Solutions · Bran Storage
Bran is light, fibrous, and tends to interlock – one of the classic bridge-builders among food bulk solids. PW Silo Systems designs aluminum and stainless steel bran silos with mass-flow discharge and discharge aids, so your bran keeps flowing.
Bran Storage at a Glance
A bran silo stores the outer layers of grain that are separated during milling – for cereals, baked goods, fiber ingredients, or animal feed. It protects the bran from moisture and contamination and feeds it in a controlled way to the next process step.
Bran particles are light, flat, and fibrous. They interlock, compact, and form bridges if the silo is not designed for them. PW Silo Systems matches silo geometry and discharge equipment to your bran.
Why Bran Is Demanding
Light, fibrous bran behaves very differently from flour or grain. Every challenge below affects discharge, quality, and safety.
Flat, fibrous bran particles interlock and form stable bridges over the outlet.
Bran absorbs moisture, and oil-rich types such as rice bran are sensitive to long storage times.
In coated carbon steel silos, flaking paint and steel particles can end up in the bran.
Fine bran dust is combustible. Filling and conveying release dust into the silo and its surroundings.
Deliveries differ, and a silo filled in batches forms horizontal layers of different quality.
Food plants often handle several brans side by side – including allergen-relevant or specialty products.
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 bran silo depends on your product, your process, your cleaning requirements, and your site – we review it with you.
Your Bran 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 moreBran Types
Grain source, particle size, and oil content change how bran flows. All bran types below are on our list of bulk materials tested in our lab.
Tested in our lab
Oat bran
Oat bran is a fiber-rich ingredient for cereals and baked goods. A dedicated silo keeps it apart from gluten-containing brans.
Tested in our lab
Wheat bran
Wheat bran is the most common bran from flour milling – flat, light, and prone to bridging. Discharge aids are part of the design.
Tested in our lab
Spelt bran
Spelt bran is a specialty bran for whole grain products. Storage and discharge are designed for its particle structure.
Tested in our lab
Rye bran
Rye bran is used in whole grain breads and fiber products. Mass-flow discharge supports clean stock rotation.
Tested in our lab
Barley bran
Barley bran is a fiber ingredient for food and feed. A closed silo protects it from moisture.
Tested in our lab
Rice bran
Rice bran contains natural oils and is sensitive to storage time. First-in, first-out discharge helps keep stock fresh.
Tested in our lab
Corn bran, maize bran
Corn bran is a fiber-rich by-product of corn milling. Silo and discharge are matched to its particle size.
Tested in our lab
Millet bran
Millet bran is a gluten-free fiber ingredient. Separate storage avoids mixing with wheat or rye bran.
Also tested in our lab:
These products are not on our tested list yet. Send us your material data and we will review the right solution with you:
Bran Check
Type in your bran 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 bran 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 bran in silos.
These bran types are on our list of bulk materials tested in our lab:
Pea fiber, soy hulls, cocoa shells, and psyllium husk are not on our tested list yet. We review them with you based on your material data.
Both. Aluminum and stainless steel silos are widely used for bran 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 bran. That is why we build silos exclusively in aluminum and stainless steel.
Bran particles are flat and fibrous. They interlock and compact into stable bridges above the outlet. Our PW StoreLine silos use concentric mass-flow discharge, and bin activators or PW SpeedBlow fluidization break up bridges and keep the outlet clear.
In mass flow, the entire silo content moves downward when material is discharged – not just a channel in the center. Your bran 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 bran 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.
Deliveries vary, and a silo filled in batches forms horizontal layers of different quality. PW BlendLine gravity blending silos homogenize the content so your production receives a consistent product. We offer four blending technologies; the right one depends on your bran and on whether you operate continuously or in batches.
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, and we will review the right storage and discharge 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 bran 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.
