CDE launch new AquaCycle thickener
CDE has announced the launch of the AquaCycle A1500 thickener following its installation at a site operated by Creagh Concrete in Northern Ireland. The addition of the A1500 to the AquaCycle range (Fig.) represents the completion of a significant R&D program and will ensure increased opportunities to specify thickeners on the washing plants installed by CDE throughout the world, according to Senior Design Engineer with CDE, Paul O’Neill. The A1500 has a capacity of between 1000 m3/h and 1500 m3/h determined by the material being processed. “In a typical sand and gravel application the dirty water processing capacity will be approximately 1500 m3 per hour”, says O’Neill. “On ore processing applications capacities will be determined on an individual project basis to allow for the effective treatment of sludge containing material with a significantly higher specific gravity.”
One of the many product developments on the new Aquacycle A1500 is the redesign of the rake mechanism which is employed to condition the settled sludge within the thickener before it is discharged to the next phase of processing or the settling ponds. “The new four arm rake mechanism ensures maximum settlement of the sludge within the thickener while also ensuring its density is optimised for effective discharge via the integrated slurry pump” explains Paul O’Neill. Following the introduction of the new rake mechanism on the A1500 the design will now be introduced across the full AquaCycle range.
The rise in popularity of the AquaCycle thickener is a result of an increased requirement for operators to consider how to manage the waste water from their washing plant. According to CDE this is due to a desire to save space on site by reducing the space required for settling ponds, coupled with a growing realisation of the costs of maintaining these ponds. The AquaCycle A1500 has a tank diameter of 15 m and is constructed with the elevated cone design present across the range. The full AquaCycle range covers capacities from 100 m3/h up to 1500 m3/h across five models.
