Washing equipment is often overlooked.
Operators often think: “It’s been working fine forever – why mess with it?” Or, they’ll shrug equipment off and say: “It’s just wash water – how bad can it be?”
But simply making do with underperforming wash equipment leads to making do with water pressure and flow inconsistencies, as well as a lack of any tracking of fines retention or product cleanliness.
Operators commonly assume that “all is well” with wash circuits until proven otherwise. Consider that the typical operation could lose more than $100,000 annually due to poor fines recovery, product contamination, excess water usage, disposal costs, and wear and tear on downstream equipment.
“In many cases, issues start small and are easy to miss,” says Lauren DeBow, washing applications engineer at Superior Industries.
DeBow stresses that when washing equipment goes unchecked, saleable material is lost to the wastewater stream.
“The result is overflowing ponds, rising chemical costs, dirty return water and lost profit,” she says.
Good enough versus better
Because each wash operation is unique, experienced applications engineers are highly valued for meeting specific parameters with sustainable washing strategies. So, not surprisingly, DeBow is often in the field helping producers find better methods and improve profit margins.
She shares a few simple first steps for operators everywhere, though. For example, keep an eye out for early warning signs such as sandbars forming too quickly at the waste pond’s discharge. Also, watch for material buildup at the back of sand screws, or unexpected gradation changes at the stockpile.
If using a cyclone, DeBow advises operators to audit the settings if gradations change.
“Material escaping the cyclone’s vortex finder is a common culprit,” she says.
Additionally, log pond cleanout frequency and match that data against historical norms to spot potential problems. A pond that fills too fast is a red flag that something upstream isn’t working properly. Work with a flocculant supplier to dial in the right dosage based on solids and flow – not by guessing, she adds.
Importantly, use a fines retention sieve to confirm whether valuable product is leaving the system and entering the waste stream. DeBow often hears producers say: “We never knew just how much we were losing until we ran a sieve test.”
Better ways to wash
Underperforming washing equipment steadily sabotages product quality and profitability. Stick to scheduled maintenance and routine nozzle cleanings. Monitor water quality, flow rate and pressure. Track cleanliness and fines loss, and train the crew to recognize early signs of inefficiency.
Expertise from a manufacturer or local equipment dealer is readily available. Protect your profit margins with better ways to wash.
Information for this article courtesy of Superior Industries.