METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WASHING AND GRADING SILICA SAND FOR GLASS PRODUCTION
First Claim
1. A method of washing and grading silica sand for glass production comprising removing trash and relatively large contaminants from a sand feed material on a first vibrating screen, collecting undersize sand and water in a sump and separating fine contamination from said sand in a first hydrocyclone before passing the sand, carried in the underflow from the first hydrocyclone, onto a second vibrating screen whereupon undersize material and some water is removed from the sand before passing the oversize sand from the second vibrating screen into an attrition scrubber to delaminate clay and other contaminants from the sand, passing the sand from the attrition scrubber onto a third vibrating screen to remove an oversize fraction before passing the undersize sand from the third vibrating screen into a second hydrocyclone, passing the sand carried in the underflow from the second hydrocyclone into a density separator to remove relatively high density contaminants and relatively coarse material from the sand, passing the sand comprising a relatively low density fraction from the density separator into a third hydrocyclone and passing the sand as the underflow from the third hydrocyclone into a classification tank wherein an upwards flow of water removes fine contamination from the sand in an overflow from the classification tank and passing the sand collected in a lower end of the classification tank onto a dewatering screen for dewatering as a silica sand product suitable for glass production.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of washing and grading silica sand for glass production includes removing trash and relatively large contaminants from a sand feed material via a sequence of multiple vibrating screens, collection sumps, hydrocyclones, a density separator, a classification tank, and a dewatering screen. The resulting silica sand product is suitable for glass production.
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Citations
25 Claims
- 1. A method of washing and grading silica sand for glass production comprising removing trash and relatively large contaminants from a sand feed material on a first vibrating screen, collecting undersize sand and water in a sump and separating fine contamination from said sand in a first hydrocyclone before passing the sand, carried in the underflow from the first hydrocyclone, onto a second vibrating screen whereupon undersize material and some water is removed from the sand before passing the oversize sand from the second vibrating screen into an attrition scrubber to delaminate clay and other contaminants from the sand, passing the sand from the attrition scrubber onto a third vibrating screen to remove an oversize fraction before passing the undersize sand from the third vibrating screen into a second hydrocyclone, passing the sand carried in the underflow from the second hydrocyclone into a density separator to remove relatively high density contaminants and relatively coarse material from the sand, passing the sand comprising a relatively low density fraction from the density separator into a third hydrocyclone and passing the sand as the underflow from the third hydrocyclone into a classification tank wherein an upwards flow of water removes fine contamination from the sand in an overflow from the classification tank and passing the sand collected in a lower end of the classification tank onto a dewatering screen for dewatering as a silica sand product suitable for glass production.
- 14. An apparatus for washing and grading silica sand for glass production comprising a first vibrating screen having a deck arranged to receive a feed material, oversize trash and aggregate material passing over the deck of said first vibrating screen and undersize material being collected in a sump of said first vibrating screen, a first hydrocyclone receiving undersize material from the sump of the first vibrating screen, a second vibrating screen receiving an underflow from the first hydrocyclone upon a deck thereof, an attrition scrubber being arranged to receive oversize material from the deck of the second vibrating screen to delaminate clay and other impurities from said material, a third vibrating screen having a deck arranged to receive material from said attrition scrubber, said third vibrating screen having a sump receiving undersize material from the deck of the third vibrating screen, a second hydrocyclone being arranged to receive said undersize material from said sump of the third vibrating screen, a density separator being arranged to receive said underflow from said second hydrocyclone to produce a low density fraction and a high density fraction, a third hydrocyclone being arranged to received said low density fraction from said density separator, a classification tank receiving the underflow from said third hydrocyclone, wherein said classification tank incorporates at least one water inlet providing a upwards flow of water therein, material collected in a lower end of said classification tank being passed onto a dewatering screen from which is delivered the washed and classified silica sand product.
Specification