Dewatering

Sand and other aggregates must be sufficiently cleaned and dried before they can be used in construction projects to ensure the integrity of the end-use product. This washing process involves the use of water to help remove deleterious materials. After the washing process, aggregates are typically subjected to some level of mechanical dewatering to remove excess water and to make a beltable and stackable product.

Dewatering aggregate products has many benefits. It reduces the moisture content of the final product, reducing the amount of stockpile dewatering time required before it can be sold and allowing it to be sold much more quickly. It also reduces the amount of moisture that gets transported or hauled with the product, improving efficiency and operating costs. Because dewatered products contain less moisture, there is less mess underneath conveyors and around stockpiles where water typically would have dripped or leached out.

The level of dewatering achieved depends on the type of material being dewatered as well as the type of dewatering equipment.