Spiral Sand Washing Machine

What is Spiral Sand Washer?

A spiral sand washer (commonly known as an auger sand washer), also called a spiral sand washing equipment, is a mechanical device used to clean and classify sand, gravel, or ore. Specifically designed for manufactured sand, river sand, weathered sand, and tailings sand, it is mainly used in construction sand and gravel plants, mineral processing plants, sand quarries, etc., to remove mud and impurities from sand and gravel, improving sand quality.

This equipment completes the integrated operation of washing, desliming, grading, and dewatering through low-speed agitation by spiral blades, counter-current clean water rinsing, and gravity classification. It features a simple structure, stable operation, and low maintenance costs, making it the mainstream choice for small to large sand and gravel production lines.

CHUNLEI Spiral Sand Washing Machine Advantages

Leveraging over 20 years of experience in mining sand washing, CHUNLEI provides efficient, environmentally friendly, and durable sand and gravel washing solutions for river sand, manufactured sand, and mineral sand. It quickly removes impurities, improves sand and gravel quality, reduces operating costs, and ensures a smoother and more reliable production process.

• High Washing Efficiency: Optimized deep-trough spiral + adjustable weir plate achieves a washing efficiency of 95%+, ensuring clean and uniform sand and gravel.
• Low Fine Sand Loss: Optimized speed and gap design result in a loss rate of ≤5%, high recovery rate, and stable output.
• Energy Saving and Environmental Protection: Fully enclosed tank prevents overflow, low energy consumption, and water recycling reduce operating costs.
• Simple Operation and Maintenance: Integrated design with a small footprint, automatic sludge discharge, few vulnerable parts, and easy maintenance.
• Durable: Durable key components minimize maintenance.
• Flexible Customization: Supports single/double spiral, diesel/electric power, and extended tanks to adapt to various production capacities and site conditions.

Working Principle

The spiral sand washer uses water flow and spiral agitation to clean mud and impurities from sand and ore. The cleaned sand and ore are then discharged via a spiral conveyor.

1. Feeding and Mixing: Muddy sand and ore enter the water tank and form a slurry with water.
2. Spiral Agitation and Cleaning: The motor drives the spiral shaft to rotate at low speed. The rotating blades push the sand and ore to tumble and rub, thus achieving cement separation.
3. Countercurrent Washing and Desliming: Clean water flows in countercurrently from the discharge end to enhance desliming; light impurities are carried by the water flow to the overflow end.
4. Grading and Dewatering: Coarse sand is pushed to the discharge port for natural dewatering (moisture content 12%–15%); fine sand and muddy water enter the sedimentation tank or fine sand recovery machine.
5. Finished Product Discharge: Clean sand and ore are conveyed to the finished product silo, completing the cleaning process.

Why does my spiral sand washer always fail to clean the sand properly?

Incomplete sand cleaning is mostly caused by operating conditions, parameters, wear, water supply, and material characteristics:

Problem	Possible Causes	Solutions
Incomplete sand washing	Wear or incorrect angle of spiral blades	Check blade wear, replace or adjust angle if necessary
Mud cannot be discharged from the tank	Insufficient tank depth or improper overflow design	Increase water depth or adjust overflow height
Poor sand-mud separation	High mud content/high fine sand content in sand	Wash multiple times, or screen out large impurities first, wash in batches if necessary
Low sand washing efficiency	Excessive feed rate	Control feed rate to within 80% of rated capacity
Incomplete washing	Inappropriate rotation speed	Adjust rotation speed to ensure sand is fully agitated but not lost with water flow
Incomplete washing	Insufficient water	Increase flushing water volume to ensure mud discharge
Mixed mud and water	Poor water quality or excessive mud thickness	Install mud-water separation equipment or use clean water for rinsing

Spiral sand washing machine vs. wheel sand washing machine

Comparison Dimensions	Spiral Sand Washer	Wheel Sand Washer
Washing Efficiency	High (95%+), thorough desliming	Medium (85%–90%), more residue
Fine Sand Loss	Low (≤5%)	High (10%–20%)
Processing Capacity	Large (10–500t/h)	Medium (5–100t/h)
Energy Consumption	Low (20% energy saving)	Relatively High
Maintenance Cost	Low, fewer vulnerable parts	Relatively High, easily damaged wheel buckets
Applicable Materials	High mud content, high fine sand	Low mud content, mainly coarse sand

What types of sand, gravel, or ore are suitable for spiral sand washing machines?

