The document describes an experiment to test methods for accelerating the drainage of water from sand piles, including allowing free drainage over 14 days as well as using a perforated pipe connected to a suction pump. Results showed that with the suction pump, moisture levels were reduced to 4-8% within 3 days, much faster than the 2 weeks required without the pump. The suction drainage system effectively sped up the drainage process to one fifth of the normal drying time for sand piles.

1. Accelerated Drainage in Sand piles by Convoluted Perforated Pipe Eliza Hashemi Dr. Muhammed Bhuiyan Dr. Niranjali Jayasuriya

3. BACKGROUND

4. BACKGROUND The research is based on the problem presented to RMIT by Bacchus Marsh Boral Quarry for reducing drying time of sand stockpiles in the processing plant Boral Bacchus Marsh Quarry

7. AVAILABLE OPTIONS Different methods proposed for the problem. After several literature review two methods were chosen: Spiral Drain The system was supposed to drain the excess water that remains at the piles base. Surfactants The effectiveness of surfactants as dewatering agents in sand piles by reduction of surface tension of water adsorbed to the sand particles.

8. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE A. Free Drainage

12. The moisture probes results from free drainage step. The reduction trend on the second probe seems quite faster. Date Time Probe 1 Probe 2 01/02/2011 17:50:00 24.45693 21.05778 01/02/2011 17:56:00 24.46183 20.86109 01/02/2011 18:01:00 24.46183 19.5541 01/02/2011 18:10:00 24.46183 18.31694 01/02/2011 18:20:00 24.4289 17.54698 01/02/2011 18:33:00 24.41421 16.96707 01/02/2011 19:57:00 24.26558 15.92174 01/02/2011 20:32:00 24.21619 15.77146 02/02/2011 03:01:00 23.8237 14.98691 03/02/2011 09:17:00 22.62175 13.63572 04/02/2011 12:30:00 21.76913 12.71282 06/02/2011 05:39:00 20.30642 11.52561 06/02/2011 19:32:00 19.51832 10.91477 09/02/2011 02:48:00 17.3574 9.667 10/02/2011 02:43:00 16.76244 9.401358 13/02/2011 00:46:00 15.00647 8.61946 13/02/2011 05:28:00 14.87475 8.558022 15/02/2011 04:14:00 13.89975 8.231826 15/02/2011 13:10:00 13.7885 8.181438

13. B. Spiral Drain EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

15. Probe 1: the moisture content of the sample decreased to 10% in just one day and after 3 days to about 8%. The result showed some fluctuations due to discontinued pump operation. RESULTS Monitoring of moisture content with Probe 1

16. RESULTS The moisture content reduction at the point of Probe 2 is fast and obvious for the first few hours with pump working. Probe 2: the moisture content decreased to about 4% after 3 days. Monitoring of moisture content with Probe 2

17. The moisture probes results with suction pump in progress. Date Time Probe 1 Probe 2 17/02/2011 13:34:00 24.5 24.4 17/02/2011 13:36:00 25.0 24.5 17/02/2011 13:40:00 26.1 31.5 17/02/2011 13:42:00 25.4 28.4 17/02/2011 13:44:00 24.6 25.7 17/02/2011 13:48:00 23.1 22.1 17/02/2011 13:50:00 22.7 21.0 17/02/2011 13:59:00 20.8 17.6 17/02/2011 14:05:00 19.8 17.4 17/02/2011 14:11:00 18.7 16.3 17/02/2011 14:15:00 17.7 15.7 17/02/2011 14:38:29 16.1 13.4 17/02/2011 14:40:45 15.4 13.3 17/02/2011 14:43:23 14.8 13.2 17/02/2011 14:50:50 13.9 12.6 17/02/2011 21:59:00 9.6 6.9 18/02/2011 15:30:00 8.6 5.1 18/02/2011 18:15:00 8.4 5.0 19/02/2011 01:30:00 8.4 4.6 19/02/2011 23:55:00 7.9 4.0

18. RESULTS The suction capacity of the pump was 50 kPa at the start of the experiment and it decreased with moisture reduction in progress. On the 3rd day no water was drained through the pipe and the pump got air and the suction capacity decreased to less than 20 kPa. Pump suction capacity

20. Thank you Questions?