Systems and methods for extracting sand from raw slurry material

A sand separator system for extracting sand from a raw slurry material comprising sand and liquid material comprising:

• a barrel member defining a processing axis A, a processing chamber defining a feed portion, a pre-processing portion, a separator portion, and an outlet opening;
• a trough system for containing a portion of the raw slurry material;
• a support frame for supporting the barrel member such that the feed portion is within the portion of the raw slurry material contained by the trough system;
• a drive system for causing the barrel member to rotate about its axis;
• at least one pre-processing member, where the at least one pre-processing member is supported by the barrel member within the feed portion and the pre-processing portion of the processing chamber;
• and
• a plurality of separator members, where
• the plurality of separator members are supported by the barrel member within the separator portion of the processing chamber, and
• the plurality of separator members define at least one separator gap;
• wherein
• as the drive system causes the barrel member to rotate about the processing axis A,
• the at least one pre-processing member transports at least a portion of the raw slurry material from the feed portion to the separator portion through the pre-processing portion such that
• at least some of the sand in the raw slurry material is transported to the separator portion, and
• at least some of the liquid material in the raw slurry material is allowed to flow back towards the feed portion, and
• the plurality of separator members transport at least a portion of the raw slurry material from the pre-processing portion to the outlet opening through the separator portion such that
• at least some of the sand in the raw slurry material is transported to the outlet opening, and
• at least some of the liquid material in the raw slurry material is allowed to flow back towards the pre-processing portion through the at least one separator gap.

A method of processing raw slurry material comprising particulate material and liquid material to separate the particulate material from the liquid material, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a barrel member defining a processing axis A, a processing chamber defining a feed portion, a pre-processing portion, a separator portion, and an outlet opening;
• supporting at least one pre-processing member within the feed portion and the pre-processing portion of the processing chamber;
• and
• supporting a plurality of separator members within the separator portion of the processing chamber such that the plurality of separator members define at least one separator gap;
• rotating the barrel member about the processing axis A1 such that
• the at least one pre-processing member transports at least a portion of the raw slurry material from the feed portion to the separator portion through the pre-processing portion such that
• at least some of the particulate material in the raw slurry material is transported to the separator portion, and
• at least some of the liquid material in the raw slurry material is allowed to flow back towards the feed portion, and
• the plurality of separator members transport at least a portion of the raw slurry material from the pre-processing portion to the outlet opening through the separator portion such that
• at least some of the particulate material in the raw slurry material is transported to the outlet opening, and
• at least some of the liquid material in the raw slurry material is allowed to flow back towards the pre-processing portion through the at least one separator gap.