The Complete

Guide to Washing
& Classifying
Aggregates, minerals and sand must be
washed to meet many required specifications
for various projects. Washing and classifying
equipment provides producers with the
ability to remove excess water and
deleterious materials such as clay, silt, shale,
soft stone, roots, twigs and other debris.

Washing is becoming increasingly important as

producers find themselves progressing farther into
their reserves and extracting material with greater
amounts of deleterious material or facing stricter
specifications for their material.

The Basics
The Purpose of Washing & Classifying
Naturally occurring aggregate and mineral deposits as well as man-made industrial sands rarely meet the
specifications required of final products. These deposits often contain deleterious material such as clay, silt,
twigs and other debris that can decrease the quality, efficiency and durability of the final products if not removed.
Crushed sands often contain an excess of harmful fines that can throw the end product out of spec.
Deleterious materials are not as strong as aggregates and minerals. Therefore, desirable aggregates and minerals
should be clean and free of impurities that can cause problems that affect their performance.
Removing these fines and deleterious material is key to producing the high-quality aggregates and minerals
that are necessary for their various end uses. This is why washing is essential for many aggregate and mineral
production processes.
Another important part of the aggregate and mineral production process is classification, which is often done as
part of the washing process when dealing with smaller particles. Dry screening small particles (less than 8 mesh)
can often be impractical, so hydraulic classification using water to separate by size, shape or density becomes
key.
Washing and classifying processes are mainly used to:
• Remove undesirable and/or lightweight particles
• Improve or change feed gradation to meet product specifications
• Blend multiple feeds from different quarries
All these tasks can be accomplished with washing and classifying equipment.
2 | The Complete Guide to Washing & Classifying
Types of Washing & Classifying Equipment
Washing and classifying has two parts: coarse material washing, which is removing fine particles, clay and debris
from material larger than 3/8”, and fine material washing, which is removing dirt, silt, fines and other deleterious
material from material 3/8” and smaller.
Types of Washing & Classifying Equipment: Coarse Material Screw Washers // Fine Material Screw Washers
Hydrocyclones & Separators™ // Hydrosizers™ // Flat Bottom Classifiers // Sand Classifying Tanks
In some applications, the contaminants are so severe that they require a more intense scrubbing to be released.
Scrubbing is more intense and requires more energy than washing. During the scrubbing process, aggregate
materials or minerals are freed or separated from deleterious material by agitation with water and then
thoroughly flushed away from the desired product.
Most scrubbing action occurs through material-on-material attrition created by the agitation of a rotating drum
or paddles on a shaft. Scrubbing is required to produce a high-quality product that meets the required
specifications.
Types of Scrubbing Equipment: Attrition Cells/Scrubbers // Blade Mills // Log Washers // Rotary Scrubbers
Efficiently removing deleterious material from aggregates and minerals using washing and classifying and/or
scrubbing equipment increases the value of the final product.
Stationary, Modular or Portable
Washing, classifying and scrubbing equipment can be used as standalone pieces or as part of a complete wet
process system. They can be shipped as part of a stationary plant, pre-installed as part of a modular package or
mounted on wheels for portability.
• Stationary plants are fixed, permanent structures that can be designed from scratch for any
processing requirement or throughput. These are best for high-volume applications, high-value products
or longer-term mine sites.
• Modular plants are mounted on skid-based modules. They are designed for easier setup and
relocation, and they can range from standard configurable modules to fully customized modules. They
are ideal for urgent need or common applications, short-term sites or lower-throughput applications.
• Portable plants are mounted on a Department of Transportation-approved chassis. They can be moved
from site to site and are ideal for short-term sites, sites with multiple locations or sites with an urgent
need since they can often be rented from a dealer.
3 | The Complete Guide to Washing & Classifying
 Another factor that must be taken into account is the
water that comes in with the feed. A washer box can
only process so much water while retaining material
to a certain size. If too small a washer box is used,
desired fine fractions that may need to be saved will
overflow the weirs. In some cases, a larger screw
washer must be selected regardless of the
sand-required capacity.
Washing & Classifying It is important to review the amount of material
passing 200 mesh (75 micron) fines in the feed. Too
little water and the operator will not be able to remove
these ultra-fines. As a general rule of thumb, a Fine
Fine Material Screw Washers
Material Screw Washer requires 50 USGPM of water
Fine Material Screw Washers, also called sand screws or just screw washers, are primarily used to dewater,
to remove 1 STPH of minus 200 mesh (75 micron)
classify and wash minus 3/8” and/or fine minerals. Screw Washers are also used to provide low-level scrubbing in
fines in the feed.
some applications depending on the severity of the contamination.

