Considering investing in a blasting media recovery system? Brandon Acker of Titan Abrasives Systems provides advice on choosing the right system for your operation. #ask an expert
       Mechanical recovery system for blasting Image Credit: All photos courtesy of Titan Abrasives
       Q: I’m considering using a recovery system for my blasting, but I could use some advice on what to invest in.
       In the field of sandblasting, a critical process in product finishing, recycling is not getting the recognition it deserves.
        Take, for example, steel sand, which is the most recyclable of all abrasive materials. It can be reused over 200 times at an initial cost of $1,500 to $2,000 per ton. Compared to $300 a tonne of disposable explosives like ashes, you’ll quickly find that recyclable materials cost more than some inexpensive disposable or restricted materials.
        Whether in a shot blasting chamber or a shot blasting chamber, there are two methods for collecting abrasive materials for continuous use: vacuum (pneumatic) regeneration systems and mechanical regeneration systems. Each of them has its own advantages and limitations, depending mainly on the type of explosive environment required for your operation.
        Vacuum systems are less expensive than mechanical systems and are suitable for lighter abrasive materials such as plastics, glass beads, and even some smaller aluminum oxide particles. The lower cost is mainly due to the fact that, unlike mechanical systems, they generally contain fewer components. Moreover, since the vacuum system has no mechanical parts, it requires less maintenance.
        The vacuum system also makes it easy to carry. Some vacuum systems can be skid mounted, avoiding a permanent installation, whether for aesthetic reasons or limited production space.
        There are three main types of vacuum recovery systems to choose from. The main difference is when they collect the waste material for sandblasting and how quickly they do it.
        The first type allows the user to complete the entire shot blasting operation; when the work is completed, the vacuum nozzle sucks all the material in one go. This system is useful because it reduces material disposal issues if your project requires the reuse of all sandblasting materials.
        The second type is usually used in industrial blasting using a shot blasting chamber or cabinet. In blastrooms, the user typically sweeps or rakes the blast material into a collection chute at the rear of the blastroom at the end or during the blasting process. Waste material is evacuated and transported to a cyclone where it is cleaned and returned to the blaster for reuse. In shot blast cabinets, the medium is continuously removed during shot blasting without the need for any further action by the user.
        In the third variant, the exhausted medium is continuously sucked back by the vacuum working head immediately after it hits the surface of the shot blasting product. While this is much slower than the previous options, much less dust is generated by simultaneous media ejection and suction, and the total amount of ejected media is much less. With fewer open environments, explosive dust pollution will be significantly reduced.
        In general, the vacuum method is less labor intensive than the mechanical method because lighter abrasives are easier to clean. However, the inability of vacuum systems to effectively suck heavier media has all but eliminated the use of materials such as grit and shot (one of the most commonly used substances). Another disadvantage is speed: if a company does a lot of blasting and recycling, the vacuum system can become a significant bottleneck.
        Some companies offer complete vacuum systems with multiple chambers cycling from one chamber to another. Although it was faster than the previously described system, it was still slower than the mechanical version.
        Mechanical recycling is ideal for high production needs as it can accommodate a processing area of ​​any size. In addition, mechanical blasting systems can handle the heaviest media such as steel sand/shot. Mechanical systems are also much faster than typical vacuum systems, making them a natural choice for high performance blasting and recovery.
        Bucket elevators are the heart of any mechanical system. It is equipped with a front hopper into which recycled abrasives are swept or shoveled. It is constantly on the move, and each bucket scoops up some recycled sandblasting material. The media is then cleaned by passing through drums and/or air scrubbers which separate the recycled media from dust, debris and other particulate matter.
        The simplest configuration is to buy a bucket elevator and anchor it to the ground, leaving the bin on the ground. However, in this case the bunker is about two feet off the ground and loading the steel sand into the bunker can be challenging as the shovel can weigh up to 60-80 pounds.
        The best option is to build both a bucket elevator and a (slightly different) bunker into the pit. The bucket elevator is outside the blast chamber and the hopper is inside, flush with the concrete floor. The excess abrasive can then be swept into a hopper rather than scooped up, which is much easier.
        Auger in a mechanical extraction system. The auger pushes the abrasive into the hopper and back into the blaster.
        If your blast room is particularly large, you can add an auger to the equation. The most common addition is a cross auger mounted at the rear of the building. This allows employees to simply press (or even blow compressed air through) the used abrasive against the back wall. Regardless of which part of the auger the medium is pushed into, it is transported back to the bucket elevator.
        Additional augers can be installed in a “U” or “H” configuration. There is even a full floor option where multiple augers feed a cross auger and the entire concrete floor is replaced with a heavy duty grate.
        For small shops looking to save money, wanting to use lighter abrasives in their blasting operations, and not concerned about production speed, a vacuum system can come in handy. This is a good option even for large companies that do limited blasting and don’t need a system that can handle large volumes of blasting. Conversely, mechanical systems are best suited for heavier environments where speed is not the main factor.
        Brandon Acker is President of Titan Abrasive Systems, one of the leading designers and manufacturers of blast rooms, cabinets and related equipment. Visit www.titanabrasive.com.
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