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Hydroscreen Solid Liquid Separation Equipment - American Garment Finishers

Overview

The American Garment Finishers Corporation in El Paso, Texas, is a major jean stonewashing facility.

The plant operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, consuming over 150,000 pounds of pumice and 40-50 million gallons of water. During the process, approximately 50% of the pumice breaks down into small stones and sand particles. As the washers dump into the drain trenches, the water, sand, smaller stones, and lint are carried in the effluent stream from the building.

Problem

The El Paso Water Utilities Board passed regulations limiting the suspended solids discharge to 300 ppm or less. The two effluent streams leaving the building were being screened through six shaker screens. The stones and sand caused extreme wear to the screening surfaces and required frequent replacement. In addition, the labor cost to maintain the shaker screens was substantial. Screening of some type was a necessity prior to the effluent entering either the El Paso sewer system or the American Garment water treatment plant.

Solution

One Hydroscreen® static screen was installed as a test unit to determine the effectiveness of the unit, the wear rate on the screen, as well as the labor expense to maintain the unit. After a three month trial, three more units were purchased to screen the plant’s entire effluent stream. These units screen approximately 80,000 pounds of sand, lint, etc. per day from the waste stream.

Result

The Hydroscreen® units have been on-line for nearly a year now, with minimal labor expense to keep them clean and zero expense for parts maintenance. They replaced six 48" shaker screens and two employees.

The water treatment plant at American Garment operates more efficiently with fewer pumps and less electrical load. Approximately 650 GPM of former wastewater is recycled into the plant machines after leaving the water treatment plant. The balance of the water is discharged without sewer charge penalties. The Parkson units will pay for themselves in less than one year.