High-pressure Washing

W.S. Tyler Haver Hydro-Clean system removes contamination using up to 75% less water than standard washing equipment

The Haver Hydro-Clean washing unit from Ontario-based W.S. Tyler, a wholly owned subsidiary of the German-based Haver Screening Group, is designed to effectively clean deleterious material from aggregates and industrial minerals while reducing water consumption by up to 75% and energy costs by up to 15%, compared with traditional log-washers.

Taking feed material up to 150mm in size, the Hydro-Clean employs high-pressure nozzles that rotate at 90 rev/min to spray up to 90% recycled water on to the material at high pressure. The unit removes silt and clay particles as small as 63 microns from mineral mixtures and, with its short retention times, can process up to 400 tonnes/h, depending on model size and application.

Thanks to its compact size and weight, overall operating and structural costs are said to be considerably lower than with traditional washing systems – which require more equipment and a larger footprint. A traditional washing system can, for example, require up to three screens together with a log-washer or screw. With a Hydro-Clean unit, the quarry operator only needs an additional wash screen for the Hydro-Clean’s discharged material.

The Hydro-Clean is particularly well suited for use with clay-heavy material deposits. The dirty material is fed, via a hopper, into a vertical washing drum where high-pressure nozzles mounted at the top rotate and spray the material with water. The water streams spread and wash the material at pressures of up to 200 bar, effectively interacting with the material to break up agglomerates and clean the particles of stubborn material.

The turbulence in the drum creates additional scrubbing and abrasive forces that enhance the cleaning process as the material travels down the drum cylinder. Moreover, because high-pressure streams of water are injected into areas of the rock (holes, cracks etc) that are difficult to reach with traditional cleaning methods, such as log-washers or screws, the end result is a cleaner product with greater sales value. More and more operators are said to be using the Hydro-Clean system to turn material that was once dirty waste into revenue.

During the cleaning process, the washed material works its way down the drum and exits on to a discharge conveyor that leads to a standard wash screen, which removes any remaining dirt or clay still on the stone as it fractionates the material. The resulting dirty water flows through polyurethane screen mesh installed in the sides of the washing drum and is collected by a waste water pipe, which sends it to a treatment system for additional fine screening.

According to W.S Tyler, the Hydro-Clean unit consumes relatively little water and power. Water consumption ranges from 27 to 211 gal/min, depending on application and model size, compared with log-washers that can require up to 800 gal/min of water. Power requirements for the Hydro-Clean are no higher than 300hp (225kW) on the largest model. In addition, compared with conventional systems, the Hydro-Clean experiences little wear and features a maintenance-friendly design that allows for easy exchange of the few standard components that are subject to wear. The system is available in four model sizes that produce from 20 to 400 tonnes/h, depending on the application.

The distance between the washing rotor and the material bed in the Hydro-Clean is variable and allows the system to adapt to various material types. Level sensors located at the material feed inlet provide exact data to the PLC control unit, ensuring a consistent material flow into the system.

For more information visit: www.wstyler.ca