XRipper Grinder Keeps Correctional Facility on the Right Side of the Law

The unique properties of correctional facility waste can plug wastewater treatment plant equipment if it is not handled before it leaves the facility

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XRipper Grinder Keeps Correctional Facility on the Right Side of the Law

The problem: High volumes of waste coming from the Bacon County Probation Detention Center in Alma, Georgia, included unusual items that are common in correctional facilities. If these solids are not reduced, they can cause clogs and damage to the municipal wastewater treatment plants downstream. Fines can also be imposed upon the correctional facilities for not reducing these hard-to-process solids. Wanting to take care of this problem, the facility had installed a twin-shaft grinder at its lift station. But it wasn’t working.

When Vogelsang reps visiting the facility went out to look at its lift station, they noticed something was very wrong. “You could tell that there was a lot of binding on the cutter blade and spacer that caused the blades to bend and the motor to ultimately fail,” says Matt Neubauer, sales rep for Vogelsang. “Being in a difficult application it was hard to pinpoint what was the cause. After inspecting the unit while in the wet well, I could tell there was something that wasn’t right.”

It turns out that “something” was 4 inches of unprocessed razor blades.

The previous grinder could not process the razors because of its blade configuration, consisting of a stack of blades with spacers in between each one. The other machine became clogged as debris jammed between blades.

The solution: The facility replaced the competitor’s grinder with a Vogelsang XRipper XRC. This eliminated clogs and averted damage to downstream equipment before it left the facility. Vogelsang’s Ripper Rotors are made of one solid piece of specially treated steel, eliminating the blade and spacer stacking configuration. The super-sharp edges of the rotors cut through the worst solids as the two rotors turn in opposite directions, pulling debris through the middle.

Advantages of the Vogelsang solution: Not only was the XRipper better suited for the materials coming from the facility, maintenance on the unit would be much faster and easier. The unit has built-in lifter brackets for easy access. The ripper rotors can be removed in one piece so there is no need to align or shim individual blades. Routine service can be performed in a fraction of the time it takes to maintain other twin-shaft grinders.

Benefit for the userThe XRipper was able to replace the other unit with no reconfiguration to its existing piping. This “drop-in replacement” is one of the advantages of the XRipper.



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