A construction summary of bulk storage facilities built worldwide

The company

Dome Technology is an Idaho-based construction company that has been in the business of building thin shell Monolithic Domes for 28 years. Owner Barry South with his brothers David and Randy joint ventured the patented dome construction process. They have constructed more than 430 individual domes to date. They have also built domes in nearly every state and about 20 foreign countries. Dome technology builds commercial, industrial, residential complexes and many other types of domes.

Dome Technology of Idaho Falls, Idaho has a growing list of bulk storage facilities constructed all across the U.S. and in many foreign countries. During 2002-2003, over 50 separate dome structures were constructed making the company’s total for domes built well over 430. The vital statistics of a wide variety of storage projects are as follows:

Hawaii Cement

Completed in 2000, this cement powder storage facility includes two 144′ × 77′ Monolithic Domes. The storage capacity is estimated 60-70,000 tons of cement and utilizes Cambelt reclaimers with flat floors.

St Croix

These two 260′ × 130′ domes are located at the Hovensa Refinery on the US Virgin Island of St Croix, near some of the most beautiful waters in the world. Hovensa chose the Monolithic Dome for storage as a testament to the environmental consciousness and to help preserve the beauty of this land. The ocean water at this refinery harbor is so clear, visibility is easily hundreds of feet right off the dock.

The domes were constructed as temporary storage and handling facilities for the petro-coke produced at this refinery. Each dome is equipped with a Crupp-Robbins stacker reclaimer. The stackers provide a donut shaped material pile that utilizes only a small portion of the total potential storage capacity of these domes. The system stores pet-coke from the refinery and feeds the ship loaders to export this product.

The Dome Technology crew was housed in an onsite man camp along with about 5,000 other workers for the project.

Kosmosdale

During 1999, we constructed a 208′ × 104′ cement storage facility in Kosmosdale, Kentucky which is located just a few miles south of the famous Church Hill Downs and a few miles north of the Fort Knox gold vaults. The project was constructed with foundation, head works, conical floor. It utilizes a partial BMH air slide floor and conical concrete floor. Our project scope also included construction of a value engineering proposed exchange dome approximately 40′ × 40′ with 800 foot of inclined discharge tunnel. Southdown Cement was sold to Cemex just after this project was completed.

St Lawrence Cement

This storage dome was constructed in New York during 2000. The 114′ × 73′ dome is utilized as a port storage and transfer facility for the local concrete and ready mix suppliers. The dome utilizes an air slide floor.

Apollo Beach

This 200-foot gypsum storage facility was constructed at Apollo Beach, Florida for National Gypsum. The storage dome was part of the new gyp-board facility constructed in the area. It is fed by a combination truck and loader procedure. It also has the recycle feed characteristic that recycles damaged or sub-tolerance materials from the gyp-plant.

ABB Environmental Systems

This project required construction of a small, 114-diameter fly ash storage for ABB Environmental Systems at the Homer City, PA power plant. The dome is fed by conveyor through an offset drop in the top of the dome. The materials are loaded and shipped from the dome using a conventional front-end loader and truck method.

Ash Grove Cement Storage

The dome facility that Dome Technology built for Ash Grove Cement at Louisville, NE was the third storage facility that we have constructed for Ash Grove. This cement dome was equipped with the Cambelt reclaimer. The storage dome capacity is rated at 100,000 tons and sized 192′ × 101?. Its 20’ vertical stemwall was constructed as part of the dome with an Airform to facilitate the use of the Cambelt.

Saudi Cement

Saudi Cement, a port facility including both rail and truck interface, consists of two domes: one measuring 42m x 27m and the other, a clinker storage dome, measuring 50.3m x 32.8m.

California Cement

This port dome built in 2001 is a storage facility now functioning with full land, rail and sea access. It measures 176′ × 105.5′. The dome project is only a few hundred yards away from Calamco Cold Storage, two large apple storage domes built in 1989. Each dome measures 230 feet in diameter and is equipped with a remote-controlled crane system which handles inventory in and out of the dome. The domes were cooled with ammonia transfer and a nitrogen environment that prohibits human occupancy.

Winona River & Rail

Dome Technology added a third fertilizer storage dome to this project in Winona, Minnesota. The previous two domes were constructed in 2001. All three domes measure 117′ × 58′ with storage capacities varying between 25-40,000 tons depending on the type of material stored.

Saskferco Products, Inc.

This 100’ half-sphere was built to store urea (animal feed) in Belle Plaine, Saskatchewan. This project was completed in 2003.

Separation Technologies (STI)

This fly ash storage facility was built in Baltimore, MD and measures 160′ × 89′ for Separation Technologies. The dome is fed with all surplus fly ash produced by STI. The dome has a full floor air slide system that feeds a central trench and two bunkers outside the dome. The fly ash is then fed back into the trucks for sale through an existing silo and weigh system.

Enviro Carmelo

Built at the port of Puerto Rico during 2003, this 166′ × 100′ dome was built on pier 6 for Enviro Carmelo stationed at Toa Baja. The dome is fed by a ship unloader through the top center of the dome. The fly ash is reclaimed using a Cambelt elevated cone floor and reclaimer.

^{September 2004}