Luck Stone installs sand-washing system in Atlanta

By Edited by Kevin Yanik| December 7, 2023

According to CDE, its EvoWash system allows operators to make adjustments to the blending of final products as they discharge off the dewatering screen. The system also allows for adjustment in the feedbox prior to material entering the dewatering screen, leaving a completely adjustable cut point in real-time – which the company describes as essential for a potentially fluctuating feed. Ultimately, CDE says this enables operators to produce a consistent and optimized concrete sand product. Photo: CDE

Luck Stone, the nation’s largest family-owned and -operated producer of crushed stone, sand and gravel, recently invested in a 110-tph sand-washing system in a bid to optimize output and reduce waste at its Atlanta-Stephens Plant.

Specifically, Luck Stone partnered with CDE on an EvoWash system as a means to replace sand screw equipment.

According to CDE, Luck Stone previously produced a washed sand in Atlanta using a traditional sand screw yet found that the technology was not optimal to achieve the desired specification. Ultimately, CDE determined that the removal of 30 to 50 mesh sand was essential if Luck Stone were to produce an in-spec concrete sand.

In order to optimize output, CDE replaced the existing sand screw equipment with its EvoWash technology, processing at a rate of 110 tph.

“We did a lot of work ahead of installation with gradations analysis, having CDE run simulations along with our own simulations so that we really knew what we needed to do to have the right controls when the plant was installed,” says Brent Junior, senior project specialist at Luck Stone.

“The installation was really great,” Junior adds. “On a Thursday morning, we started disassembling the sand screw. The team worked through the weekend, and by Monday morning we were operating and producing in-spec sand. It was great to minimize downtime and start making product right away to meet customer needs.”

As CDE describes, its EvoWash is a compact, modular sand-washing system that separates smaller sand and gravel fractions through an integrated, high-frequency dewatering screen, sump and hydrocyclones that provide control of silt cut points and eliminate the loss of fines of commercial value.

With the technology, Luck Stone is now producing three sand products – concrete sand, asphalt sand and masonry sand – to be used in construction projects across Georgia.

“This is our first project with Luck Stone,” says Joe Teague, vice president of sales at CDE. “It’s been a great experience for CDE. The professionalism and the collaboration that we experienced from our team working with their team early on was great, and we look forward to continuing our partnership.”