Application of Hydrocyclones for Maintenance Dredging Operations

Category:

Pipeline/Discharge Systems

Description:

Hydrocyclone technology has typically been used for aggregate separation in the mining

industry. The feasibility and coordination of integrating hydrocyclone technology with

maintenance dredging activity has been investigated at Canaveral Harbor, Florida by the ACOE

Jacksonville District (CESAJ). A local sponsor, the Canaveral Port Authority, asked CESAJ to

investigate the possibility of applying hydrocyclone technology in the Canaveral Harbor

maintenance dredging project to increase the volume of dredged material suitable for beach

and/or nearshore disposal. A small workshop was convened January 4 and 5, 1994 by

CERC/CEWES and CESAJ to further assess requirements and capabilities of the hydrocyclone

application at Canaveral Harbor.

Hydrocyclones have been primarily used for the separation of different density or weight

materials within a slurry mixture.The hydrocyclone has no moving parts and requires relatively

low energy to perform its primary function. Hydrocyclones function efficiently with slurry

concentrations of about 20 percent solids by weight. Solids concentrations range from 5 to 50

percent.

For maintenance dredging applications, hydrocyclone operation can be isolated from the primary

dredging operation. A hydraulic unloader can be used to slurry the dredged material from a scow,

where it can be hydraulically pumped to screen off debris, then processed through the

hydrocyclone to separate out unwanted material until underflow material suitable for beach

nourishment (i.e. greater than 74 microns) isacquired.

Other potential applications

1) Beach nourishment.

2) Reduce volume for upland disposal applications.

3) Contaminated sediments.

Reviewer:

J. Lally

Company / Organization(s):

Access Restricted to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Information Sources:

Literature:

Title:

"Coordinating the Feasibility of a Dredged Material Separation System

using Hydrocyclones for Canaveral Harbor, Florida"

Author:

Deborah Heibel, Mitch Granat, Mark Wolff

Month:

Year:

1994

LitType:

Report/Proceedings

Publisher:

Dredging 94

Publication

ASCE, New York, New York

Address:

Page:

Interviews:

Interviewee:

Deborah Peterson

Interviewer:

John Lally

Interview Location: Tel Con 904 232-2204

Chapter 5 Other Technologies Reviewed