Hi everyone. I dont know if you can help me here. The company i pull for has just signed a contract to pull cement(?) powder tanks like below. I just want to know how they work. I have used tipping tank trailers but never types like this. the trailers we have been given to use are EXACTLY the same as this one (in pic) so has a donkey engine(?) fitted to the front.
Any help would be great
Thanks
Andrew
Here is the type of trailer i will be pulling.
The basic principle is that you compress air into the tank (using the donkry engine/compressor) then when you get the tank upto pressure, you can release the product.
With a non-tip tank like this there are compartments called pots. This one has three and you have to empty each one, one by one. This is done by opening a valve and with the pressure in the tank the product comes out. Also at the same time there is another valve from the compressor which enables you to blow air up the line to which the product is comming out. This helps get product up the line into the silo.
That is the very basic principle, however there is alot to learn with pressure tankers. They can be very dangerous and cause alot of damage when things go wrong. Getting the product blocked, and having to blow it back. Blowing the lids on silos is a common one. Also blowing the product all over the place because the lines are not connected correctly.
Best to have all the training and spend two/three weeks with an old hand to learn the ropes.
Hope that helps abit
Phil
We have got a man from the company we ar subbing too coming round to see us but i just wanted to see what was involved. Thanks Spacemonkeypg. I have noticed that some of these tanks dont have the donkey engine, so how do these work? I am looking forward too it now.
Thanks
The basic principal is the same as with a tipping tank, i.e pressure the tank, open the disintgration valve, open the product valve and use the boost to get it going… Best way to describe it is you have 2 perminatly tipped tanks in 1 (1 front, 1 back) and there is a set of valves for each one, along with an extra boost valve at the back.
The product valves are either manual (a big lever inline withe the bottom of each pot), or aa air opperated pinch valve (2 switches either half way down the tank or at the back).
As for the donkey, just start it up, then on some you have to flick a switch to engage the blower, but on others you just turn the key and leave it to it. If the tank hasn’t got a donkey you need a blower on the truck which is run off the PTO.
One major thing to watch is the ground you are going onto, as the ground clearance is rubbish, and any damage can be very expensive. Also depending on who you are pulling for you may only be able to get ontop of the tank to do anything if you are under a gantry, not using the tank ladder, this is especially Tarmac, Blue Circle, and Rugby. Instant ban if you do.
Hope this helps
yes normaly if they dont have a donkey engine there is a blower on the unit via PTO. Ground clearance on non-tip tanks like that are important things like speed ramps rip off all the pipework and is a real ball ache.
With tipping ones it is somewhat the same, the tank raises in the air like a bulk tipper you raise the tank inline with the product comming off. So at the end you have an empty tank high in the air.
I worked for exel on rank hovis and we where not allowed ontop of the tanks or instant dissmissal. So when you load up make sure that all the hatches are secure or you will not get pressure, worst still you get the product all over the place.
There is alot to learn with them and each product blows out differently. Flour, cement, plastic and whatever else all behave differently. But i would strongly suggest not using one untill you are 200% sure you know what you are doing. When i worked for exel we where not allowed to use them untill we had cmpleted three months training with another experienced driver.
Thanks guys. The company i pull for will be having people from our new contract coming with us. I am looking forward to it as it will be nice to have someone to talk too. Thanks for all the advice. I know the tanks have donkey engines on them as non of our units are blowers.
I have got a question for you (like i say, i will be shown but i am just interested). How, if you cant go on top, do you load them? is it the opposite to unloading (e.g the trailer ■■■■■ in)? Why do you get in trouble for going ‘up top’?
Thanks.
Andy
To load up you pull under the loading sock inline with the lid on the tank, then there will be a gantry system which you use to gain access to the top of the tank to load up.
What we mean is that unless you are under this or some other gantry with safety rails around it, then you are not allowed on top of the tank. Each plant you load at should tell you their rules and regs anyway.
It’s just the health and safety regs for each company that differ, mainly because of the risk of falling off the top as most tanks only have a hand rail on one side, and as this is only aluminium it won’t hold you if you fall into it. It’s just there to use to steady yourself.
Top tip (which I found out about the hard way!! 
) - carry a welders hammer with you (the type with a handle that looks like a spring and the head has a pointed end). Very useful bit of it when you get to a customers silo and find that it is a bit too clogged to make an airtight seal with the flexi-pipe. 
I only did cement and guess that doesn’t apply to flour etc, but of all the little ‘tips’ that was probably the most valuable one I received. BTW, don’t use any other type of hammer - you’ll do more harm than good.
Thanks guys. This is all helping. I will ‘‘borrow’’ a welders hammer from somewhere before i start. I wounder if i will be doing it all the time as my new unit is white and the fleet colours are blue and silver. The trailers i have seen in the yard were also whate, but they have now been taken away to be painted up (as they (2) were brand new buy the looks of them).
Andy
marcustandy:
Top tip (which I found out about the hard way!!I only did cement and guess that doesn’t apply to flour etc, but of all the little ‘tips’ that was probably the most valuable one I received. BTW, don’t use any other type of hammer - you’ll do more harm than good.
It does. And sugar too.
i too now work on tankers but with sugar …the principle is the same…my trailer has a donkey engine…and once started automatically puts air into the tank…but …i must make sure that the valve to the tank is open…before starting the engine…i then have to raise the tank 2.5 rams (5 in all)…and once thats ready i then open the air to the product a bit…then i open the product valve a quarter…then increase the air…i also control the air to the shaker…which improves the flow into the main pipe…but as i said the principle is the same, and its important to always have an escape for the air going into the tank…most points have been covered by others above…its also very good your getting a trainer…good luck
yes normaly if they dont have a donkey engine there is a blower on the unit via PTO.
