PRESENTATION
FOR
North Dakota
Grain Dealers Association
101 st Annual Convention and Industry Show
January 20-22, 2013
Fargo Holiday Inn
Efficient Grain Facility Design & Operation
By: Gregg Davidson, Owner
DAVIDSON GRAIN SOLUTIONS (DGS)
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• Troubleshooting
• Plant Engineering
• Master-Planning
• Construction Management
• Start-up & Training
Maddock, ND ● Moorhead, MN ● Plymouth, MN
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For me:
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Offer up some new ideas and some proven reminders to:
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Change/improve your existing facility successfully
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Build a new addition or new facility
Operate your facility better and safer
Maintain your facility better and safer
For you:
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Look for new ideas that you can incorporate back home
Reinforce old ideas that are proven
Think of a question or comment
Relax and enjoy the presentation followed by questions
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Step 1 - Conceptual Design
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Step 2 - Front End Engineering Design
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Step 3 - Detailed Design
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Step 4 - Construction
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Step 5 - Start-Up & Warranty
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Step 6- Safety Devices, Operation, & Maintenance
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Bucket Elevator Legs
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Drag Conveyors
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Belt Conveyors
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Process flow diagram (front gate thru exit gate)
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Changes to existing flow or developing new flow
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Crops handled and annual bushels per crop
Total annual bushels handled
Operating hours non-harvest and harvest
In-bound truck/rail weighing and sampling
Out-bound truck/rail weighing and sampling
Receiving system(s) truck/rail flow rate
Storage type and capacities
Grain temperature monitoring
Drying system flow rate/moisture reduction
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In-house transfer flow rate
Rail load-out flow rate and allowed loading time w/0 penalty
Truck load out flow rate
Equipment by-pass/duplication options
Sanitation goals
Automation goals
Operator control room scheme
Special requirements for inspectors and required certifications
Other key business goals
Other key customer goals
Interference with existing operations
Future growth considerations
Cadillac or nice Chevrolet ($$$)
Potential concerns by neighbors and public
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Site plan (outside front gate thru outside exit gate)
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3D for aerial perspective
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2D for details
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Existing structures, roads, and landmarks
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Off-site improvements (drainage, public roads, traffic flow)
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Site grading and drainage
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Utilities (electrical, gas, water, sewer, fire, communications)
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Roads and parking (traffic flow, customers, employees, surfaces)
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Emergency vehicle access
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Structures
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Railroad
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Landscape areas
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Low maintenance areas
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Site security (lighting, gates & fence, guard shack, public locks)
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Other key business and customer goals
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Construction staging area
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Interference with existing operations
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Future growth considerations
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Cadillac or nice Chevrolet ($$$)
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Potential concerns by neighbors and public
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STEP 2 – FRONT END ENGINEERING DESIGN
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Organizational chart
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Show owners, designers, contractors, & subs
Show overall responsibilities for each
Show method of project delivery for each
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Design – build
Design – bid - build
Consider shared document website for info sharing
Project schedule
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Weather impact
Project budget
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Weather impact
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FRONT END ENGINEERING DESIGN – PAGE 2
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Permits
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City
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County
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Watershed district
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State
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Federal
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Railroad
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Utilities (electrical, gas, water, sewer, fire, comm.)
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Determine electrical classification for all areas
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FRONT END ENGINEERING DESIGN – PAGE 3
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Land ownership
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Clear title
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Easements
Site survey report
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Existing topography, buildings, roads, and landmarks
Geotechnical report
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Locate multiple soil borings directly under key areas
Estimated total soil settlement
Estimated differential soil settlement
Estimated water table during construction & operation
Determine geotech’s ability to perform material testing
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FRONT END ENGINEERING DESIGN – PAGE 4
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Operational safety
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Explosion prevention and venting
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Fall protection guarding
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Running equipment guarding
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Secondary egress
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Others specific to the facility
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Determine construction management needs
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Evaluate internal skills, experience, and time available
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Consider outside help for:
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Conceptual and Front End Engineering Design
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Bid package development
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Over-sight of Construction, Start-Up, & Warranty 12

