Every material has its own origin and characteristics — whether it comes from a quarry, demolition waste or a contaminated site. Each behaves differently when washed, so our laboratory’s work begins with material characterisation and continues at three key stages throughout the plant’s life cycle.
Once we receive a sample of the material to be treated, the analysis begins. At the heart of this stage is our pilot washing rig for aggregates, which reproduces on a small scale what the final plant will do, producing three results:
- Turbid water
The essential “raw material” for all the tests that follow. - Measuring the fines content
A material estimated to contain 5% fines can turn out to contain 20%: we obtain the real figure and avoid sizing errors that would become serious problems once the plant is built. - Particle size distribution (PSD)
The distribution of particle sizes: an analysis we perform in-house, saving the customer the time and cost of using an external laboratory.
Next come the flocculation tests, carried out in beakers and graduated cylinders to identify the most suitable flocculant, determine the optimal dosage and size the clarifier and dosing units. Dewatering tests then assess the thickened sludge to size and configure the filter press, including filtration pressure, filter-chamber thickness, cloth type and any required chemical conditioning, such as milk of lime.
