Has any one had experience with a simple floating cover on a circular metal slurry store. With a rainfall of 1m we loose a third of our capacity with rain fall. I quite like the idea of a simple cover with a small submersible pump to take off most of the water but does it work? We have pv panels so if it runs on a timer we can just pump the water over the top during the day for free!
Floating cover for slurry store
- Thread starter PREES
- Start date
MickMoor
Member
- Location
- Bonsall, UK
There often can be obstacles to them.
How do you stir it? Are there any other obstructions such as Umbilical outlets? The pump will need to be controlled by a float switch as well, so you may need an additional supply for the hours of darkness! The pump will not be massive any way.
How do you stir it? Are there any other obstructions such as Umbilical outlets? The pump will need to be controlled by a float switch as well, so you may need an additional supply for the hours of darkness! The pump will not be massive any way.
MickMoor
Member
- Location
- Bonsall, UK
The main obstacles are things like the stirrer, which would need to be removed, and Umbilical outlets, particularly when they are like the one pictured.
If you can give me the make, number of sheets round and number of rings high, I will give a price for a floating cover by PM.
If you can give me the make, number of sheets round and number of rings high, I will give a price for a floating cover by PM.
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MickMoor
Member
- Location
- Bonsall, UK
Just a word of caution.
We are finding that there is a small amount of carry over of solids from a separator, particularly with digestate and pig slurry. Depending on your tolerance of this, some gentle mixing may be required, or you empty the tank and clean out every now and again, taking all precautions to make sure no poisonous gases are present, or just learn to live with it.
We are finding that there is a small amount of carry over of solids from a separator, particularly with digestate and pig slurry. Depending on your tolerance of this, some gentle mixing may be required, or you empty the tank and clean out every now and again, taking all precautions to make sure no poisonous gases are present, or just learn to live with it.
I have been thinking about how to reduce rainwater into our lagoon, I got a cover priced a few years ago but by the time a stirrer was added in it was getting very expensive. Do you get removable covers like the ones that go on swimming pools that would just lie on the surface then remove for stirring. Otherwise I think @PREES has the right idea storing separated slurry.
MickMoor
Member
- Location
- Bonsall, UK
Interesting idea. We were looking at making our own covers, but gave up because of all the trouble compared to interest we had. Just to repeat; tension covers and roofs impose loadings on the tank it was not designed to take that have to be allowed for, floating covers are fine but stirring the contents of the tank is difficult, and any intrusions into the tank, such as umbilical outlets, cause problems , because the cover will not sink past them when you empty. Covers with mixing hatches are made, but have no idea how well they work. The attached is the brochure from the Dutch company I deal with for covers.
JNP
Member
- Location
- Herefordshire
Why can't you just build a shed (roof on legs) over the store if these covers are just to stop rainwater?
MickMoor
Member
- Location
- Bonsall, UK
It has been done, but I think it is the usual story, the thought of the expense of putting a shed up just for slurry puts livestock farmers off. The average store is now about 75' diameter; what would be a ball park figure for a roof?
We have a 20m x 20m concrete below ground tank and 60m x 30m earth bank lagoon, it would end up costing too much, I do see your point though. Plus if we put a roof on it then we might as well kit it out for cattle inside too!!
Our old round store was 60' across,it wouldn't have cost a great deal to roof over it.
My master plan is to roof over my 140'x100' lagoon,I will then build tanks inside and slat the passages,then when full of cows I will need another lagoon.
We have just added an additional ring (second hand sheets) to a 19 diameter tank and it cost about £8k. We have annual rainfall of over 1m so my logic is that if we can put a floating cover in for no more than £10k it will give us the equivalent to an additional ring without the need or cost to pump out 1m of water!
JNP
Member
- Location
- Herefordshire
What does a floating cover cost? I will check on a roof cost later.
JNP
Member
- Location
- Herefordshire
A 75ft x 80ft 'roof on legs shed' would cost roughly £22k+vat as a kit. How does that stack up against a cover?
When I enquired about a 60m x 30m floating cover for our lagoon I think it was about 25k, cant quite remember. But then they guy said I would need pillars to support it and a in built mixer and that added about 10-15k. I just wondered if there was a cover that would float on top and then remove for mixing and pumping.
I had a floating cover but thought I'd get away circulating and not buying the special £18k mixer,after 5 years I had to admit defeat and remove the cover.
A removable cover would be the answer,probably cost a fortune though.
A floating covery for our 19 diameter tank is going to be about £12 plus vat. Uses a small pump to take the rain water off the surface. This design is not fixed to the tank at all, just floats up and down. Might not keep all the water out but will make a significant difference. Would like to hear from anyone with one fitted. I think Harper have one?
MickMoor
Member
- Location
- Bonsall, UK
The last floating cover I produced a budget price for was for a tank 18metres dia. fully installed for around £7,000. I have yet to supply one.
Speedstar
Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders
what size of store & what kind ?