SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR BULK MATERIAL STORAGE AND/OR TRANSPORT
Bulk material storage units that can be placed on flatbeds that can be hauled in various manners, including rail cars or trucks, to the destination and removed from the flatbed for temporary storage at the destination, freeing the transportation mode, e.g., rail cars or trucks, to be used elsewhere. Embodiments of the bulk material storage unit of the present invention replace rail hopper cars or truck trailers to hold the bulk material during transportation as well as provide temporary storage at the desired location, e.g., the origin or destination, without tying up transportation resources.
1 . A method for filling a container with particulates comprising the steps of:
positioning the container proximate a bulk material storage facility to enable transfer of the stored bulk material into the container, the container being moveable via a transportation mode or a transfer component;
pouring a plurality of particulates into a container, the particulates being grains of proppant, through at least one opening of the container, the at least one opening being arranged at a top of the container, said pouring step forming a flow of particulates into the container and along a tapered portion positioned at a bottom of the container;
transporting the filled container to a desired destination via the transportation mode or the transfer component; and
unloading the filled container from the transportation mode at the desired destination, the filled container being lifted by a forklift via engagement of the transfer component at the desired destination.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the particulates comprise sand used as fracking proppant.
3 . The method of claim 1 , comprising temporarily storing the filled containers at the desired location until the particulates are needed.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the transportation mode is a rail car, further comprising:
positioning the container below a silo when the container is on the rail car, the rail car being directed toward the silo via a rail; and
emptying at least a portion of the particulates from the silo into the container through the at least one opening.
5 . The method of claim 1 , comprising stacking a plurality of containers at the desired location, each container of the plurality of containers having a frame component that enables a first container of the plurality of contains to stack on top of a second container of the plurality of containers, the first container of the plurality of containers being supported by the frame component of the second container of the plurality of containers.