Frac Sand Storage System Design and Construction

Skyway Grain Systems has expanded their storage offerings to include frac sand storage tanks. Long experience in the grain storage and handling business has given Skyway the knowledge and expertise to design and build frac sand storage facilities with loading and unloading features to service both trucks and rail cars.

Skyway offers a full line of sand storage tanks, constructed from heavy gauge cold rolled steel. Sand storage bins are constructed with a knock-down bolt together format that can be easily shipped and built on-site by Skyway’s expert installation teams. These sand tanks are backed by Skyway’s one-year warranty for commercial bins.

Because sand silos have greater strength requirements, Skyway’s sand tank is built to handle the extra stress that heavier commodities such as frac sand place on sand storage facilities. Some of these special features include:

1. Strong 30° roof helps support the weight of roof-mounted conveying equipment – up to 7,500 pounds (3,400 kg) depending on bin diameter.
2. All-galvanized steel stiffener design is one of the strongest available to help the sand silo to stand up to the constant stress and strain of stored sand.
3. Strong gravity-flow hopper bottom angle aids the unloading of dry sand. Hopper angles are available from 40° to 60°, depending upon the sand bin diameter
4. The specially-engineered hopper/bin support beam encircles the tank at the top of the hopper for greater strength and reliability. The beam evenly distributes the weight of both the tank and hopper to the strong leg support structure
5. 115 Galvanized steel with a tensile strength up to 65 ksi (448 Mpa).
6. The sturdy support structures on sand tanks have a corrosion resistant galvanized finish - 115
7. A 12-inch (305-mm) hopper discharge opening for use with optional gates with rack and pinion or rollers.
8. Identification codes on every bin body sheet identify manufacturing date, part number, and steel gauge.
9. Sidewalls are assembled using high-strength Grade 8.2 bin seal bolts with special JS-1000™ weather-resistant coating.
10. Optional Grade 8.2 polypropylene-encapsulated head bolts provide enhanced corrosion resistance.
11. Bin anchor system securely fastens the bin to the foundation and standard is design to withstand winds up to 90 mph (145 kph).
12. Optional sidewall ladders, as well as safety cages and rest platforms, conform to OSHA standards and are fabricated from galvanized steel for long-lasting service.
13. A wide variety of optional components such as ladder security doors are also available.
14. Planning assistance and foundation drawings for your sand storage facility are also part of the package.
15. Sand storage systems are designed to accommodate facilities for loading and unloading sand to either trucks or rail cars.