Move the Processing Plant Indoors

By David B. South

Consider the benefits of locating a complete industrial plant inside an affordable climate controlled dome. In the past, large clear span buildings were too expensive to feasibly build, enclose, and maintain a complete plant. The Crenosphere changes everything.

It can be built for substantially less money than any other large clear span structure. It has a much, MUCH longer lifetime — several centuries. It can be built up to 18 acres (70,000 square meters) of column free clear span building measuring up to 330 feet (100 m) in height.

Inside the Crenosphere, an entire industrial complex can be built including personnel, administration, bulk storage, bulk processing, waste management, and all support equipment. No internal structures are needed for building support, only what is needed to separate processes within the building. The Crenosphere is strong enough for support of conveyors and equipment from itself.

Weather problems disappear within the Crenosphere, which is strong enough to resist nearly any disaster. The outside world is shut out. Sounds, smells, rain, snow, wind, dust are virtually eliminated. The entire plant is safe from high winds, hurricanes, torrential rains, and other problems.

The inside is its own world. Particles, emissions, chemicals, and sounds are contained and can be processed. This makes it possible to have a “dirty processing” facility within a pristine area. Populous areas are not effected by operations within the plant (in the dome). Spills can be contained. Air can be cleaned. Smells cans be neutralized. There will be no winds or rain to foul up operations.

The key to all this is a permanent, clear span building able to provide a safe secure environment at a reasonable cost.

The Crenosphere is a big brother to the Monolithic Dome. The Monolithic Dome is a proven, thin-shell, concrete structure used for twenty years in bulk storage. The Crenosphere technology has been designed and patent is pending by David South, President of Monolithic Constructors, Inc.

It is constructed by inflating a cable restrained Airform, then going on the inside and making the dome solid. This solidification process starts with a layer of polyurethane foam, then reinforcing steel is placed and Shotcrete is then applied. The Shotcrete is applied according to a pre-engineered design to create a ribbed, thin shell structure.

The Crenosphere is for very large domes — diameters from 300 feet to 1000 feet. Normally, the Crenosphere will be built a fourth to a third as high as it is wide. Complete plants can be located inside thus protecting them from the weather.

A Crenosphere could store more than a million metric tons of coal or other bulk material. Consider a Crenosphere, 490 feet (150 m) in diameter and 165 feet (50 m) in height. Utilizing conventional stacker / reclaimer equipment, this building could contain more than 300 thousand tons of coal. A 650 foot (200 m) diameter Crenosphere, 218 feet (67 m) tall would store up to 1 million tons.

In addition to being useful for super large bulk storage buildings, these also make excellent manufacturing facilities and sports facilities. Current planned projects include a totally enclosed ski mountain.

Prices for the Crenospheres will range from $37 to $70 per square foot ($400 to $750 per square meter) depending on size.

177 Dome Park Place - Italy, TX 76651
Tel (972)483-7423 - Fax (972)483-6662
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