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Civil package
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Site plan
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Railroad plan
Structures and machinery package
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Process flow diagram
General arrangements
Concrete structural
Steel structural
Miscellaneous
Equipment list
Electrical package
Controls package
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Construction safety
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Excavations
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Fall protection
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Ladders and scaffolding
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Crane lifts
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Electrocution
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Personal protective equipment
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Other hazards specific to the project
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Construction contract
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Format (design-build, build only)
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Project schedule
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Responsibility for final engineering
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Construction safety
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Responsibility for material testing and review
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Insurance and bonding
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Retainage
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Liquidated damages
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Start-up
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What triggers final payment?
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Warranty
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Owner mobilization
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Pre-mobilization meeting (per organizational chart)
Construction staking
Temporary electrical service
Temporary water service (fire protection?)
Temporary communications
Contractor mobilization
Critical meetings and inspections
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Daily, weekly, monthly
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Progress photos
Final punch list (substantial completion)
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Operator training materials
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Hard copies & electronic version of manuals
Operator training
Start-up plan to SAFELY meet phased goals
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Process equipment
Process safety devices and instrumentation
Dust collection balancing
Building-related devices and instrumentation
Engineered silo/bin loading plan
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Final written acceptance by Owner
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Contractor de-mobilization
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As-built documentation
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Hard copies & electronic version of as-built drawings & specs
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Post-project de-briefing meeting
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Problems and praises
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Future maintenance and project needs
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Potential reference and marketing testimony
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Issue final payment
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Warranty period (solve problems together)
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Recommended safety devices
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Speed monitor on boot shaft for alarm and shutdown
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Belt alignment switch on each side of boot
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Bearing temperature sensor on each side of boot
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Belt alignment switch on each side of head
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Bearing temperature sensor on each side of head
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Plug switch at leg discharge
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Guarding over all exposed shafts
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Explosion panels
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Operation
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Install outside if possible
Maximum 650 feet per minute (fpm) belt speed = 7mph
Wear liner selection based on crops, bushels, & years
Spout feeding leg inlet plays huge role in filling cups
Height of leg inlet with respect to boot shaft is critical
Class II drive with backstop capable of starting leg under full load
Reduced voltage starter (soft start) capable of starting leg under full load
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Maintenance
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Replace head pulley lagging if belt will not track or crown
(1/8” per foot from edge to center of pulley) is gone
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Belt replacement guideline based on 1.5% stretch
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Example: 100 ft tall leg = 200 ft belt x 1.5% = 3 ft = 1.5 ft take up
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Replace bearings based on frequent inspection
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Watch/listen for changes
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Recommended safety devices
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Speed monitor on tail shaft for alarm and shutdown
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Slack/tight chain switch on tail
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Plug switch at conveyor discharge
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Guarding over all exposed shafts
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Operation
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150 to 180 feet per minute (fpm) chain speed = 2 mph
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Wear liner selection based on crops, bushels, & years
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Class II drive capable of starting drag under full load
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Reduced voltage starter (soft start) capable of starting drag under full load
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Maintenance
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Replace bearings, sprockets, and chain based on frequent inspection
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Watch/listen for changes
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Recommended safety devices

Speed monitor on tail shaft for alarm and shutdown
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Belt alignment switch on each side of tail
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Bearing temperature sensor on each side of tail
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Belt alignment switch on each side of head
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Bearing temperature sensor on each side of head
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Plug switch at conveyor discharge
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Guarding over all exposed shafts
25

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Operation
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Maximum 700 feet per minute (fpm) belt speed = 7 mph
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Wear liner selection based on crops, bushels, and years
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Spout feeding the loader plays huge role in feeding belt
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Class II drive capable of starting conveyor under full load
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Reduced voltage starter (soft start) capable of starting conveyor under full load
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Side wall inspection doors recommended
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Maintenance
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Inspect tail section often for grain re-loading
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Replace head pulley lagging if belt will not track
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Belt replacement guideline based on 1.5% stretch
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Replace bearings based on frequent inspection
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Watch/listen for changes
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Thank you and Go Bison!
Efficient Grain Facility Design & Operation
By: Gregg Davidson, Owner
DAVIDSON GRAIN SOLUTIONS (DGS)
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