Efficient Grain Facility Design & Operation By: Gregg Davidson, Owner DAVIDSON GRAIN SOLUTIONS (DGS)

1. PRESENTATION FOR North Dakota Grain Dealers Association 101st Annual Convention and Industry Show January 20-22, 2013 Fargo Holiday Inn Efficient Grain Facility Design & Operation By: Gregg Davidson, Owner DAVIDSON GRAIN SOLUTIONS (DGS)

2. Davidson grain solutions (dgs) • Troubleshooting • Plant Engineering • Master-Planning • Construction Management • Start-up & Training Maddock, ND ● Moorhead, MN ● Plymouth, MN

3. For me: • Offer up some new ideas and some proven reminders to: • Change/improve your existing facility successfully • Build a new addition or new facility • Operate your facility better and safer • Maintain your facility better and safer • For you: • Look for new ideas that you can incorporate back home • Reinforce old ideas that are proven • Think of a question or comment • Relax and enjoy the presentation followed by questions The GOAL today…

4. Step 1 - Conceptual Design • Step 2 - Front End Engineering Design • Step 3 - Detailed Design • Step 4 - Construction • Step 5 - Start-Up & Warranty • Step 6- Safety Devices, Operation, & Maintenance • Bucket Elevator Legs • Drag Conveyors • Belt Conveyors 6 steps to improve your facility

5. Process flow diagram (front gate thru exit gate) • Changes to existing flow or developing new flow • Crops handled and annual bushels per crop • Total annual bushels handled • Operating hours non-harvest and harvest • In-bound truck/rail weighing and sampling • Out-bound truck/rail weighing and sampling • Receiving system(s) truck/rail flow rate • Storage type and capacities • Grain temperature monitoring • Drying system flow rate/moisture reduction STEP 1 - Conceptual Design

6. In-house transfer flow rate • Rail load-out flow rate and allowed loading time w/0 penalty • Truck load out flow rate • Equipment by-pass/duplication options • Sanitation goals • Automation goals • Operator control room scheme • Special requirements for inspectors and required certifications • Other key business goals • Other key customer goals • Interference with existing operations • Future growth considerations • Cadillac or nice Chevrolet ($$$) • Potential concerns by neighbors and public Conceptual design – page 2

7. Site plan (outside front gate thru outside exit gate) • 3D for aerial perspective • 2D for details • Existing structures, roads, and landmarks • Off-site improvements (drainage, public roads, traffic flow) • Site grading and drainage • Utilities (electrical, gas, water, sewer, fire, communications) Conceptual Design – Page 3

8. Roads and parking (traffic flow, customers, employees, surfaces) • Emergency vehicle access • Structures • Railroad • Landscape areas • Low maintenance areas • Site security (lighting, gates & fence, guard shack, public locks) • Other key business and customer goals • Construction staging area • Interference with existing operations • Future growth considerations • Cadillac or nice Chevrolet ($$$) • Potential concerns by neighbors and public Conceptual design – page 4

9. Organizational chart • Show owners, designers, contractors, & subs • Show overall responsibilities for each • Show method of project delivery for each • Design – build • Design – bid - build • Consider shared document website for info sharing • Project schedule • Weather impact • Project budget • Weather impact Step 2 – front end engineering design

10. Permits • City • County • Watershed district • State • Federal • Railroad • Utilities (electrical, gas, water, sewer, fire, comm.) • Determine electrical classification for all areas Front end engineering design – page 2

11. Land ownership • Clear title • Easements • Site survey report • Existing topography, buildings, roads, and landmarks • Geotechnical report • Locate multiple soil borings directly under key areas • Estimated total soil settlement • Estimated differential soil settlement • Estimated water table during construction & operation • Determine geotech’s ability to perform material testing Front end engineering design – page 3

12. Operational safety • Explosion prevention and venting • Fall protection guarding • Running equipment guarding • Secondary egress • Others specific to the facility • Determine construction management needs • Evaluate internal skills, experience, and time available • Consider outside help for: • Conceptual and Front End Engineering Design • Bid package development • Over-sight of Construction, Start-Up, & Warranty Front end engineering design – page 4

13. Civil package • Site plan • Railroad plan • Structures and machinery package • Process flow diagram • General arrangements • Concrete structural • Steel structural • Miscellaneous • Equipment list • Electrical package • Controls package Step 3 – detailed design