These machines are designed to accept feeds from a belt conveyor or Sizing & Selection
slurry feeds from washing vibrating screens, Sand Classifying Tanks, The sizing and selection of a High Water Volume Fine Material Screw Washers
Hydrosizers™, Hydrocyclones or other Fine Material Screw Washers. Fine Material Screw Washer is High Water Volume Fine Material Screw Washers were developed for slurry feeds having low solids volume with
based on: a high amount of water. They allow the mixing and matching of a screw shaft size to handle a reduced capacity
Sand or fine material enters through the feed box on a baffle plate. The of sand solids with a washer box to handle a larger-than-normal water volume. This provides a lower-cost option
heavier material sinks to the bottom of the box, while the finer fraction • Type of feed solids as compared to a larger standard sand screw.
floats to the surface and flows over the weirs. The material that settles is • Feed gradation
then conveyed from the pool area up a sloped washer box to the discharge • Desired product
end. specification
• Capacity required
As the material is conveyed beyond the pool area, it enters the dry deck • Water volume, if in a feed
section of the washer box, at which point the water begins to separate slurry
from the material. The curvature of the rotating screw flights conforms to
the curved section of the washer box to efficiently convey, wash (through
the tumbling of the sand particles) and dewater. A channel is provided opposite the conveying side to allow water
to drain from the material and return to the pool area.

To properly retain material in a screw washer, a calm pool area must be maintained. The feed box located within
the baffle plate is used to direct material away from the calm pool area. If the pool area is turbulent, finer material
that may be desirable in the product will overflow the weirs. The baffle plate helps to separate the washer box
feed area and keeps the pool area calm. In some applications, it may be desirable to remove the baffle plate and
feed the material close to the back plate by the weir. This will help agitate the pool area and overflow the material
the producer wishes to remove.

One factor that must be considered is the percent passing 50 mesh in the desired product. If the screw washer is
running too fast, the material does not have a chance to stay on the flight long enough to dewater. The material
will fall off the flight and return to the pool area. Eventually, the box will fill up with sand and stall the screw shaft.

When slowing down the speed of a Fine Material Screw Washer, the capacity of the unit will drop proportionally.
For example, if you reduce the speed by 50%, the capacity of the unit will drop by 50%.

4 | The Complete Guide to Washing & Classifying 5 | The Complete Guide to Washing & Classifying
 Coarse Material Screw Washers
Coarse Material Screw Washers are built primarily to wash crushed stone and gravel generally ranging from 3/8”
to 4”. They effectively remove light, loamy type clays, dirt, crusher dust and coatings that cannot be removed by
wet screening along. They can also be used to take out floating vegetation and soft aggregate, although all
vegetation and water-logged sticks may not be removed completely. Coarse Material Screw Washers are not
intended to remove the tough plastic clay that normally requires a Log Washer.
Flat Bottom Classifiers
Flat Bottom Classifiers provide sharp classification by size, separate by density and remove organics. They
accept a top size of 10 mm and make a cut between 75 micron and 500 micron. They use a dense fluidized bed
of near-size sand to float off lightweight materials while allowing heavier fractions to pass through the bed. Flat
Bottom Classifiers are used primarily by aggregate producers for removing lignite in the production of
construction sands, as well as in specialty sand production and soils washing.

