement. Of course, larger projects where you're using a batching plant or a more automated system may require you to have multiple cement silos just to keep up with demand. Always assess the size of your project before buying or hiring a cement silo.
Of course, aside from the size, you'll also want to consider whether a modular, telescopic or monolithic design is best for your needs. As their name suggests, telescopic silos are easy to put up or down, and can be easily transported as a single unit on a truck. Monolithic silos are also easy to set up, while modular silos are able to be broken down into multiple pieces--so they're easy to transport, but will take longer to install. There are also flat/square silos which are designed to be more compact and are great for work sites that don't have the space for a tall silo.
In general, the main factors you will need to consider are availability, the amount of cement you need to store, and the amount of space for silo construction. You may also want to consider the weather conditions and general terrain of your work site, as this could influence whether you go for something tall like the monolithic, or something small and compact, like the flat silos.