Spiral sand washing machines are suitable for cleaning, grading, and removing impurities from a variety of natural sand, gravel, and ore materials, especially those with high mud content and numerous impurities. Commonly used materials include river sand, manufactured sand (such as granite, basalt, limestone, etc.), mountain sand, weathered sand, quartz sand, building aggregates, and some ores such as iron ore and manganese ore.

Due to the equipment’s strong tumbling and cleaning capabilities, it can effectively improve the cleanliness of the finished product when processing high-mud, high-dust materials. It is widely used in sand and gravel plants, mines, building materials, highways, hydropower, and other industries.

What are the differences between using a spiral sand washer to clean sea sand and river sand?

Sea sand and river sand differ in salt content, impurity composition, and cleaning methods, therefore the processing methods used when using a spiral sand washer will also differ.

River sand, with impurities such as mud and stone powder, can meet most construction sand requirements with conventional washing. Sea sand, however, contains impurities such as salt and shells. In addition to removing mud and sand, it is crucial to reduce the salt and chloride ion content; otherwise, it may affect concrete quality and steel reinforcement durability.

Cleaning sea sand typically requires increasing the number of washes and water usage. Some production lines also use dewatering and fine sand recovery equipment to improve desalination efficiency. In contrast, the river sand washing process is relatively simple and has lower requirements for equipment corrosion and water treatment.

Because spiral sand washers have strong tumbling and agitation capabilities, they are well-suited for cleaning various sand and gravel, including sea sand and river sand.

What to do about severe fine sand loss during sand washing?

Severe fine sand loss during sand washing leads to decreased output and economic losses. Fine sand loss can be effectively reduced and output and economic benefits ensured by adjusting the rotation speed, weir plate, water flow, and blades, combined with a recovery device and a suitable machine model. Specifically:

• Reduce Rotation Speed: Standard 12–16 rpm, reduce to 8–10 rpm for high fine sand output to minimize disturbance.
• Adjust Weir Plate: Raise it by 50–100 mm to reduce overflow velocity and prolong settling time.
• Replace Blades: Repair worn blades, controlling the gap to 5–8 mm to reduce sand leakage.
• Control Water Flow: Sand-to-water ratio 1:1.2–1.5 to avoid direct flow to the overflow outlet.
• Install Recovery Machine: Add a fine sand recovery machine to the overflow outlet to reduce the loss rate to ≤5%.
• Clean Overflow Outlet/Tank: Regularly clean the overflow outlet to maintain stable water flow.
• Select the Right Machine Model: For high fine sand output and large production capacity, consider using an extended tank or a twin-spiral machine.

What precautions should be taken when handling materials with high viscosity and mud content?

In actual sand production, many users encounter materials with high mud content, such as mountain sand, weathered sand, and river silt. These raw materials are prone to clumping and have strong adhesion. If the handling method is not appropriate, it can easily affect the sand washing effect and the stability of equipment operation.

When using a spiral sand washer to process materials with high mud content, it is recommended to maintain uniform feeding and appropriately increase the washing water volume to ensure thorough separation of mud and sand. For raw materials with a large amount of mud lumps, a simple screening or pre-washing process can be added at the front end, which can significantly improve the subsequent washing efficiency.

In addition, highly viscous materials are more likely to adhere to the spiral blades and the inside of the tank during operation. Therefore, it is necessary to clean the accumulated mud regularly and check the condition of easily worn parts. Appropriately controlling the processing volume also helps to improve the cleanliness of the finished sand and the overall operational stability.

With proper configuration, the spiral sand washer is also suitable for continuous washing operations of sand and gravel materials with high mud content and high impurities.

Spiral Sand Washer Customer Site Demonstration

Different regions and different materials have different requirements for sand washing equipment. Our spiral sand washers have been widely used in river sand, sea sand, manufactured sand, mountain sand, and high-mud-content sand and gravel cleaning projects, operating stably on-site and achieving excellent washing results.

Common Faults and Solutions

During long-term operation, spiral sand washing machines may experience some common problems due to improper operation or inadequate maintenance. Understanding the causes and addressing them promptly can effectively reduce downtime and ensure sand washing efficiency.

Decreased Washing Cleanliness

Possible Causes: Excessive feed rate, insufficient water volume, or excessive mud content.

Solutions: Control the feed rate, increase the washing water volume, and add a pre-washing process if necessary.

Equipment Blockage or Strain

Possible Causes: High material viscosity, excessive mud lumps, or continuous overload operation.

Solutions: Maintain uniform feed, promptly clean mud from the tank, and avoid prolonged full-load operation.