Coarse Material Screw Washers feature a rotating screw shaft or Typically, Flat Bottom Classifiers are fed by a
Sizing & Selection
rotating screw shafts equipped with paddles in the feed end and flights Hydrocyclone to provide a controlled, dense and
The sizing and selection of a
along the remaining length of the screw. These paddles and flights deslimed feed. This slurry enters the top of the unit
Coarse Material Screw Washer
provide scrubbing, scouring and agitation. The turbulent washing action, via a central feed well while water is injected via a
is based on:
combined with rising current water introduced at the bottom of the box plenum chamber through specialized nozzles to
at the feed end, results in the separation of the lighter fraction from the create an upward rising current. This establishes a
• Type of material
sound aggregate. zone of suspended, or teetered, solids. The solids in
• Desired capacity
suspension are of a size fraction at the point of
• Maximum feed size
The lighter fraction, such as clay and floating vegetation, floats to the separation, better described as the cut point. These
surface due to the rising water in the box and then overflows the weir solids are suspended as neither coarser nor finer
located in the back of the box. The desired clean product is then than the cut desired.
scrubbed and conveyed by the paddles and flights to the discharge end of the box. A rinsing screen should be
used after the Coarse Material Screw Washer to provide a final washing of the aggregate. Fine/lightweight particles don’t penetrate this dense
fluidized bed and are carried up by the rising water
Sand (minus 1/4”) should be screened out ahead of the Coarse Material Screw Washer since the finer material current over the weir as overflow at the top of the
tends to cushion the washing action. This finer fraction should only be fed to the unit when severe washing of unit. Coarser/heavier particles are able to penetrate
fines is required, but Attrition Cells are normally a better choice for the finer fractions. the teetering bed and, by gravity, pass through the water injection zone to be collected and discharged through
an underflow valve.

As a general rule of thumb, Coarse Material Screw Washers will make a rough split at approximately
16 mesh (1.18 mm). To make a coarser cut, increase the teeter bed density by raising the setpoint. Larger increases in cut size
may require additional teeter water. To make a finer cut, decrease the teeter bed density by lowering
the setpoint. Marked decreases in cut size may require reduction of teeter water.
To improve retention time and scrubbing, some of the paddles can be reversed to keep the material in the box
longer. More paddles can also be added to the shaft to increase the washing action; however, capacity will be
reduced, as paddles do not convey material up the box as fast as flights. When using additional paddles, it is also
necessary to lower the slope of the box and increase motor horsepower to help convey material to the discharge
end.

