Low Bulk Density & Bridging
Light, fibrous tobacco interlocks and forms stable bridges above the outlet.
- Our solution
- Silo geometry designed with you plus discharge aids such as bin activators.
- Your benefit
- Reliable discharge into processing.
Solutions · Tobacco Storage
Tobacco is light, fibrous, and dusty – a bulk material that bridges easily and needs reliable dust collection. PW Silo Systems designs aluminum and stainless steel silos with discharge aids and filtration for tobacco processing.
Tobacco Storage at a Glance
A tobacco silo stores tobacco leaves, cut tobacco, tobacco dust, or extracts in tobacco processing. It protects the material from contamination and feeds it in a controlled way to the next process step.
Tobacco has a low bulk density and fibrous structure that tends to bridge, and processing releases fine dust. PW Silo Systems designs silo geometry, discharge aids, and dust collection around your tobacco product.
Why Tobacco Is Demanding
Tobacco flows unlike most granular bulk materials. Every challenge below affects uptime and product quality.
Light, fibrous tobacco interlocks and forms stable bridges above the outlet.
Fine tobacco dust is combustible. Filling and conveying release dust into the silo and its surroundings.
Tobacco reacts to moisture – its handling properties change with humidity.
In coated carbon steel silos, flaking paint and steel particles can end up in the tobacco.
In funnel flow, tobacco can stay in the silo for a long time while fresh product passes through the center.
Different grades, cuts, and blend components must not be mixed by accident.
Silo Materials
Aluminum and stainless steel 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 tobacco silo depends on your product, your process, and your site – we review it with you.
Your Tobacco 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 moreTobacco Products
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
Tobacco leaves, dried tobacco leaves
Tobacco leaves are on our list of bulk materials tested in our lab. Silo geometry and discharge aids are planned for light, fibrous material.
Tested in our lab
Tobacco, cut tobacco
Tobacco is on our tested list. We design the silo around the form you store.
Tested in our lab
Tobacco dust, tobacco fines
Tobacco dust is on our tested list. Explosion protection and dust collection are planned with you.
Tested in our lab
Tobacco extracts
Tobacco extracts are on our tested list. The form of the extract decides the storage solution – we review it with you.
Review with us
Tobacco stems, cut stems
Stems are coarser and denser than leaf tobacco. We review your product data with you.
Review with us
Reconstituted tobacco, tobacco sheet
Reconstituted tobacco behaves differently from leaf tobacco. 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 tobacco 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 tobacco 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 tobacco in silos.
These tobacco products are on our list of bulk materials tested in our lab:
Stems, reconstituted tobacco, and other tobacco products we review with you based on your material data.
Both are possible. Aluminum and stainless steel offer high corrosion resistance, good hygiene, and a long service life. Which material fits depends on your product, your process, 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 tobacco. That is why we build silos exclusively in aluminum and stainless steel.
Light, fibrous tobacco interlocks above the outlet. We design silo geometry with you and add discharge aids such as bin activators to keep the product moving.
Fine tobacco 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.
In mass flow, the entire silo content moves downward when material is discharged – not just a channel in the center. Your tobacco 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.
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 tobacco 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.