Solutions · Rice Storage
Rice is a natural product that reacts to moisture and storage time – and many plants handle several varieties side by side. PW Silo Systems designs aluminum and stainless steel rice silos with mass-flow discharge, clear product separation, and blending.
Rice Storage at a Glance
A rice silo stores milled or processed rice close to production – for packaging, cooking, flour milling, or ready meals. It protects the rice from moisture, pests, and outside contamination and feeds it in a controlled way to the next process step.
Whole rice kernels are free-flowing, but moisture, storage time, and mixing of varieties affect quality. PW Silo Systems designs silo geometry, wall material, and discharge equipment around your rice and your process.
Why Rice Is Demanding
Rice quality, purity of variety, and safety depend on how the rice is stored. Every challenge below affects your end product.
Rice is a natural product. Moisture and long storage times affect its quality.
In funnel flow, rice can stay in the silo for a long time while fresh product passes through the center.
In coated carbon steel silos, flaking paint and steel particles can end up in the rice.
Rice 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.
Basmati, jasmine, sushi, and long-grain rice 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 rice silo depends on your product, your process, your cleaning requirements, and your site – we review it with you.
Your Rice 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 moreRice Varieties
Kernel length, shape, and moisture change how rice flows. All rice products below are on our list of bulk materials tested in our lab.
Tested in our lab
Basmati rice
Basmati is a long, slender aromatic rice. A dedicated silo keeps it apart from other varieties and protects its quality.
Tested in our lab
Jasmine rice, Thai fragrant rice
Jasmine rice is an aromatic long-grain rice. Closed storage and first-in, first-out discharge help keep it fresh.
Tested in our lab
Long-grain rice
Long-grain rice is the most common rice for food service and ready meals. Silo and discharge are designed for the kernel length.
Tested in our lab
Sushi rice, short-grain rice
Sushi rice is a short-grain rice for Japanese cuisine. Separate storage avoids mixing with long-grain varieties.
Tested in our lab
Black rice, forbidden rice
Black rice is a specialty rice with a dark bran layer. A dedicated silo prevents color contamination of other products.
Tested in our lab
Short-grain rice, round-grain rice, pudding rice
Short-grain rice is used for desserts, risotto-style dishes, and rice pudding. Storage is matched to its round kernel shape.
Also tested in our lab:
These rice products are commonly stored in silos but are not on our tested list yet. Send us your material data and we will review the right solution with you:
Rice Check
Type in your rice 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 rice 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 rice in silos.
These rice products are on our list of bulk materials tested in our lab:
Parboiled, brown, wild, red, and glutinous rice 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 rice 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 rice. That is why we build silos exclusively in aluminum and stainless steel.
We recommend a dedicated silo per variety – or PW StoreLine multi-compartment silos that keep several products separate in one silo. That avoids accidental mixing of basmati, jasmine, or specialty rice.
In mass flow, the entire silo content moves downward when material is discharged – not just a channel in the center. Your rice 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 rice 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 rice 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 rice 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.