6 | The Complete Guide to Washing & Classifying 7 | The Complete Guide to Washing & Classifying
 Hydrocyclones and Separators™ Hydrosizers™
Hydrocyclones, often referred to as Cyclones, and their variation, the Separator™, are used for classification, Hydrosizers™ provide extremely sharp classification to separate minus 4 mesh (minus 5 mm) granular material
desliming, fines recovery, densifying and dewatering minus 4 mesh (5 mm) particles in a variety of applications, by size or specific gravity. They also remove lightweight contaminants. They can be used in a wide variety of
including sand, aggregates, coal, industrial minerals, hard rock mining and more. Cyclones are commonly used for applications, including frac sand, glass sand, filter sand, foundry sand, concrete sand, plaster sand, mortar sand,
washing and stockpiling in construction aggregates, for desliming ahead of Classifying Tanks and Screw Washers contaminated solids washing, lignite and organics removal, slag beneficiation, closed circuit grinding, mineral
to improve their performance in high fines situations, for size control of materials exiting the comminution circuit sands, plastics separation from sand, precious metals like gold and silver, base metals like copper and lead zinc,
in hard rock and precious metals processing, and to capture 2.7 SG fines down to 400 mesh in fines recovery phosphate classifiation and acid wash, coal, iron ore, and more.
applications. Separators™ are commonly used for providing consistent feed densities to feed Attrition Cells and
for stockpiling material. They can often be used in lieu of a screw to deslime and stockpile sand. The feed top size to a Hydrosizer™ is limited to 4 mm,
and they are typically fed by Hydrocyclones to remove
Featuring no moving parts, Cyclones and Separators™ are typically excess water and slimes ahead of classification with
fed by Pumps. The slurry follows the fall of the upper cylinder in a the Hydrosizer™. Feed enters the unit via a central
rotating action. Centrifugal forces send coarser material to the outer feed well. Process water is injected through an array
wall to travel downward and be further accelerated in the conical of pipes located near the bottom of the separation
sections. These coarser fractions then exit through the apex, or chamber. This water injection causes an upward
spigot, at the bottom of the Cyclone. Finer fractions remain rotating rising current of water that flows over the peripheral
with the fluid in the inner core and are removed upward by an air weir and is collected in the overflow launder. As
core that is formed at the apex as air is drawn into the Cyclone. particles in the feed meet this rising current of water,
finer and less dense fractions are lifted out and swept
The air core is important for the proper operation of the cyclone over the overflow weir. Coarser and denser particles
and to efficiently classify the material in the slurry. A vortex finder pass downward through this current and are collected
provides a pathway for the air to exit the body of the Cyclone. As the in the underflow cone away to discharge.
air flows through the vortex finder, the fluids and finer fractions are dragged along to perform the classification
of materials. The apex is sized for the expected range of solids, and significant process changes may require a Particles that are near the size of separation, being
resizing of this apex. neither massive enough to migrate to the underflow cone nor small enough to be lifted out, begin to accumulate
in the separation chamber. This accumulation is described as a teetered or fluidized bed. With this bed, solids
Separators™ have the addition of an underflow regulator, or fish tail, fitted to the apex and an overflow pipe fitted settle through the tank in an environment known as hindered settling. This phenomenon slows down the settling
to the overflow flange. The overflow pipe returns below the apex and creates a siphon that closes the regulator rates of particles and allows them to be more critically reviewed as either a member of the coarse and fine
when the pipe is full. An air valve fitted to the overflow pipe regulates the amount of siphon generated, allowing fraction.
the discharge of a denser material for stockpiling and attrition applications. Separators™ provide a consistent
underflow moisture, regardless of feed solids concentration, and they allow for instant optimization of percent The dilute overflow containing the lighter/smaller fractions is typically dewatered with Hydrocyclones or
solids with simple valve adjustments. Separators™ and further dewatered with Dewatering Screens. The denser underflow stream is typically directly
fed to a Dewatering Screen.
Larger diameter Hydrocyclones and Separators™ can handle higher capacities and make coarser cuts. Smaller
diameter units handle less capacity and produce finer cuts. When Hydrosizers™ are used for organics removal, such as in soils washing or lignite removal, the overflow
contains larger organics with the finer sand because their weight is equivalent. In this case, an interstage screen
is used to separate the larger organics from the finer sands.
Hydrocyclones vs. Separators™

• Hydrocyclones are better suited for applications where the feed density is consistent, sizing is the Hydrosizers™ can be round or square. Round Hydrosizers™ have evidence of superior performance because
highest process requirement or pressure requirements are above 15 psi. they lack potential dead zones and valley angles and are equidistant to the overflow.
• Separators™ are better suited when the underflow needs to have as little moisture as possible or when
the feed density will have large swings.
• Hydrocyclones can operate with the feed percent solids up to 50% by weight, while Separators™ Hydrosizers™ handle high capacities while providing the sharpest classification possible. They are low
require a feed solids centration of less than 25% solids by weight. maintenance machines that feature online control of separation.
• Hydrocyclones discharge material at 40-65% solids by weight, and Separators™ discharge a stackable
material at 60-75% solids by weight. The coarsest cut size both units can make is 140 mesh.

