Lime is used in a variety of industries for applications like wastewater treatment, soil amendment, metal treatment, flue gas desulfurization and more. Lime is stored and dispensed from specialized lime bins or silos to maintain quality and achieve accurate feeding rates. Lime bins and silos provide storage and accurate feeding of lime for various industrial applications. Properly designed and maintained lime bins can provide years of reliable lime storage and dosage control.
Lime Bin – A Storage Vessel Designed For Lime
A lime bin is a storage vessel specifically designed for powdered or pelletized lime. It ensures optimal storage conditions and provides controlled dispensing of lime for dosing systems.
Lime bin factory show lime bins key features include:
- Centered discharge – Lime discharge opening is located in the center bottom to minimize bridging.
- Gentle sloped walls – The wall slope of 5 to 15 degrees helps lime flow towards the discharge.
- Agitators – Paddles, brushes or air knives are used to loosen bridged material and maintain flow.
- Conditioning system – Uses heaters and fans to maintain lime temperature and reduce moisture.
- Liners – Liners like rubber, urethane or PVC are used to protect the bin from lime’s abrasiveness.
- Lifting lugs – Used to lift the bin lid or entire bin during installation or maintenance.
- Access openings – Provide entry points for inspection, maintenance and material loading.
- Vibration – Vibrators are used on bins to loosen bridged material and improve flow.
Lime bins are made of materials like steel, stainless steel and fiberglass to withstand the harsh conditions inside. They are available in various sizes from small lab bins to large industrial lime silos.
Applications Of Lime Bins
Lime bins and silos are used to store lime for:
- Wastewater treatment plants – To raise the pH for phosphorus removal and odor control.
- Flue gas desulfurization – To react with sulfur dioxide emissions from power plants.
- Metal smelting and treatment – As a flux for removing impurities and adjusting chemistry.
- Pulp and paper mills – For alkaline scaling control and effluent neutralization.
- Soil treatments – To raise soil pH for agricultural and environmental applications.
- Chemical processing – To neutralize acids, precipitate materials and modify chemistries.
Advantages Of Lime Bins
- Centralized storage – Lime can be stored centrally near the point of use.
- Automatic feeding – Control systems can dispense lime at a constant and adjustable rate.
- Reduced manpower – Automated bins reduce the labor required for lime handling.
- Dust control – Features like conditioning and vibration control lime dust generation.
- Improved lime quality – Central storage helps maintain consistent lime properties.