Wondered what that was, i followed a unit once with what looked like a pump of some sort hung behind the back wheel.
I will ‘‘borrow’’ a welders hammer from somewhere
They’re called a ‘chipping’ hammer or ‘scale’ hammer. They’re only about £3 to buy.
Thanks guys. Cant wait now. Do you want me to let you know how i get on? Been a great help. This site and the people on it are a valuable tool.
dennisw1:
They’re only about £3 to buy.
Buy? Whats that mean 
Will keep a eye out for them.
Andy
THATS MY TRUCK
well, I drive it once every couple of weeks anyway 
and it’s the latest into the new cemex colours.
If your on a blue and silver rig, I guess it’s either Civil and Marine or CRW maybe…
OK, you shouldn’t get sent anywhere on your own without training - we have to have at least 2 weeks on the job with another driver before a full test with someone from the training dept before we can go out on our own. The training will explain everything you need to know, problem is not every tank is the same, controls will be in different places etc but you can tell a lot just by listening to the noises from the tank to give you a clue whats going on. It all comes with experience of actually doing the job.
They are very simple to use once you have been shown properly - much easier than pulling curtains open and shut all day
A lot of batching plant sites can be very busy during the day with mixers going in and out, a lot of sites are often tight for space and not always artic friendly. Block plants are the opposite, often good access but just watch out for the forklifts whizzing about.
Above all BE SAFE, wear your PPE and remember that tank is under a great deal of stress and they have been known to explode - usually a result of previous damage to the sides of the tank. If there is damage on the tank you get then tell someone before you take it and ask if it’s been pressure tested since it was damaged. Check your pipes and clips before leaving the yard - nowt worse than getting to site with knackered kit.
Any ongoing questions or tips just give me a shout and I’ll help if I can.
Is it true ‘rugby’ drivers have odd shaped balls?
map-man:
:!:well, I drive it once every couple of weeks anyway
Small world. Do Rugby Cement have any new trucks (06) yet, or even better new Premiums?
map-man:
OK, you shouldn’t get sent anywhere on your own without training - we have to have at least 2 weeks on the job with another driver before a full test with someone from the training dept before we can go out on our own. The training will explain everything you need to know, problem is not every tank is the same, controls will be in different places etc but you can tell a lot just by listening to the noises from the tank to give you a clue whats going on. It all comes with experience of actually doing the job.
The company we are subbing too is paying for us to have instructors in the cab with me (i drive they tell me about what to do). Dont know about a final exam. Not sure whats happening. I’ll ask my boss.
map-man:
They are very simple to use once you have been shown properly - much easier than pulling curtains open and shut all day
Hope so 
map-man:
A lot of batching plant sites can be very busy during the day with mixers going in and out, a lot of sites are often tight for space and not always artic friendly. Block plants are the opposite, often good access but just watch out for the forklifts whizzing about.
Thanks for the tip. What sort of work do you do in a day (collection, deliverys etc)? Only out of interest.
map-man:
Above all BE SAFE, wear your PPE and remember that tank is under a great deal of stress and they have been known to explode - usually a result of previous damage to the sides of the tank. If there is damage on the tank you get then tell someone before you take it and ask if it’s been pressure tested since it was damaged. Check your pipes and clips before leaving the yard - nowt worse than getting to site with knackered kit.
PPE is all being supplied and i always wear it. We have one driver who wears sneekers instead of steel toe caps without the boss knowing. But he will learn soon why we all wear them.
map-man:
Any ongoing questions or tips just give me a shout and I’ll help if I can.
Thanks. Its greatly appreciated.
Geezah21:
Small world. Do Rugby Cement have any new trucks (06) yet, or even better new Premiums?
We’ve had some new 06 FM i-shift volvo’s appear in the yard but I believe they have the new digital tacho’s in and we only got the forms to fill in last week 
I understand all our Renaults are being replaced over the next few months with MAN’s and DAF’s. A lot of the tanks are being overhauled as well, the donkey engines are being taken off as the new tractors will have PTO blowers on them.
Geezah21:
The company we are subbing too is paying for us to have instructors in the cab with me (i drive they tell me about what to do). Dont know about a final exam. Not sure whats happening. I’ll ask my boss.
you may not have a test as such - it’ll be specific to the company proceedure, we are retested and have a D+E course(SAFED style) every 6 months or so and have a licence to show we are ‘capable’ to do the job.
Geezah21:
What sort of work do you do in a day (collection, deliverys etc)? Only out of interest.
well, I work nights 
which generally means we get it easy, normally 1 delivery per night sometimes 2 but the second will be local. sometimes it can be 11-12 hours, other nights i can be done in 7hrs - the day shift get 2 maybe 3 but can run longer hours under the WTD.
I enjoy it, we have regular drops so I don’t need a map at all now yet there is enough variation to not get bored with the same run every night
whats happening about the new paint job
pressure in product out
Map Man isn’t lying when he says that he’s got it easy on the night shift !!! Good job tho, you should enjoy it once you know what your doing, but dont listen to the drivers that try to show you all the short cuts when discharching (this WILL happen) as it’s taking big saftey risks just to save yourself 5 or 10 mins at the drop.These tanks can and do expolde in the wrong hands !!! Apart from that mate it is the easiest job ive ever had, no queing,no stress and no attidude from forkies / office hitlers, but most of all…no rdc’s 