Hycontrol launch updated SHIELD Lite silo safety system
Pre-assembled, pre-wired and fully automated silo-protection system removes risk of human error
HAVING recently reinforced their reputation as silo safety experts by collaborating with the Mineral Products Association (MPA) on new guidance for safer pressurized tanker deliveries, Hycontrol Ltd have now announced the launch of the updated SHIELD Lite silo-protection system (SPS).
The revised SPS is smaller than previous versions, with all critical silo-top safety components built-in and pre-wired to provide simpler, easier, and lower-cost installation. The design yields safe deliveries straight out of the box, cutting the chance of wiring mistakes. Utilizing purpose-designed pressure monitoring and control equipment, SHIELD Lite meets and exceeds current best practices, including those in the new MPA guidance.
Powder storage silos are used across many industries but are at risk of over-pressurization during tanker deliveries. Pressures as low as one psi are enough to rupture a silo or forcibly eject the filter unit from the roof. Besides the physical danger and risk of fatalities from falling equipment, this can cause massive equipment damage and environmental pollution. A comprehensive, failsafe safety and control system is vital to prevent such outcomes.
SHIELD Lite goes beyond failsafe, providing a fully automated, self-testing safety system that removes the risk of human error from the delivery process by thoroughly monitoring and controlling it. The high-accuracy pressure safety components are pre-assembled and wired for simple installation. In addition, SHIELD Lite incorporates Hycontrol’s pioneering Ground Level Testing (GLT), whereby a single key turn activates a full-function test of all the crucial safety components without climbing the silo.
Hycontrol managing director Nigel Allen said: ‘We have insisted for many years that simplicity is the key to safety, so we have made a system that will make a silo safe straight out of the box. With baked-in failsafes like ratio alarms, filter blockage warnings, and driver delivery behaviour diagnostics, we can effectively eradicate the risk of human error.
‘We understand that mistakes in maintenance and testing are inevitable. Our philosophy is to accept this and provide a system that monitors and safely alerts you when these errors occur. Safety for staff, contractors and drivers should always be the number one priority. As we say – safe silos are tested every time.’
