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A sand separator is a device used to remove sand or mud from fluid suspensions, usually water pumped from wells and boreholes. Most sand separation devices work by imparting a cyclonic flow pattern to the water passing through them. This action spins the heavier sand particles out of the separator, where they settle in the collection chambers for later removal. This differentiates the sand separator from conventional filters and also makes it more reliable and easier to maintain. These devices fall into two basic categories: those found on the ground and those found in a pit.
Many wells or well environments have sand contamination to one degree or another. This suspended sludge is not only undesirable from a health standpoint, it also wreaks havoc on pump parts, valves, pipes, and irrigation systems. Removal of suspended sand from well water can be accomplished using physical filters or by placing a sand separator in line with the pump discharge or suction piping. Filters are very efficient at removing suspended sand from the water, but they are also subject to clogging and require considerable effort to clean and maintain. Also, the elements used as physical barriers in a filter are often very expensive.
The sand separator is a much simpler sand removal operation option and requires less maintenance and less financial commitment to maintain. These devices make use of a rotating cyclone-like action within their casings to transmit a centrifugal force on the water passing through them. Most sand separator units are closed cylindrical devices and achieve cyclonic action by introducing water into the cylinder through inlet ports positioned at a tangent to its linear axis. This causes the water to spiral as it passes through the device.
The centrifugal force imparted to the suspension forces the heavier sand particles out of the tube, where they settle and accumulate. The clean water is then drawn from the cylinder into discharge tubes. How the collected sand is removed from the separator depends on which of the two basic types of device is being used. The first of these is the surface separator, which is usually easily accessible. This type of device has a purge valve at the bottom of the cylinder, which allows sand to be manually flushed out of the device at regular intervals.
The second type of sand separator is the in-hole or submerged device located at the bottom of the well or well, which is obviously not accessible. These separators feature an automatic flexible valve at the bottom of the separator housing. When a predetermined amount of sand is collected at the bottom of the cylinder, the valve automatically opens and the sand falls to the bottom of the well.