Industry News

The value of dry air classifying

WATER CONSERVATION
For years, washing has been the industry standard for classifying manufactured and natural materials. The process, while very effective, often generates one saleable product and a considerable amount of sludge, a non-saleable, semi-solid residue resulting from a number of air or water treatment processes.
It is within these management discussions that many quarries have begun to see the value of ?dry? processing of fines. Where a dry fines processing system has been implemented, aggregate producers have effectively reduced the amount of sludge they produce. Some applications have even eliminated the need for a traditional wash plant and sludge pond.
According to Fisher Industries sales manager Curt Kittelson, one quarry went from producing 50,000 tonnes of sludge per year to a mere 2500 tonnes. Kittelson said the site did this by adding a Fisher air separator, a dry fines processing system, to its operation. ?That is a 95 per cent reduction in fines going into a sludge pond,? Kittelson said.
In addition to the aggregate quarrying applications, asphalt producers recognise the value of a dry fines processing system. They cite reduced fuel costs as a key benefit. When dry material enters an asphalt drum, less time and energy is needed to manufacture the asphalt.
?Because of this cost saving, several asphalt producers have even been willing to pay more for aggregate processed using a dry system,? Kittelson said.
TWO SALEABLE PRODUCTS
Quarries that have utilised the Fisher air separator to dry process their fines have not only conserved water and fuel costs but have also generated a second saleable product, Kittelson added. 
He said dry fines from limestone, granite and sand and gravel applications fill a variety of niche markets and have been sold as aglime, mineral fillers for fertiliser, concrete filler and pipe bedding. 
{{image2-a:r-w:200}}?Without a doubt, managing fines via dry processing is something we think more and more quarries will consider and asphalt producers will endorse, particularly where water is in short supply and while fuel prices continue to rise,? Kittelson said. 
?We believe a key component to the success of dry processing fines will be portability and adaptability of the dry fines processing system.?
The 13? diameter Fisher air separator effectively removes unwanted fines from aggregate products, bringing otherwise rejected material into specification. It requires minimal maintenance and can process up to 150 tph.
?Our air separator has been designed with the mobile contractor in mind,? Kittelson said. Portable units can be set up in as little as two hours, are easily transported and feature triple axle assembly with brakes and suspension and a heavy duty beam chassis.
?The air separator is field proven in abrasive and non-abrasive applications and has achieved successful separation of unwanted fines in limestone, granite, trap rock, basalt, silica, sand and gravel operations,? Kittelson added.
The air separator?s ability to dry process materials and remove excess fines promotes an efficient and clean operation.
?It has met or exceeded the expectations of countless aggregate processing facilities throughout the United States, helping them achieve their goals of water conservation, reducing fuel costs and creating a second saleable product,? Kittelson said.
Promoting these benefits within the Australian market is Global Crushers & Spares, which has more than 20 years of collective experience in the crushing, screening, demolition, recycling, mining and earthmoving industries within Australia. ?
Source: Global Crushers & Spares

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