At Rio Beton’s concrete batching plant in Monzuno, Italy, cement discharge from silo relied on a compressed-air fluidisation system — functional, but demanding in terms of maintenance: worn nozzles, pipes clogged with cement, and interventions only possible with an empty silo.
The starting point
At the Rio Beton concrete batching plant in Monzuno, cement is stored in a silo and used every day to feed the plant. A steady and reliable discharge is therefore important to keep daily operations running smoothly.
Before the installation, the silo used a compressed-air fluidisation system. This is a common solution, but it can create some practical limits: nozzles can wear, pipes can become filled with cement, and maintenance is often possible only when the silo is empty. These issues could make operation more difficult and, in some cases, make the area around the silo cone less tidy and less safe.
Choosing the solution
Rio Beton chose DUPLOCON SILO to make cement discharge from the silo simpler. The aim was to reduce the use of compressed air in the cone area and to limit the number of parts exposed to wear.
The system was installed on an existing silo, with a mechanical adaptation at the lower part of the cone. This means the solution can also be used for revamping projects, even if the best option is to include it from the start on new silos. The main value of the choice is simplicity: fewer pipes, fewer nozzles, and fewer critical points to check over time.
The immediate impact
After installation, the system needed a short adjustment phase. Once the vibrator timing was set correctly, the discharge performance improved clearly. With a setting of 10 seconds ON and 10 seconds OFF, the system worked well both with a full silo and with a partly empty silo. The checks showed good discharge continuity and a slightly higher flow rate than before.
People and safety
The most important benefit concerns the daily work of the operators. Removing air pipes and nozzles from the cone area means fewer parts that can break, clog, or wear. The area around the silo becomes easier to manage. There are fewer checks, fewer manual interventions, and less risk of cement leakage. This helps make daily work cleaner, more orderly, and safer.
Efficiency and continuity
With the previous system, a problem with a nozzle or a pipe could require the silo to be emptied before maintenance could be carried out. This was an important limit for plant continuity. With DUPLOCON SILO, these risks are reduced. Maintenance becomes simpler and less linked to emergency situations. For a concrete batching plant, this means fewer unexpected stops and more regular operation.
Reliability over time
After about 3–4 months of operation, the system showed no particular problems. No material leakage or loss was reported, and the customer was willing to continue monitoring the system performance. The first experience is positive and confirms how important correct system setting is to achieve the best working conditions.
Looking ahead
The Rio Beton Monzuno experience shows that a simpler solution can improve everyday silo management. The advantage is not only technical: it also supports safety, maintenance, and a cleaner working area.
DUPLOCON SILO can be considered for both new silos and upgrades of existing plants. In new installations, preparing the silo from the beginning makes the installation easier. In revamping projects, it can help reduce maintenance and unplanned downtime.
“Fewer parts to check means less maintenance, fewer risks, and greater peace of mind in silo management.”Rio Beton, Monzuno (BO)
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