Buitink Technology has designed and developed the innovative ZILOO® in order to facilitate working in enclosed spaces while attached to safety lines or otherwise suspended, and to reduce physical fatigue. A patent for the ZILOO® has now been applied for.

The ZILOO® is an inflatable, telescopic tube that enables you to move and position yourself while suspended in a silo; for example, during inspection, repair and cleaning work.

In addition to silo inspection and cleaning, the ZILOO® is also excellently suited for use when inspecting other enclosed spaces such as wind turbines and rotor blades.

Why use the ZILOO®?

The work of inspecting and cleaning silos is very heavy and physically demanding, so few people are capable of it. While freely suspended in a space, one has to somehow move around in order to clean the entire wall surface. It's for that reason that we developed the ZILOO®.

Cleaning a silo: extremely heavy and physically demanding work. To reach every point, the operative has to push off hard and swing violently back and forth.

Operation of the ZILOO®

The operation of the ZILOO® is very simple and can be explained in terms of a number of steps.

As an example, we will take a ZILOO® with a starting length of 3 metres and a maximum final length of 3.3 metres (and a diameter of 40 cm). In this example, the ZILOO® is used in a silo with an interior diameter of 3.25 metres (this interior diameter must always be less than or equal to the final length of the ZILOO®, and always bigger than the starting length).

Step1 | introducing the ZILOO®
The ZILOO® is introduced into the silo through a manhole as a small, folded pack (on a line). This pack is very light and compact. A ZILOO® that is 3/3.3 metres long and 40 cm in diameter when deployed measures only 65 x 35 x 35 cm when folded, and weighs no more than 10 kg. The ZILOO® can be connected with a hose to a compressed air source (such as a compressor) that is deployed outside the silo.

Step2 | filling the ZILOO® with air
When the ZILOO®, together with the operative, is at the correct height within the silo, the tool can be pressurised with air. To do this, you only need to press button 1 on the supplied compressed air control box. The ZILOO® is now brought to precisely the right overpressure, so that the tube extends to 3 metres and becomes rigid (and is thus very easy to manoeuvre into the correct position) but does not yet attain its maximum final length of 3.3 metres.

Step 3 | raising internal pressure
When the ZILOO® is at the correct position in the silo, you can press button 2. The internal pressure in the ZILOO® is raised so that the tube steadily increases in length telescopically and clamps itself lightly against the silo wall. The ZILOO® is now fixed in position and will no longer move.

Step 4 | raising internal pressure to about 600 mbar
After step 3 (you can also proceed immediately to this step after step 2), you can press button 3. The pressure is now raised still further to about 600 mbar. This increases the vertical clamping force of the ZILOO® to about 450 kg (assuming a dry wall). The ZILOO® is now ready for use. The operative can now use this for support (or even sit on it) and, with the aid of the handholds and gripping points installed along the ZILOO®, move from one side of the silo to the other.

Step 5 | repositioning the ZILOO®
To move the tool again to a different position within the silo, just press button 1. The pressure will now drop, and the ZILOO® will shorten from 3.25 metres to 3 metres. The tool can now be moved to a different position or height, after which one can press button 2 (or go straight to button 3).

Step 6 | deflating
After use, you can deflate the ZILOO®, roll it up, and lift it out of the silo through the manhole.

Advantages of the ZILOO®

1. Compact: The ZILOO® is extremely compact: a tool measuring 40 cm in diameter with a length of 3.3 metres folds/rolls up into a pack of only 65 x 35 x 35 cm.

2. Ultra-light in weight: A ZILOO® is very light. A complete ZILOO®, with a diameter of 40 cm and a length of 3.3 metres, weighs no more than 10 kg.

3. No hard or sharp edges: A ZILOO® is an inflatable product, made of flexible materials, and has no hard or sharp edges that might damage a silo wall.

4. Reduced physical effort: The ZILOO® reduces physical effort while working in a silo or other enclosed space.

Design and possibilities

The ZILOO® is supplied with a compressed air connection point and control console so that the correct pressure can be set at the push of a button.

The ZILOO® is also optionally available in an anti-static version.

Bespoke work is always possible, but we offer the following dimensions and clamping force as standard:

Table 1

Examples of clamping force (in kg) in final position, exerted by both ends against the silo wall. This is the vertical load capacity of the tool, assuming a clean, smooth silo wall.

Table 2

Standard sizes that are available. Different sizes are also available on request! The minimum length is the tube's initial length. The length can be increased steadily and telescopically until maximum length is attained. An 'x' is shown in the table when the relevant length in the indicated diameter is available as standard.

Air and pressure control ZILOO®

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