WS Tyler introduced its new, all-inclusive Hydro-Clean Mobile Test Plant at CONEXPO, which enables operations to test Hydro-Clean washing technology at their sites before committing to a capital investment. The company stated: “Washing material with the Hydro-Clean results in cleaner products, higher selling values and new income from the sale of material that previously was considered waste. With the Mobile Test Plant, aggregate, recycling, coal mining and other types of operations can see first-hand the Hydro-Clean’s success in washing their own materials on site.”
WS Tyler says it has improved its previous Hydro-Clean Mobile Test Plants by incorporating all the crucial components needed for testing – a feed hopper, a feed conveyor, the Hydro-Clean unit and a larger, single-deck rinse screen – all self-contained on a 16.2 m (53 ft) trailer. “Supplying some of this equipment can be inconvenient for many customers,” said Michael Honea, WS Tyler process engineer. “The new Mobile Test Plant is completely self contained to make testing as easy as possible for our customers, and provides results that clearly illustrate how the technology can add value to their operations.”
The company also stated that it has had a lot of success with Hydro-Clean testing in coal. Billions of tonnes of coal sit abandoned in mines throughout the world because it is heavily contaminated with soil or clay, which dramatically reduces its BTU value. Utility companies generally are not interested in using this contaminated coal as it is a low-quality product. Log washers can be used to clean the coal, but they often lack enough force and friction to remove clay. Log washers also generally require the clay to go through several cycles, and they are costly to operate. Testing has indicated the Hydro-Clean is effective at removing soil and clay contaminants in one pass, and it more than doubled the BTU value of the coal. This process reduces the virgin coal consumed by a utility company which reduces expenses. The cleaning process more than doubled the value of the coal.
Tests completed with the Mobile Plant, using a client’s contaminated material, will accurately determine the effectiveness of the Hydro-Clean technology. It also allows WS Tyler to establish a baseline for the expected production capabilities of one of its full sized units. Finally, the cleaned, finished product allows for analysis of the desired material gradation. This gives WS Tyler and the operator an opportunity to see the results of the liberated material and to determine the potential increase in value.
The Mobile Test Plant can process up to 18 t/h. W.S. Tyler provides a diesel generator and a diesel engine to power it, and a WS Tyler representative is on site to conduct the testing. WS Tyler’s stationary and portable Hydro-Clean systems are available in three sizes with varying capacities: the HC350, HC1000 and HC2000. The high-pressure water liberates the desired material from the clay better and faster than traditional washers. The Hydro-Cleans uses 75% less water than traditional washing methods, and since only 10% fresh water is required to operate it effectively, operations can use recycled water to reduce water consumption even further. Finally, the Hydro-Cleans uses approximately 15% less energy than traditional washers.