Severe Fine Sand Loss

Possible Causes: Excessive water flow or improper discharge control.

Solutions: Adjust the water flow rate; consider using a fine sand recovery device.

Bearing Overheating or Abnormal Noise

Possible Causes: Insufficient lubrication, bearing wear, or impurities entering the bearing.

Solutions: Regularly add lubricating oil and check bearing wear.

Rapid wear of the spiral blades.

Possible causes: Long-term handling of high-hardness sand and gravel or failure to promptly clean accumulated material.

Solution: Regularly inspect vulnerable parts and maintain or replace them promptly.

Technical Parameters of Spiral Sand Washing Machine

Model	Spiral Diameter(mm)	Length of flume(mm)	Screw speed(r/min)	Capacity（t/d）		Motor power（kw）		Overall Dimension（mm≤）
				According to sand return	By overflow	Transmission	For lifting	Length	Width	Height
LX-3	300	3000	12-30	80-150	20	1.1	—-	3850	490	1140
LX-5	500	4500	8-12.5	135-210	32	1.1	—-	5430	680	1480
LX-7	750	5500	6-10	340-570	65	3	—-	6720	980	1820
LX-10	1000	6500	5-8	675-1080	110	5.5	—-	7590	1240	2380
LX-10		8400		675-1080	85	7.5	—-	9600	1240	2680
LX-12	1200	6500	4-6	1170-1870	155	7.5	2.2	8180	1570	3110
LX-12		8400		1170-1870	120	7.5	2.2	10370	1540	3920
2LX-12		6500		2340-3740	310	15	4.4	8230	2790	3110
2LX-12		8400		2340-3740	240	15	4.4	10370	2790	3920
LX-15	1500	8300	4-6	1830-2740	235	7.5	2.2	10410	1880	4080
LX-15		10500		1830-2740	185	7.5	2.2	12670	1820	4890
2LX-15		8300		2280-5480	470	15	4.4	10410	3390	4080
2LX-15		10500		2280-5480	370	15	4.4	12670	3370	4890
LX-20	2000	8400	3.6-5.5	3290-5940	400	11-15	3	10790	2530	4490
LX-20		12900		3210-5940	320	11-15	3	15610	2530	5340
2LX-20		8400		7780-11880	800	22-30	6	11000	4600	4490
2LX-20		12900		7780-11880	640	22-30	6	15760	4600	5640
LX-24	2400	9130	3.67	6800	580	15	3	11650	2910	4970
LX-24		14130		6800	490	18.5	4	16580	2930	7190
2LX-24		9130		13600	1160	30	6	12710	5430	5690
2LX-24		14130		13700	910	37	8	17710	5430	8000
2LX-30	3000	12500	3.2	23300	1785	40	8	16020	6640	6350
2LX-30		14300		23300	1410	—-	—-	17091	—-	8680

FAQ

Q: What materials is a spiral sand washer suitable for cleaning?

A: It can be used for cleaning various sand and gravel materials such as river sand, manufactured sand, mountain sand, weathered sand, and stone powder sand, especially suitable for raw materials with high mud content.

Q: How effective is the spiral sand washer?

A: The equipment combines spiral propulsion with water flushing to effectively remove mud, dust, and impurities from sand and gravel, improving the cleanliness of the finished sand.

Q: Can it handle materials with high mud content?

A: Yes. For materials with high mud content, the water volume can be appropriately increased and the feed rate controlled to maintain a stable cleaning effect.

Q: Will the spiral sand washer result in significant fine sand loss?

A: Compared to some traditional sand washing equipment, the spiral sand washer results in less fine sand loss. To further improve the recovery rate, it can be used in conjunction with a fine sand recovery machine.

Q: What is the hourly processing capacity?

A: The output varies depending on the model. Small equipment can process tens of tons per hour, while large equipment can reach hundreds of tons per hour. Choose the appropriate model based on your production needs.

Q: Is the equipment prone to clogging during operation?

A: Under normal circumstances, material blockage is not common. Maintaining a uniform feed rate and promptly cleaning accumulated mud can effectively prevent blockages.

Q: Is daily maintenance complicated?

A: Maintenance is relatively simple. Regularly check the bearings, reducer, and auger blades, and perform lubrication and cleaning as needed.

Q: What is the difference between a spiral sand washer and a wheel sand washer?

A: Spiral sand washers are more suitable for materials with high mud content and have stronger cleaning capabilities; wheel sand washers are more suitable for production lines with higher requirements for fine sand recovery.