Grain Journal - January/February 2009 - (Page 88) CASE STUDY Hopper Tank Rescue LIBERTY RESCUE TUBE INSTRUMENTAL IN SAVING MAN ENGULFED IN CORN On Sept. 9, 2008, Tank No. 24 at Topflight Grain Co. in Monticello, IL contained less than 500 bushels of corn. But that was more than enough to engulf Elevator Superintendent Chris Frye and nearly end his life. According to Merchandiser Derrick Bruhn, who was part of the rescue team that entered the tank to rescue Frye, part of what made such a Chris Frye (left), operations manager, and Derrick Bruhn, merchandiser, at Topflight Grain Co. in Monticello, IL are shown with a Liberty rescue tube similar to one used to rescue Frye from a grain engulfment in September 2008. Photos by Ed Zdrojewski. small amount of grain so potentially deadly was the configuration of the tank. Tank No. 24 is in one of the oldest sections of a slipform concrete “12pack” of tanks at the 1.65-millionbushel, in-town elevator. It stands approximately 24 feet in diameter and 110 feet tall, holding a little over 25,000 bushels of grain when full. This tank has a steeply sloped, concrete partial hopper that funnels grain into a side drawoff that is designed to ease the flow of grain onto a reclaim conveyor. This hopper bottom ensures that a small amount of grain will pile up deeply. Response No. 881 Response No. 882 88 GJ J/F http://www.smadesignbuild.com http://www.compressedairsystems.com http://www.smadesignbuild.com
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