8 | The Complete Guide to Washing & Classifying 9 | The Complete Guide to Washing & Classifying
 Sand Classifying Tanks
Sand Classifying Tanks are typically used for the following:

• To remove excess water in a dilute slurry feed

• To classify material by removing an excess of intermediate sieve sizes
• To retain finer mesh sizes
• To make multiple products from a single feed material
They are effective for producing one or more products for many construction sand specifications. With either a
slurry or dry feed, Sand Classifying Tanks handle sand gradation swings in the average plant while minimizing
waste. They are generally used in sand and gravel plants as well as manufactured crushed stone sand plants.
Rising Current Classification
Sand Classifying Tanks can be installed with optional rising current classification. Installed in the first two
or three stations of the tank, rising current utilizes a freshwater injection to improve sand classification.
The injection of water near the slurry feed entry deters the settling of fine sand until later in the sand
tank. This allows for higher sand product yields when reblending coarse, intermediate and fine sands for
construction-grade specifications.

Sand Tanks can be dry fed with a sizing screen or slurry fed from a dredge line or Hydrocyclone. The sand Fresh water is preferred for insertion into the
classification is based on the different settling rate of various grain sizes. As water and material enter the feed rising current manifold. If additional process
end, the coarse grains settle first and the finer grains settle in successive sizes down the length of the tank. At the water is not available, a recirculating pump
top of the tank, a series of hydraulic control mechanisms operate the discharge valves at the bottom of the tank. can be supplied. The pump is typically
Depending on the type of control system and product produced, one, two or three discharge valves are located at mounted in a Sand Tank overflow launderer
each station. and can use a portion of slurry overflowing the
tank. This method is not preferred because the
Extending from the control enclosure at the top of the tank located above each station is a paddle driven by a use of silty water during an operational day
torque motor. When the sand accumulates at a particular station and the paddle stalls, the torque motor generates can alter the settling of solids in a Sand Tank.
an electrical impulse. This electrical impulse controls a solenoid valve that directs pressure through a hydraulic
cylinder, raising and lowering the rod leading to the valve. When the valve opens, sand is discharged to each cell Use of recirculated water in a few hours can
in the collecting flume. Sand Tank underflow must be dewatered with either a Fine Material Screw Washer or increase the slurry pool specific gravity and
Dewatering Screen before it can be stockpiled. alter the sand particles discharging from a valve station, thus altering the gradation of specification
sands discharging for dewatering.
Sand Tanks are capable of making one or two products for most construction sand specifications and one
non-specification product at any one time. To make different products, the tank is designed with two or three
valves at each station along the length of the tank – one more than the number of products desired. A
programmable logic controller produces the specification products by opening and closing the tank’s discharge Metering Bins
valves on a percent, time-controlled basis. After initial setup, the tank usually does not require further adjustment
unless there is a change in the specification product or an extreme variation in the sand feed gradation. Metering bins are designed to handle minus 3/8” x 8 mesh coarse sand. A sand tank can classify sand
better if the plus 8 mesh is removed from the feed material. The PLC control system blends the material
that enters the metering bin to the Screw Washer product.

Sand Tanks are sized based on:

• The amount of water coming in with the feed

• The required capacity
• The number of desired products
• Screen analysis of the feed material
• Screen analysis of desired products

Size is driven by water handling capability and fines loss over weir.

10 | The Complete Guide to Washing & Classifying 11 | The Complete Guide to Washing & Classifying
 Blade Mills
Blade Mills are designed to liberate light, loamy clay
or dirt from coarse or fine material before further
processing. They can be used in many applications,
such as ahead of a wash screen when washing
coarse rock or ore. They can also be placed ahead of
screens, Sand Classifying Tanks or Fine Material
Screw Washers in sand processing applications.

