by Adam Daunt
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The sand-washing range from Precisionscreen is made for Australian conditions with options for all types of operators and contractors.
Demand for natural or manufactured sand is rising in the Australian market, so having the right equipment is essential.
Precisionscreen has developed its sand-washing equipment range over several years to ensure it could help the smallest of sand producers to the larger players in the sector.
Jonny McMurtry, chief operating officer at Precisionscreen, told Quarry he believed there would likely be continual strong demand for the material.
“There has been an increase in demand for sand washing equipment as I think there is increased demand for washed sand in the market,” he said.
“As the volume of infrastructure continues to be there and climb, the requirement for sand isn’t going to go away.”
The market for washed sand and manufactured sand is becoming more diverse as quarries explore how they can use the material to either expand their offering to the market or add new revenue streams.
Original equipment manufacturers like Brisbane-based Precisionscreen have developed a wide range of sand-washing equipment to suit specific applications and help customers take advantage of the growing demand. In one case, Precisionscreen worked with Victorian-based construction materials supplier site to create a sand-washing solution for their manufactured sand application. The company has employed the use of a sand screw from Precisionscreen to create a manufactured sand using washed crusher dust.
“Our sand washing equipment has been developed over a number of years and we offer different machines for different applications or customer price ranges or throughputs,” McMurtry said.
Precisionscreen has built out its range of sand washing equipment to provide solutions for customers from the first stage of washing to the final stage. The company manufactures all its sand washing equipment at its headquarters in Wacol, Brisbane which gives it the distinction of being Australian made.
The company’s adaptable wash kits have a range of customisable features to tailor the kit to the customer’s specific application. The Precisionscreen wash kit can range from single deck to two or three-deck kits which are built on the screen box.
Each deck has multiple spray bars with several spray nozzles to rinse the product being processed.
Operators can finely control the individual gate valves to each bar which provides enhanced control and excellent washing coverage.
“The wash kits as part of our screen boxes are probably the first step for sand washing,” McMurtry said.
“We sold quite a few of those this year, predominantly for sand washing but even washing pebbles or rinsing different products to remove dust has been in demand.”
Precisionscreen Sandscrew has also been in demand from customers across Australia due to its versatility. It can work alongside Precisionscreen’s wash kits or other wash plants to help dewater and classify sand products.
The sand screw has a hydraulic drive and features a mobile-wheeled axle as well as an adjustable overflow weir. The Sandscrew can be operated off the Precisionscreen’s screening plant powerpack.
The spiral screw helps separate heavier particles as they sink to the bottom of the trough after being dragged through the trough by the spiral screw. Dewatering occurs throughout the trough until the finished product is discharged via a chute.
“Our Sandscrews have been quite a hit just due to the adaptability. It can work with existing screening plants or existing applications if needs be. We’re one of the few manufacturers that makes our sand screws semi-mobile so it can couple up with existing systems if needed,” McMurtry said.
“The sand screw is probably on the lower end with throughput and cleanliness of sand but it has performed very well [in creating] a manufactured sand where it is quite suitable and economical for that type of application.”
Precisionscreen has also created a modular sand washing plant which combines a galvanised 10×5 two-deck wash screen with a SRD180 bucket wheel dewaterer and a fines recovery pod to create a one-stop solution for sand producers.
It allows operators to create up to three different sand fractions and accept material from a dry screening process via conveyor belt or cyclone mounted above the screen. The SRD180 bucket wheel dewaterer collects sand particles from slurry materials in a wet screening process with its primary responsibility being to pick up heavier particles of sand as they sink to the bottom of the tank. It can manufacture coarse and fine grade sands simultaneously. It features a submerged back screw which helps float off unwanted silts while its large water overflow area and polyurethane bucket inserts provide a sizeable dewatering capacity.
The FRP has a 250mm cyclone on-board, discharging heavy particle sand onto the high-frequency dewatering screen for draining. The screen helps remove unwanted materials, excess water or organic materials from the sand material. The cyclone and screen are hydraulically driven and designed to work with Precisionscreen’s washing plants.
McMurtry said the SRD and FRP had benefits even as standalone products for Australian operators.
“The SRD180 or the FRP gives a greater throughput and a cleanliness of the sand as well and that’s where it comes into its own.
“If you have a high silt content and you need to float off a lot of that bottom end product in that super fine sand, that’s when the likes of the SRD or FRP comes into its own,” he said.
“If a customer has water restrictions or low access to water that is where the FRP can allow any residual water to be taken off your sand product quite quickly and easily. Or it can use the cyclone to take out the super fine sand to recycle that water quickly.” •
For more information, visit precisionscreen.com.au
