Covering a rectangular concrete slurry store

[early riser]

I have a 50m x 9m shuttered concrete tank with access ramp at one end that I am looking at covering (don’t get me started on the politics of whether something should be covered or not!)

Sand based system so has to be a retractable cover to allow machine access to dredge sand.

Has any one come up with a simple, practical retractable cover for such a situation??

initial thought was some kind of trailer sheet on a manual winch, but at that size of sheet it will be too heavy to winch back.

Or do I need to be talking to someone like an outdoor swimming pool cover manufacturer?

I can’t be the only one surely that is trying to get my head around how we can make this Defra nonsense work?!

Thoughts very much welcome!!

 

[vantage]

I have a 50m x 9m shuttered concrete tank with access ramp at one end that I am looking at covering (don’t get me started on the politics of whether something should be covered or not!)

Sand based system so has to be a retractable cover to allow machine access to dredge sand.

Has any one come up with a simple, practical retractable cover for such a situation??

initial thought was some kind of trailer sheet on a manual winch, but at that size of sheet it will be too heavy to winch back.

Or do I need to be talking to someone like an outdoor swimming pool cover manufacturer?

I can’t be the only one surely that is trying to get my head around how we can make this Defra nonsense work?!

Thoughts very much welcome!!

Cover for rainwater, or other.
Have a shed here over our concrete pit, 40m x 13m, my father did it 30 years ago. Cost £14k, seems bloody cheap now.

 

[early riser]

Cover for rainwater, or other.
Have a shed here over our concrete pit, 40m x 13m, my father did it 30 years ago. Cost £14k, seems bloody cheap now.

no, a tight fitting cover to stop ammonia emissions

slurry infrastructure grant compliant

 

[4R Man]

My suggestion is research what they are doing in Holland - much further in from in terms of understanding how things need to work, UK bods still don't get the covers need to be retractable.
Also I am aware the Waitrose owned farm - manager is Andrew Fergusson (nice chap) Leckford Estate, are catching the gas from their slurry store and would be worth an ask.

 

[vantage]

no, a tight fitting cover to stop ammonia emissions

slurry infrastructure grant compliant

Apparently ammonia is water soluble, make of that what you will!

 

[vantage]

My suggestion is research what they are doing in Holland - much further in from in terms of understanding how things need to work, UK bods still don't get the covers need to be retractable.
Also I am aware the Waitrose owned farm - manager is Andrew Fergusson (nice chap) Leckford Estate, are catching the gas from their slurry store and would be worth an ask.

Personally I wouldn’t use the Waitrose farm as an example, because of the huge amount of money behind it.

 

[jimmer]

Roller strikers for concreting go up to 10m wide, they're hydraulic driven

 

[Grassman247]

I have a 50m x 9m shuttered concrete tank with access ramp at one end that I am looking at covering (don’t get me started on the politics of whether something should be covered or not!)

Sand based system so has to be a retractable cover to allow machine access to dredge sand.

Has any one come up with a simple, practical retractable cover for such a situation??

initial thought was some kind of trailer sheet on a manual winch, but at that size of sheet it will be too heavy to winch back.

Or do I need to be talking to someone like an outdoor swimming pool cover manufacturer?

I can’t be the only one surely that is trying to get my head around how we can make this Defra nonsense work?!

Thoughts very much welcome!!

Would a polytunnel not work, cut the legs down so cover reaches the floor and backfill with soil, could have a cover on the end you can open to let gas out before going in with machine, rain would run off too and give you some height to work in

 

[4R Man]

I spoke with these guys at cereals https://www.huesker.co.uk/agriculture/applications/
Seemed to know what they were talking about

 

[frederick]

I have a 50m x 9m shuttered concrete tank with access ramp at one end that I am looking at covering (don’t get me started on the politics of whether something should be covered or not!)

Sand based system so has to be a retractable cover to allow machine access to dredge sand.

Has any one come up with a simple, practical retractable cover for such a situation??

initial thought was some kind of trailer sheet on a manual winch, but at that size of sheet it will be too heavy to winch back.

Or do I need to be talking to someone like an outdoor swimming pool cover manufacturer?

I can’t be the only one surely that is trying to get my head around how we can make this Defra nonsense work?!

Thoughts very much welcome!!

Really not sure what you are hoping to do is realistic especially with sand.
But if it's existing why does the cover matter to you and the grants.

You can probably still get a water grant to put a proper shed over it just not the airtight cover.

 

[early riser]

But if it's existing why does the cover matter to you and the grants.

Complicated.

Looking to increase numbers slightly and there are multiple ancient woodland SSSI's within 5km of the yard, so Local Planning Authority and Natural England are refusing any developments unless no increase in ammonia emissions on the SCAIL model.

 

[Wesley]

Complicated.

Looking to increase numbers slightly and there are multiple ancient woodland SSSI's within 5km of the yard, so Local Planning Authority and Natural England are refusing any developments unless no increase in ammonia emissions on the SCAIL model.

Similar story around this area. Those people really should be made to starve!

 

[vantage]

Similar story around this area. Those people really should be made to starve!

They will if this train of events is allowed to travel further down the track. Unfortunately with a Labour administration, judging by what’s happening in Wales, I would’t expect it to stop anytime soon.

 

[yin ewe]

What depth is the tank? You could cover it with solid slabs and put a shed on top as long as it was still high enough to accessfor cleaning out the sand. Would be a useful shed for something

 

[Bangoverthebar]

This is what the kiwis use to cover pits of palm kernel. Surely a poly tunnel maker could do it.

It folds back on itself if not clear

 

[frederick]

Complicated.

Looking to increase numbers slightly and there are multiple ancient woodland SSSI's within 5km of the yard, so Local Planning Authority and Natural England are refusing any developments unless no increase in ammonia emissions on the SCAIL model.

Understand.

In which case at £6 a m I might just go in with a floating cover and then a pocket knife to empty it out. This would get planning
After 5 years forget about covering it again.
I think the big problem will be the sand long term to cover you may need a separator and sand lanes.

I would like to see a movable swimming pool style roof that works in the future.

 

[early riser]

What depth is the tank? You could cover it with solid slabs and put a shed on top as long as it was still high enough to accessfor cleaning out the sand. Would be a useful shed for something

3.5m so could get underneath with forklift to clean out once down the ramped section.

Was unsure about entering a confined space with slurry gas etc, even if in a forklift cab

 

[puppet]

3.5m so could get underneath with forklift to clean out once down the ramped section.

Was unsure about entering a confined space with slurry gas etc, even if in a forklift cab

Not sure I would want to be in there

 

[yin ewe]

3.5m so could get underneath with forklift to clean out once down the ramped section.

Was unsure about entering a confined space with slurry gas etc, even if in a forklift cab

How often does it need the sand cleared? Would need to take proper care and precautions.

 

[sjt01]

no, a tight fitting cover to stop ammonia emissions

slurry infrastructure grant compliant

Do Hexacovers comply? Interesting, because I am involved with a NE/CSF advisory meeting next week on air quality.