Sand Processing

Dry sand processing at Manley Bros. differs from the systems applied by most other producers. In typical operations, after drying, the sand is sorted into fractions, which are then used as specific grades or blended to provide the desired grade. Unlike most operators who use screens to produce these fractions we use Manley fractionators to sort our main stream sand production into nine fractions. The operating principle is quite simple. A controlled feed of sand is distributed over an inclined plate and falls as a thin curtain from its lower edge. A constant stream of air is drawn through the curtain of sand and, since all the particles are of the same density, they are displaced from their vertical fall line according to their size (surface area.) They are collected and rearranged to form a new curtain, coarsest at the front finest at the rear and winnowed again to refine the sorting. After doing this for a third time the collected fractions are put into storage bins. Any grade, ranging from a coarse of 35 AFS to a fine of 140 AFS , may be produced from the nine fractions to suit individual customer requirements. Manley Bros. also uses screens to process some of their smaller volume products and are not without experience when making comparisons between the two systems. The fractionators have very low wear rates and there is not the risk of grade failure that exists with relatively high wear rate screens. The fractions are of great consistency, leading to minimal variation in grades, day to day. Call us at 815-539-7486 for more information or better yet come and visit to get a 'feel' for our fractionators and their ability to produce sands suited to your requirements.