Scrubbing Designed to condition the material, Blade Mills are not

for removing tough, plastic clay or high percentages
of clay. They usually work in conjunction with other
type of processing equipment, such as Sand
Classifying Tanks or wash screens.
Attrition Cells/Scrubbers
Attrition Cells/Scrubbers are designed to scrub the surfaces of particles, liberate deleterious materials and break
Blade Mills feature an alternating combination of
down pretend particles associated with durability, such as clays. They are ideal for industrial and mineral sands; in
paddles and flights on a rotating screw shaft. These paddles and flights scour, abrade and break down
the production of iron ore, clay and sand; and in the preparation of flotation feeds and reagent washing.
deleterious material. Because there is no overflow with this type of unit, all material and water that enters the
Blade Mill will also discharge through the opening in the bottom of the machine. It is recommended that a rinse
Material enters the Attrition Cell/Scrubber from an inlet
screen follow the Blade Mill to rinse away the liberated impurities from the competent rock or ore.
at the bottom and passes up through the tank, where it
is subjected to material-on-material scrubbing
facilitated by rotating paddles affixed to vertical shafts.
For best operation, Blade Mills should be installed on a slope of 0-5 degrees.
The material then exits through the outlet at the top of
the unit.

Due to the high levels of material passing through the

Attrition Cell/Scrubber too quickly to be fully processed, Blade Mills vs. Coarse Material Screw Washers
multiple Attrition Cells/Scrubbers are used in series.
With this configuration, when the material exits out of • Blade Mills are used to scour, abrade and break down water-soluble clays and silts from coarse rock
the first Attrition Cell/Scrubber, it immediately enters or sand to improve Sand Equivalency, and Coarse Material Screw Washers are used to remove light,
the next one. The material is again subjected to the loamy clays; dirt; crusher dust; coatings; floating vegetation and soft aggregate.
material-on-material scrubbing brought forth by the • Blade Mills feature alternating screw flights and paddles. They have no overflow weir, so all material
rotating paddles until it exits out the discharge. The must discharge to downstream processing equipment. Coarse Material Screw Washers feature paddles
material can then be scrubbed by another in the pool area and screw flights on the remainder of the shaft. They have overflow weirs to remove
Attrition Cell/Scrubber or move on to the next stage in the process. dust, mud and soluble clay contaminants.
• Blade Mills are installed fairly level, from 0 to 5 degrees, while Coarse Material Screw Washers are
installed on an incline of 12 to 18 degrees.
Attrition Cells/Scrubbers work best with high-density feeds to achieve the best scrubbing action possible, with • Blade Mills can accept material up to 4” (100 mm), and they can handle minus 3/16” (5 mm) solids
typical operating densities in the range of 72-75% solids by weight. material. Coarse Material Screw Washers can accept material sizes ranging from 3/8” (9.5 mm) up to 4”
(100 mm), but the material should be prescreened to remove fines (minus 1/4” or 6 mm) ahead of the
Coarse Material Screw Washer.
Attrition Cells/Scrubbers are typically fed by a Separator™ to achieve the ideal feed density, but they can also be
fed by Hydrosizers™ or Dewatering Screens. They accept a top size of ½” (12 mm) in the feed.
Attrition Cells/Scrubbers can be round, square or octagonal.

12 | The Complete Guide to Washing & Classifying 13 | The Complete Guide to Washing & Classifying
 Log Washers Rotary Scrubbers
Log Washers are used in a variety of material processing applications to remove tough, plastic clays from natural Rotary Scrubbers are designed primarily for the removal of light, loamy clays and soft, soluble waste materials
and crushed gravel, crushed stone, and ore feeds. They must have a controlled top size of up to 6” cubed, though from aggregates, stone and ore. They can accept large feed sizes, up to 10-12”, and are sometimes used as a
smaller units only accept a top size of up to 4” cubed. primary washer before crushing or screening takes place.

