Grain storage in silos is vertical, while the storage of grain in wharehouses is horizontal.
Using steel silos to store the grain instead of using warehouses provides many advantages:
- The first advantage lies in the occupied ground surface. This method requires less ground space, which is important if space is not available or if its cost is high like at ports.
- Another advantage lies in how easy it is to keep the optimum storage conditions for the grain, by controlling the temperature, insects, mould, birds, which in long term storage facilities could result in an important economic loss.
- The third advantage consists of lower costs than that incurred from using warehouses, which entails the automation of the grain transport equipment. The loading as well as the unloading can be completely automated using a SCADA system and at a lower cost.
- Another advantage is lower assembling costs, since this element is designed specifically for this purpose and weighs less than a storage facility.
- Finally, we have the fact that it is less expensive overall, and this is probably the main advantage in comparison to grain warehouses.