14. Construction safety • Excavations • Fall protection • Ladders and scaffolding • Crane lifts • Electrocution • Personal protective equipment • Other hazards specific to the project Step 4 - construction

15. Construction contract • Format (design-build, build only) • Project schedule • Responsibility for final engineering • Construction safety • Responsibility for material testing and review • Insurance and bonding • Retainage • Liquidated damages • Start-up • What triggers final payment? • Warranty Construction – page 2

16. Owner mobilization • Pre-mobilization meeting (per organizational chart) • Construction staking • Temporary electrical service • Temporary water service (fire protection?) • Temporary communications • Contractor mobilization • Critical meetings and inspections • Daily, weekly, monthly • Progress photos • Final punch list (substantial completion) Construction – page 3

17. Operator training materials • Hard copies & electronic version of manuals • Operator training • Start-up plan to SAFELY meet phased goals • Process equipment • Process safety devices and instrumentation • Dust collection balancing • Building-related devices and instrumentation • Engineered silo/bin loading plan Step 5 – start-up & warranty

18. Final written acceptance by Owner • Contractor de-mobilization • As-built documentation • Hard copies & electronic version of as-built drawings & specs • Post-project de-briefing meeting • Problems and praises • Future maintenance and project needs • Potential reference and marketing testimony • Issue final payment • Warranty period (solve problems together) Start-up & warranty – page 2

19. Recommended safety devices • Speed monitor on boot shaft for alarm and shutdown • Belt alignment switch on each side of boot • Bearing temperature sensor on each side of boot • Belt alignment switch on each side of head • Bearing temperature sensor on each side of head • Plug switch at leg discharge • Guarding over all exposed shafts • Explosion panels Step 6 – Bucket elevator Legs

20. Operation • Install outside if possible • Maximum 650 feet per minute (fpm) belt speed = 7mph • Wear liner selection based on crops, bushels, & years • Spout feeding leg inlet plays huge role in filling cups • Height of leg inlet with respect to boot shaft is critical • Class II drive with backstop capable of starting leg under full load • Reduced voltage starter (soft start) capable of starting leg under full load Bucket elevator legs – page 2

21. Maintenance • Replace head pulley lagging if belt will not track or crown (1/8” per foot from edge to center of pulley) is gone • Belt replacement guideline based on 1.5% stretch • Example: 100 ft tall leg = 200 ft belt x 1.5% = 3 ft = 1.5 ft take up • Replace bearings based on frequent inspection • Watch/listen for changes Bucket elevator legs – page 3

22. Recommended safety devices • Speed monitor on tail shaft for alarm and shutdown • Slack/tight chain switch on tail • Plug switch at conveyor discharge • Guarding over all exposed shafts Step 6 – drag conveyors

23. Operation • 150 to 180 feet per minute (fpm) chain speed = 2 mph • Wear liner selection based on crops, bushels, & years • Class II drive capable of starting drag under full load • Reduced voltage starter (soft start) capable of starting drag under full load Drag conveyors – page 2

24. Maintenance • Replace bearings, sprockets, and chain based on frequent inspection • Watch/listen for changes Drag convey0rs – page 3

25. Recommended safety devices • Speed monitor on tail shaft for alarm and shutdown • Belt alignment switch on each side of tail • Bearing temperature sensor on each side of tail • Belt alignment switch on each side of head • Bearing temperature sensor on each side of head • Plug switch at conveyor discharge • Guarding over all exposed shafts Step 6 – belt conveyers

26. Operation • Maximum 700 feet per minute (fpm) belt speed = 7 mph • Wear liner selection based on crops, bushels, and years • Spout feeding the loader plays huge role in feeding belt • Class II drive capable of starting conveyor under full load • Reduced voltage starter (soft start) capable of starting conveyor under full load • Side wall inspection doors recommended Belt conveyers – page 2

27. Maintenance • Inspect tail section often for grain re-loading • Replace head pulley lagging if belt will not track • Belt replacement guideline based on 1.5% stretch • Replace bearings based on frequent inspection • Watch/listen for changes Belt convey0rs – page 3

28. Thank you and Go Bison! Questions? Comments? Efficient Grain Facility Design & Operation By: Gregg Davidson, Owner DAVIDSON GRAIN SOLUTIONS (DGS)