Log Washers feature two rotating paddle shafts to facilitate the material-on-material scrubbing. Feed material is Fresh water and material to be cleaned are introduced
normally delivered between the log shafts 2-4’ from the back plate of the washer box. They sit on a slope up to 14 through the feed chute and spray pipe. As the cylinder
degrees depending on the severity of the washing application. As the percentage of deleterious material rotates, the raw feed is retained by centrifugal force on
increases, the slope must be raised to increase the retention time. Under certain conditions, lower sloped lifting shelves until it reaches near to the top of the
machines can increase capacity while decreasing horsepower and parts wear. It is important to establish the drum. The material then cascades and tumbles upon
lowest operating slope while maintaining a clean product to take advantage of lower horsepower consumption itself, falling to the bottom of the drum. This action
and parts wear. helps to break down the softer materials and dissolve
dirt, loam and other foreign materials into the solution.

The sand size fraction should be removed prior to the Log Washer since the finer material will cushion For best operation, the minus 3/8” material should be
the washing action. This sand fraction should only be fed to the Log Washer when severe washing of removed prior to the Scrubber unless a desander
fines is required. section is utilized or if scouring of the sand is desired.
Generally, the fine material should be removed to
decrease the cushion effect that occurs when it is
When selecting a Log Washer for an application, the amount, type and percentage of deleterious material to be present. If it is not practical or possible to remove the
removed from the aggregate must be considered. As the percentage of deleterious material to be removed sand fraction before the Scrubber, then using a
increases, consideration should be given to longer length units to increase the washing action. The length of the desander section is one alternative that can remove a portion of the sand fraction as the material enters the
Log Washer directly affects the retention time of the material being washed. The longer the washer box, the higher cylinder. Regardless of whether or not fines are removed during the process, a screen should always follow the
the retention time. In very severe washing applications, two or more Log Washers in series may be required. Scrubber.

Another factor that must be taken into consideration is In severe scrubbing applications, paddles can be incorporated on the inside of the Scrubber drum to increase the
determining what type of material is going to be fed to washing action. These paddles can be adjusted to enhance the agitation and increase the retention time,
the Log Washer. The size and shape of the feed material therefore producing a cleaner product. A downside to using paddles can be a reduction in capacity.
will dramatically affect the capacity of a particular size
unit. A Log Washer handling crushed or angular material Improved washing can be accomplished by adjusting the water rate to
will have a lower capacity than a unit handling round or the Scrubber. When adjusting the water flow rate to the Scrubber, it is Sizing & Selection
natural material. necessary to monitor the effect of the water on the washed product. The sizing of a Rotary Scrubber
Too much water may have a tendency to float the material in the is based on:
Capacity varies with the slope of the Log Washer, along Scrubber and therefore diminish the washing effect, while too little
with the percent and tenacity of clay to be removed. water may not provide enough rinsing action. • Type of feed material
Under certain feed conditions, much higher capacities • Percent and type of waste
can be achieved with additional speed and a larger For special washing and screening applications, Rotary Scrubber material to be removed
motor. Screens add the screening portion of a trommel onto the scrubber. This • A screen analysis of the feed
configuration is most effective when handling hard-to-wash-and-screen • Available water
Log Washers feature adjustable weirs at the overflow materials such as oyster shells and phosphate mix.
openings that permit the change in water depth, which
in turn can affect the quality of the washed product. Log Washers are also equipped with a spray bar for rinsing Rotary Scrubbers are not intended to replace Log Washers in applications where tough plastic clays are
the material prior to discharge. A rinsing screen should be used after the Log Washer to provide a final wash of contaminating the material to be cleaned. When these tough clays are fed to a Scrubber, the clay particles have a
the aggregate. tendency to pelletize through the tumbling action of the material. For example, golf ball size pieces of plastic clay
may not break down and could actually increase to the size of a tennis ball.

Retention time will vary for each application due to the different types of material being processed and different
amounts of wastes to be removed.

14 | The Complete Guide to Washing & Classifying 15 | The Complete Guide to Washing & Classifying
 Pumps
Pumps are considered the heart of a wet processing
system, and for good reason. They move material from
one part of the process to another. In other words, they
keep the material flowing through the system.

