Two domes; two purposes — Smaller dome was designed as a warehouse for various bulk chemicals. Larger dome was designed as a blending plant and includes eight storage bins and state-of-the-art equipment for mixing various fertilizers.

Two domes; two purposes — Smaller dome was designed as a warehouse for various bulk chemicals. Larger dome was designed as a blending plant and includes eight storage bins and state-of-the-art equipment for mixing various fertilizers. (Michael South)

Two New Domes for El Dorado Chemical Company

David B. South and Freda Parker • Published • Monolithic Dome Bulk Storage

Finding El Dorado (The Golden)

In 1540 Francisco Coronado trudged from Mexico to Kansas looking for El Dorado, the legendary city of gold and jewels. Fifty years later Sir Walter Raleigh did the same in South America. And there were others. None succeeded!

If they had only come to Texas – Bryan, Texas, that is, where El Dorado Chemical Company now has two new Monolithic Domes.

The smaller dome, that has a 40-foot diameter, will warehouse various bagged chemicals. The larger dome has a 95-foot diameter, eight storage bins and state-of-the-art equipment for the blending of various fertilizers. A giant, metal, patio cover connects the two.

We do bulk storage plants!

Monolithic has a long history of building fertilizer blend facilities, both single- and multiple-use storages necessary in the operation of a blend plant.

We have been building them since the late 1970s. Here are some of the advantages of going Monolithic:

Virtually No Condensation – Because Monolithic Domes are super insulated, interior temperature changes are near zero. Therefore virtually no condensation forms against the dome’s surface, and that’s good because condensation can enter a pile and create highly corrosive materials that eat many storages.

Super Strong Concrete – Concrete used to construct the domes includes special additives. Those additives provide super strength and anticorrosive properties, that virtually eliminate corrosion caused by the fertilizer. Super-strong concrete also means less damage from loaders that ram into walls. At one of the plants Monolithic built, newly hired loader operators were restricted to the Monolithic Domes for their first year, so they could learn and practice and get good with the loaders before working in a wooden building.

Easy on the Loaders – Front-end loaders play a major role in the loading and unloading of fertilizers, but they can be hurt by a corrosive environment. A Monolithic Dome encloses a far less damaging atmosphere that doesn’t tend to eat loaders.

Efficient Design – A Monolithic Dome plant is arranged in a circle, that provides easy access to every bin. That circular design also facilitates short runs with loaders. This saves a lot of time when fertilizer must be extracted.

We’re here to help!

We would be happy to help you with a facility design. Please give us a chance to show you what we can do for your bulk storage or blend plant needs.

Site plan — El Dorado’s facility in Bryan, Texas includes two domes: one with a 40’ diameter and one with a 95’ diameter.

Site plan — El Dorado’s facility in Bryan, Texas includes two domes: one with a 40’ diameter and one with a 95’ diameter. (Larry Byrne)

Fully automated — State-of-the-art, stainless steel handling equipment was installed and assembled as soon as the bin walls were completed.

Fully automated — State-of-the-art, stainless steel handling equipment was installed and assembled as soon as the bin walls were completed. (Michael South)

Additives — Shotcrete used in the construction of Monolithic warehousing or blending plants contains an additive that prevents the chemicals from harming the concrete, thus providing durability.

Additives — Shotcrete used in the construction of Monolithic warehousing or blending plants contains an additive that prevents the chemicals from harming the concrete, thus providing durability. (Javier Figueroa)

Reinforcement — Extra reinforcement is required when building storages to be filled with materials such as fertilizer. But the rounded dome’s shape necessitates just half as much reinforcement as would be needed in a straight-wall system.

Reinforcement — Extra reinforcement is required when building storages to be filled with materials such as fertilizer. But the rounded dome’s shape necessitates just half as much reinforcement as would be needed in a straight-wall system. (Javier Figueroa)

Rebar placement — Installing rebar in a Monolithic blend plant is made easy using the Paxis scaffold.

Rebar placement — Installing rebar in a Monolithic blend plant is made easy using the Paxis scaffold. (Javier Figueroa)

Curved bin walls — Bin walls were built with single-side forms and sprayed with shotcrete. Technologically sophisticated curved walls provide super strength but require less concrete and rebar than standard straight walls.

Curved bin walls — Bin walls were built with single-side forms and sprayed with shotcrete. Technologically sophisticated curved walls provide super strength but require less concrete and rebar than standard straight walls. (Michael South)

Built for work — This dome was specifically engineered for holding and distributing fertilizer. Hangers on the dome’s top will support the whole system for bringing in the fertilizer. Walls are tied into the dome with a series of rebar “dowels” that extend from the dome, along both sides of the door. Bin walls will be 20’ tall.

