The elevator feeds into an airwash and storage hopper.  The purpose of the airwash separator is three fold:

 

1. It removes contaminants from the working abrasive mix.

2. It controls the size of abrasive in the working mix.

3. It controls the consumption of abrasive by controlling the size of abrasive removed from the system.

 

This is accomplished by drawing air through a falling curtain of abrasive.  The required air currents are produced by the extraction system.

 

The abrasive is directed via various cascading plates to a counter balanced pivot plate.  This helps to produce an even flow of abrasives across the airwash zone.

 

The air currents then extract the fines and dust.  Fines materials pass down an adjustable fines chute via a flexible pipe to ground level for collection and disposal by the client.  The dust is drawn down the ductwork to the extraction system.

 

The cleaned abrasive then passes into the lower half of the unit, which forms a hopper, prior to being directed into the blast machine.

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Which in turn feeds the blast machine with good, clean abrasive.