Other Washing & Classifying Unlike other types of pumps, Centrifugal Slurry Pumps
do not suck in the slurry. Rather, the slurry flows into

Equipment
the Pump as a result of atmospheric pressure and
height of the material in the collecting sump.

Slurry enters through the suction eye of the impeller.

Rotating vanes pick up the fluid and expel it into the
outer gap in the casing. Centrifugal force causes the
Although not necessarily equipment used for washing and classifying per se, Dewatering Screens, Pumps and
outer gap of the casing to become pressurized. The
Vibratory Screens play a large role in wet processing applications.
pressurized fluid escapes out of the discharge port at
the top of the Pump.
Dewatering Screens
Dewatering Screens are not used as primary washing and classifying equipment, but they can be used to effect
Pumps are available in a range of sizes to handle a variety of flow rates.
some limited efficiency fine sizing, as well as for washing and rinsing, desliming, organics screening and
improving sand equivalency.
Vibratory Screens
Vibratory Screens are used to separate material according to its size. They feature a number of decks with
Designed to produce a consistent, drip-free product that is stackable and conveyable, Dewatering Screens handle
screen media containing progressively smaller openings for each deck. The vibrating motion of the screen
a variety of materials, including sand, gravel, crushed aggregates, frac sand, industrial sands, mineral sands, hard
causes the material to divide by size, allowing particles smaller than the openings to pass through. Larger
rock, precious metals ore, coal, iron ore, salt and other granular materials.
particles rise to the top of the material bed, while smaller particles filter out through the openings in the screen
media, creating two or more fractions.
To dewater material effectively, slurry is fed onto a
steep downward inclined screen surface at the feed end
Spray bars can be added to the Vibratory Screen to rinse the material as it travels across the screen deck. This
of the Dewatering Screen to achieve rapid drainage. A
can help to remove dust and fine material from the larger particles prior to or immediately after feed preparation.
pool of water forms in the valley as material builds up
on the slightly upward inclined surface.
Vibratory Screens can be horizontal or inclined in orientation.
Counter-rotating vibratory motors create a linear motion
at an angle to the screen surface that accelerates the
Complete Wash Plants
solids upward and forward at 5G. This, along with a
Wash Plants combine several of these pieces of equipment to accomplish various tasks, including:
generous stroke length, moves water through the
countless openings between the particles to promote
• Feed preparation – preparing the feed for processing by breaking down clays and clay-bound
droplet formation.
materials and removing superficial surface contamination. Attrition Cells/Scrubbers, Blade Mills, Coarse
Material Screw Washers, Log Washers and Rotary Scrubbers are typically used for feed preparation.
The abrupt reversal of motion detaches water from the
• Desliming – removing the liberated ultra-fine material in the feed to improve the classification process.
material, and the water droplets pass through the
Hydrocyclones and Separators™ are typically used for desliming.
screen media. The solids are conveyed up the screen
• Classifying – separating particles from one another based on either size or specific gravity. Sand
by this linear motion. The uphill slope of the screen,
Classifying Tanks, Fine Material Screw Washers, Hydrocyclones, Separators™ and Hydrosizers™ are
along with the discharge weir, creates a deep bed that acts as a filter medium, allowing retention of material
typically used for classifying.
much finer than the screen openings. A thick bed of material promotes fines retention while allowing the water to
• Organics Removal – classifying materials based on specific gravity to remove deleterious material. Flat
migrate through.
Bottom Classifiers are typically used for organics removal; however, Hydrosizers™ may also be used in
some applications.
Where cleaner materials are required, sprays bars can be included to assist with the washing process,
liberating fines that pass through the media.
The right equipment for a wash plant is mainly dependent on what material you have and what product you need
to make. Providing a manufacturer with all the application details will allow them to recommend the best solution
for meeting your washing and classification needs.

16 | The Complete Guide to Washing & Classifying 17 | The Complete Guide to Washing & Classifying
 Washing & Classifying
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18 | The Complete Guide to Washing & Classifying