Built for work — This dome was specifically engineered for holding and distributing fertilizer. Hangers on the dome’s top will support the whole system for bringing in the fertilizer. Walls are tied into the dome with a series of rebar “dowels” that extend from the dome, along both sides of the door. Bin walls will be 20’ tall. (Michael South)

Single-side forms — A single-side form system is much faster to build and needs less materials. In this innovative system, walls are formed with plywood, then sprayed with shotcrete to create an ultra-strong structure.

Single-side forms — A single-side form system is much faster to build and needs less materials. In this innovative system, walls are formed with plywood, then sprayed with shotcrete to create an ultra-strong structure. (Michael South)

Chemical safety — In just one day, fire destroyed El Dorado’s previous fertilizer facility. Their new, Monolithic Dome will withstand not only fire, but any other disaster mother nature might throw at it.

Chemical safety — In just one day, fire destroyed El Dorado’s previous fertilizer facility. Their new, Monolithic Dome will withstand not only fire, but any other disaster mother nature might throw at it. (Michael South)

Specialized equipment — At this grate rail cars and semi’s will deliver and dump the fertilizer.

Specialized equipment — At this grate rail cars and semi’s will deliver and dump the fertilizer. (Michael South)

Cutting-edge equipment — Bins will be accurately and efficiently filled with a rotating, distributing, belt delivery system.

Cutting-edge equipment — Bins will be accurately and efficiently filled with a rotating, distributing, belt delivery system. (Michael South)

Blending equipment — The mixer barrel is similar to that of a concrete truck. Material from various bins is loaded into the weigh hopper (on the right), then added to the mixer barrel, mixed and loaded onto a truck.

Blending equipment — The mixer barrel is similar to that of a concrete truck. Material from various bins is loaded into the weigh hopper (on the right), then added to the mixer barrel, mixed and loaded onto a truck. (Michael South)

Cat walk — This walkway and others were installed by Monolithic, giving the customer access to all vital parts of the equipment.

Cat walk — This walkway and others were installed by Monolithic, giving the customer access to all vital parts of the equipment. (Michael South)

A view of the back — Shown here is the completed facility from the rear. You can see the unloading can be done from the rail or trucks. Product can go back into trucks or into the building. To the left you can see the small dome and the canopy over the mixing facility.

A view of the back — Shown here is the completed facility from the rear. You can see the unloading can be done from the rail or trucks. Product can go back into trucks or into the building. To the left you can see the small dome and the canopy over the mixing facility. (Javier Figueroa)

Ready for action — In this picture we can see the inbound conveyor coming from the outside. We also see the rotating conveyor that unloads it directly into each bin and the catwalks to get back and forth. Under the conveyors are the bins and the front-end loader used to get the material out of the bins. Illustrated here is one bin that has the door open and obviously is being unloaded. The bin on the left is now full, the door is shut, but it can be unloaded by extracting the material from under the door until such time as the bin is unloaded and the door will be raised.

Ready for action — In this picture we can see the inbound conveyor coming from the outside. We also see the rotating conveyor that unloads it directly into each bin and the catwalks to get back and forth. Under the conveyors are the bins and the front-end loader used to get the material out of the bins. Illustrated here is one bin that has the door open and obviously is being unloaded. The bin on the left is now full, the door is shut, but it can be unloaded by extracting the material from under the door until such time as the bin is unloaded and the door will be raised. (Javier Figueroa)

Easy access — Shown immediately above the camera is the catwalk that allows those operators to walk back and forth from one side of the bin walls to the other. From that catwalk they can service the inbound conveyor as well as the rotating conveyor. Note: Those are all supported from the five legs hanging down from the ceiling.

Easy access — Shown immediately above the camera is the catwalk that allows those operators to walk back and forth from one side of the bin walls to the other. From that catwalk they can service the inbound conveyor as well as the rotating conveyor. Note: Those are all supported from the five legs hanging down from the ceiling. (Javier Figueroa)

Taken from the catwalk — Its showing the rear portion of the rotating conveyor. It also shows the rail. It’s hung from the dome that supports the far end of the rotating conveyor. You can see across the bin wall into the bins.

Taken from the catwalk — Its showing the rear portion of the rotating conveyor. It also shows the rail. It’s hung from the dome that supports the far end of the rotating conveyor. You can see across the bin wall into the bins. (Javier Figueroa)

Rotating carrier — Shows the rotating carrier for the rotating conveyor. It’s remote control can move the end from bin to bin as needed. You can also see more of the catwalk.

Rotating carrier — Shows the rotating carrier for the rotating conveyor. It’s remote control can move the end from bin to bin as needed. You can also see more of the catwalk. (Javier Figueroa)

Round it goes — What’s shown here is the carrier that rotates within the dome. It rides on the flanges of the I beam and is remote controlled. It carries the load by rotating and unloading the material into the proper bin.

Round it goes — What’s shown here is the carrier that rotates within the dome. It rides on the flanges of the I beam and is remote controlled. It carries the load by rotating and unloading the material into the proper bin. (Javier Figueroa)