Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/282830
EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT 23 AGGREGATES MANAGER April 2014 hydrocyclone. e water siphon provides the li velocity that sends the fi nes and water to the overfl ow. e vertical footprint caused by the overfl ow pipe and the requirement to break to atmosphere can cause installation issues. Since the overfl ow pipe is controlled length, it is required that it be allowed to break to atmosphere to prevent excessive siphon force from being formed. is is usually accomplished by having the overfl ow pipe discharge into a receiving box, which will drain into the required pipeline. e feed percent solids by weight limitation can also be seen as a disadvantage. Cyclones operating with the water siphon method work best between 0 to 25 percent solids (by weight). New feed into the cyclone above the 25-per- cent limit will decrease classifying sharpness. An additional disadvantage to this method is the increased initial price due to the added components. is method is ideally suited for creating large stockpiles, feeding various classifi ers, a rition cells, or any process equipment that will be adversely eff ected by excessive or fl uctuating water content. e percent of solids by volume range is increased to 54 to 58 percent. Cyclones can be mounted to radial stackers or other structures to increase the capacity of the stockpile. Material can be loaded into a truck within 24 to 48 hours if the stockpile has adequate drainage for the remaining water. It is not recommended to have the under- fl ow report directly to conveyor belt due to housekeeping issues caused during start-up and shut-down. Summary e roped discharge method is a quick-and-dirty approach to de- watering material without the need for sharp classifi cation. As long as there is enough material to choke at the spigot, it will continue to produce a dewatered underfl ow. It has the advantage of a lower initial price, but may have a higher maintenance cost. With the water siphon method, dewatering can occur with a number of advantages such as sharp classifi cation and the ability to accommodate feed fl uctuations within an acceptable operational range. It also provides a consistent underfl ow density. e tradeoff is the cost of the additional accessories and the larger installation footprint, when compared directly to a traditional cyclone. A lower maintenance cost will off set the initial price diff erence. AM Alan Benne s is the process application manager for Gallatin, Tenn.-based Weir Minerals Linatex. No more sludge Reclaim water Reclaim waste back to the land Pressed for Water? Pressed for Space? AZFAB's Plate & Frame Press is the Answer! 866.616.9351 www.azfab.com 7H[W,1)2WRRUYLVLWZZZDJJPDQFRPLQIR