abrasive recovery

Abrasive Recovery – Collect, Clean, and Reuse Used Abrasives

Abrasive recovery is particularly useful in situations where suitable abrasive media are regularly used in large quantities. Instead of completely disposing of the material left on the floor or on the workpiece after blasting, a recovery system can collect components that are still technically usable and make them available for reuse.

The extent to which this process can be automated depends on the system. The current product line includes stationary vacuum systems for blasting rooms, models with additional abrasive reconditioning or temporary storage, mobile accessories for floor collection, and a compact suction system for direct collection at the workpiece.

Vacuum Recovery for Stationary Blasting Rooms

Contracor VAC systems pneumatically convey used abrasive media through a suction hose to the recovery unit. In typical stationary applications, the material is collected via a floor hopper. Optionally, a hand-held suction tube can be used to collect loose abrasive media directly from floor surfaces, edge areas, or around workpieces.

The VAC-5 and VAC-7 are designed to meet different requirements for suction and cleaning performance. Depending on the model, processed material is either automatically returned to a suitable blast pot or collected in a separate silo.

Abrasive reconditioning is more than just reclaiming the material

Used abrasive media contains not only grains that are still usable after use. It also contains dust, abrasion residue, broken-down fine particles, and abraded surface components. Recirculating the media without proper separation would reintroduce these components into the process.

For this reason, various VAC models are equipped with cleaning systems. The more powerful systems, for example, can utilize a cascade cleaner. S-variants additionally feature the CS-500 dust pre-separator and are designed for applications involving mineral abrasives that generate more dust. The type of recirculation system required depends largely on the medium used and its behavior within the circuit.

Direct return or freestanding storage silo

In systems where the storage tank is located directly on the blast pot, the cleaned material can be automatically returned for the next blasting cycle. This reduces the need for manual transport and filling operations and facilitates the most direct possible material cycle.

The H and HS models follow a different design concept. Their freestanding storage silo collects the recovered material separately from the blast pot. It can then be dispensed in a controlled manner for reuse or—if no longer usable—sent for proper disposal or loaded into big bags. This separation offers greater flexibility in material handling processes.

Collect abrasive media directly from the floor

A stationary floor hopper serves as a central feeding point but does not automatically reach every area of the blasting chamber. The VACS hand-guided suction tube expands VAC systems by adding a mobile collection point. Support wheels and a handle make it easier to maneuver, while the connected suction hose transports the material to the recovery system.

This also allows for the cleaning of edges and surfaces where the abrasive media would otherwise first have to be moved to the floor hopper using a broom or shovel.

Extraction directly at the workpiece

The ACF SP 18 operates on a different principle than stationary VAC systems. The suction head rests against the surface to be treated with a brush sleeve. Abrasive media, dust, and dislodged particles are extracted directly at the point of impact and directed into a cyclone container.

This technology is particularly useful for spot work and environments where the spread of abrasive media and dust needs to be minimized as much as possible. However, it should not be equated with a fully stationary indoor recovery system. On edges and highly uneven surfaces, the sealing of the working head may be limited.

Not every abrasive media is equally suitable for recovery

Technical and economic reusability depends on grain stability, grain size, density, grain shape, moisture content, and contamination. Media that disintegrate easily produce a high proportion of fine particles and may be less suitable for multiple cycles. Moist or clumped material also makes pneumatic conveyance more difficult.

Before selecting a recovery system, it is therefore important to determine which abrasive media will be used, how much material is generated, what the planned conveying distance is, and whether the recovered abrasive media will be returned directly to the process or stored first.

Select the appropriate abrasive recovery system for your process

A properly designed abrasive media recovery system is not a standalone accessory, but rather an integral part of the entire blasting process. The type of material, the blasting chamber, the feed system, cleaning, filtration, and other aspects of material handling must all be coordinated with one another.

The product range therefore covers a variety of concepts: automatic recirculation, additional dust pre-separation, more intensive abrasive cleaning, flexible intermediate storage, mobile floor collection, and direct suction at the workpiece. This allows recovery methods to be selected based on the actual material flow and application profile.