Solutions · Algae & Marine Ingredient Storage
Algae powders, seaweed meal, and marine hydrocolloids such as agar and carrageenan are fine, hygroscopic, and high in value. PW Silo Systems designs aluminum and stainless steel silos with discharge aids and clear product separation for food, feed, and nutrition producers.
Algae Storage at a Glance
An algae silo stores algae powder, seaweed meal, or marine hydrocolloids close to production – for food, dairy, desserts, feed, or nutrition products. It protects the powder from moisture and contamination and feeds it in a controlled way to dosing and mixing.
Algae products are fine and hygroscopic, and hydrocolloids such as agar and carrageenan bind water and form lumps. PW Silo Systems designs the silo and its discharge around your product.
Why Algae Products Are Demanding
Marine ingredients are dosed in small quantities but are high in value. Their quality depends on how they are stored.
Algae powders and hydrocolloids absorb moisture from the air and form lumps.
Fine algae powders tend to bridge at the outlet.
In coated carbon steel silos, flaking paint and steel particles can end up in the algae.
Fine algae dust is combustible. Filling and conveying release dust into the silo and its surroundings.
In funnel flow, algae products can stay in the silo for a long time while fresh product passes through the center.
Green algae powders color other products, and hydrocolloids must not be mixed by accident.
Silo Materials
Aluminum and stainless steel silos are widely used for flour, sugar, starch, and other food ingredients. Both materials offer high corrosion resistance, good hygiene, and a long service life.
Carbon steel is not an option for us: its coating is the only protection against corrosion. Once it wears, paint particles and steel can get into the product. Which of our two materials fits your algae silo depends on your product, your process, your cleaning requirements, and your site – we review it with you.
Your Algae Silo System
Silo, discharge, blending, filtration, and safety equipment are engineered as one system. That means fewer interfaces for your team and components that are designed to work together.
Storage
Concentric mass-flow discharge without asymmetric flow zones – as standard, site-assembled, indoor, or multi-compartment silos.
Learn moreBlending
Gravity blending and homogenizing with four technologies, including PW ConeBlend with a hopper that is quick to clean.
Learn moreDischarge
Air fluidization for uniform discharge of poorly flowing products – prevents bridging and can be retrofitted to existing silos.
Learn moreDischarge
Vibration from unbalanced motors breaks up cohesive forces, resolves caking, and keeps the outlet clear.
Learn moreFiltration
Dust separation during filling and conveying, in a hygienic design for the food industry.
Learn moreSafety & Monitoring
Rupture discs or explosion vents for combustible dust, level measurement for reliable monitoring of the silo content.
Learn moreAlgae & Marine Ingredients
Products marked “Tested in our lab” are on our list of bulk materials. The others we review with you based on your material data before designing the silo.
Tested in our lab
Algae, algae powder
Algae is on our list of bulk materials tested in our lab. A closed silo protects the fine, hygroscopic powder.
Tested in our lab
Seaweed meal, kelp meal
Seaweed meal is on our tested list. It is used in food, feed, and fertilizer production.
Tested in our lab
Agar, agar-agar
Agar is on our tested list. As a gelling agent it binds water – moisture protection is key.
Tested in our lab
Carrageenan
Carrageenan is on our tested list. Discharge aids are planned for this fine hydrocolloid.
Review with us
Spirulina, spirulina powder
Spirulina is a protein-rich microalgae powder. We review your product data with you before designing the silo.
Review with us
Sodium alginate, alginate
Alginates are hydrocolloids from brown algae. We review your product data with you.
Also tested in our lab:
Send us your material data and we will review the right solution with you:
Material Check
Type in your algae product or any other bulk material to see whether it has already been tested in our lab. The list covers 287 bulk materials.
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Service in the U.S.
With more than 40 years of experience in silo engineering, we support your algae silo project from the first design discussion to commissioning. We deliver to every U.S. state and install with our own qualified personnel.
FAQ
Answers to the questions plant managers, engineers, and buyers ask most often about storing algae and marine ingredients in silos.
Dry algae products and marine hydrocolloids can be stored in a properly designed silo. These products are on our list of bulk materials tested in our lab:
Spirulina, chlorella, kelp powder, and alginates we review with you based on your material data.
Hydrocolloids bind water and form lumps. A closed silo in aluminum or stainless steel protects them from outside moisture, and discharge aids such as PW SpeedBlow and bin activators keep the outlet clear.
Both. Aluminum and stainless steel silos are widely used for algae and other food ingredients because they offer high corrosion resistance, good hygiene, and a long service life. Which material fits your project depends on your product, your process, your cleaning requirements, and your site. We review the options with you.
In a carbon steel silo, the coating is the only protection against corrosion. If it wears or flakes off, paint particles and steel can end up in your algae. That is why we build silos exclusively in aluminum and stainless steel.
In mass flow, the entire silo content moves downward when material is discharged – not just a channel in the center. Your algae leaves the silo in the order it came in (first in, first out), and no product is left behind in dead zones where it could age or cake. Our PW StoreLine silos are designed for concentric mass-flow discharge without asymmetric flow zones.
Fine algae dust is combustible, and many bulk solids carry an explosion risk. For combustible bulk solids we supply explosion-protected silos designed in accordance with applicable codes and regulations. Venting devices – rupture discs or explosion vents – are selected for your silo, your product, and your application. Integrated filters and dust collectors reduce dust during filling and conveying.
Hygiene starts with the materials: aluminum and stainless steel offer good hygiene and corrosion resistance. In addition, our flat-roof designs support high cleanliness standards, PW SpeedBlow uses high air flow for cleaning, and the PW ConeBlend blending silo has a hopper that is quick and easy to clean – well suited to frequent product changes.
The right size depends on your daily consumption, delivery intervals, the number of products, and the space available at your site. PW StoreLine silos are available in a wide range of sizes and diameters, and silos too large for road transport are assembled on site. We size the system with you – without oversized investment.
Yes. We deliver to every U.S. state and support your project with silo transport, field assembly, silo installation and supervision, and site relocation of existing systems.
Very likely. Our silo systems are designed for nearly all free-flowing, granular, and powdered bulk solids. Send us your material details – kernel size, moisture, and how the product is filled and discharged – and we will review the right storage solution with you.
Tell us about your products, required storage capacity, how the silo is filled and discharged, and your site conditions. Based on this, we work out the material, silo type, and configuration with you and send you a detailed quote.
Your Project
Whether you need a single algae silo, several silos for different products, or a complete system with blending and discharge, tell us about your requirements. We'll develop a solution that fits your product, your process, and your site.
Send a Request NowWhat Happens Next
Tell us about your bulk material, your process, and your site conditions.
We work with you on material, silo type, and configuration – based on a bulk material analysis if needed.
You receive a custom-engineered solution with a detailed quote.
