To clean cement dust from its trucks more effectively, Sunstate Cement devised an ingenious truck wash facility, drawing on technical assistance provided by nozzle specialist, Tecpro Australia.
Sunstate Cement is a leading Australian owned, Queensland-based manufacturer and supplier of high quality cement product to Queensland and northern NSW.
The company has the capacity to produce over 1.5 million tonnes of cement per year from its strategically located Port of Brisbane plant.
“Sunstate Cement is an innovative and environmentally conscious company,” said Patrick Cooper, a technical consultant with Tecpro Australia. “They had an existing truck wash which used recycled water to clean cement powder off vehicles prior to them leaving site. However the nozzles being used were incorrect for the application and the pump lacked the pressure and output to be effective.”
In designing an upgrade to the truck wash facility, Sunstate Cement’s Environmental and QA Supervisor, Deirdrie Cheers, contacted Tecpro Australia for advice on the best choice of nozzles to use.
“Drawing on our experience in dealing with dust in industrial settings, we recommended a particular style of nozzle to suit the application,” said Mr Cooper. “These nozzles would provide the required volume and jet impact for effective cleaning, and this guided Sunstate Cement in identifying the best choice of pump.”
Since the water being used in the truck wash was recycled, Sunstate Cement upgraded its associated pipework and filtration system. The company also implemented a maintenance schedule to prevent the sump filling up with sludge, which had occurred in the previous system.
“Once the new truck wash facility was up and running, Sunstate Cement contacted us to say everyone was astounded by how well it worked,” said Mr Cooper. “The new truck wash was proving very effective in cleaning the trucks, and was therefore reducing the incidence of cement powder leaving the site.”
Sunstate Cement submitted its truck wash facilities upgrade to the 2014 Cement Concrete and Aggregates Environmental Awards – and won a highly commended award for environmental innovation. These awards recognise innovation and best practice in the heavy construction materials industry.
“Sunstate Cement did a great job in developing a solution that cleaned cement dust from trucks leaving the facility,” said Mr Cooper. “We were delighted to play a role in the project by recommending the right choice of nozzles to get the job done.”
For more information about Tecpro’s expertise in nozzles for all types of industrial applications, contact the technical team on 02 9634 3370 or visit www.tecpro.com.au.