Construction, cone angles, and the type of stored material are all factors that influence how material moves through storage silos.
Funnel Flow
Funnel flow silos are usually more cost effective to construct, costing between 20-30% less than mass flow silos, but are not suitable for all materials.
The flow channel drains material in the middle first. As the silo empties, side material flows into the middle channel. Because of this flow pattern, funnel flow silos that are not emptied completely on a regular basis keep stagnant, or dead, material against the silos walls. Without scheduled emptying, this causes material to build up along the silos walls and leads to issues like ratholing or irregular flow.
Taken together, these factors can enhance particle segregation, limit your live capacity, and cause silo failure. Generally, a funnel flow pattern is only suitable for coarse, free flowing, non-degrading solids when segregation is minimal.
Learn more about Funnel Flow Silos.
Mass Flow
Mass flow silos do not experience the same material flow issues as funnel flow silos. Stored materials move down the silo as a column, with no flow channels and the first materials in are the first materials out, providing for a uniform flow.
Mass flow is ideal for materials that are susceptible to segregation based on particle size or density, minimized by the first in, first out flow sequence, with the segregated particles remixing as they discharge. It is an ideal flow pattern for coal or other materials that are combustible or perishable.
Learn more about Mass Flow Silos.
Funnel flow and mass flow are common silo flow patterns. In addition to these two are expanded flow and fluidized flow patterns. Find out more about the different types of concrete silo flow patterns.
To learn more, be sure to check out our full library of videos on silo maintenance, inspection and repair on 
When it comes to keeping your silo clean and running efficiently day in and day out, it’s vital that you are proactive with preventive silo maintenance. One of the most important is checking your silo roof and walls to make sure they are leakproof.
Many concrete silos have either a membrane cover, a concrete slab or other material covering the silo roof. Over time, roof covers develop holes, allowing water intrusion under the roof cover material. Once the water gets underneath, it is trapped and eventually travels along the concrete roof to a crack. Once the trapped water finds an opening, water can make its way into the silo and compromise stored materials. Natural freeze and thaw cycles allow water to expand and contract inside fine exterior cracks and jeopardize a silo’s structural stability.
Our Roof-Top and Exterior Wall Coating Method
It’s essential that your silo is completely watertight. Even pinhole leaks in silo roofs and walls can damage stored materials and can result in blockages and material flow issues. When selecting a roof covering for a concrete silo, it is critical to select a coating that adheres directly to concrete, rather than a roof cover that merely conceals the concrete roof and can hide future issues.
USA Silo Service has developed a unique silo roof and silo wall sealing method, a rubber product that applies to a concrete or steel silo roof to cover cracks, holes and equipment attachment areas.
This sealing method can be used for roof surfaces or for steel bolted silo joints to offer excellent protection against oxidation, humidity and corrosive environments. Our rubberized coating also resists alkali, salts, abrasions and fumes.
Additional benefits of roof-top silo coatings:
- Not a floating membrane
- Offers excellent adhesion to aluminum, galvanized steel, painted surfaces, modified bitumen, steel joints and many other surfaces
- Excellent in sealing cracks, laps, fasteners and roof surface penetrations
- Available in all 50 states and in a variety of colors
Our rubber coating reduces costly reapplications of surface protectants and can be applied to many surfaces including: metal buildings and roofs, built up roof (BUR) membranes, grain silos and bins, silo exterior walls, single ply roofs, urethane foam roofs and steel bolted joints.
Our roof-top silo coating method is a proven industrial roof coating system that keeps elements out and stored materials dry. Request a quote from us today.
See Case History – Does Your Concrete Silo Roof Leak?
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Why Routine Silo Cleaning Matters
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- Remove material buildup
- Restore material flow rates
- Recover silo capacity
- Prevent cross contamination
- Reclaim lost material
The Boss - Silo Cleaning Equipment
Our silo cleaning methods will save you the most time and money. Learn more about our silo cleaning services.
