Getting Control
Alex Scott
Getting Control
Some practical considerations of cone crusher operation
•feed arrangements
•speed
Feeding Arrangements
Functionality of a cone crusher.
The negative effects of poor feeding---how poor feeds cause extra costs to the
operation and reduce productivity
Some ideas how we can determine the source.
Some ideas how to prevent and cure, reduce costs, increase plant and equipment
utilisation and generally increase profitability.
Cone Crusher Function
A cone crusher has an annular crushing chamber.
The CSS runs around the chamber so the action is basically rotational.
Raw material enters the chamber on the OSS and is crushed one half revolution later by
the CSS.
This cycle takes place in most cone crushers 5 to 6 times per second.
Cone crushers have volumetric capacities.
Function
Function
Concave
CSS followed 1800 later by
OSS
Reaction to well distributed, unsegregated feed
A similar crushing force will be seen throughout each and every revolution
Reaction Force F1
Crushing Force
F1+F2
Reaction forces seen as F
Power, hp (kW)---- F1+F2
α F3
Pressure, psi (mPa)--- F3 Crushing force affected by
•Toughness of rock
Reaction Force F2
•CSS, throw and chamber profile
Hydroset pressure
Area of Piston: A
i.e. proportional to F
Reaction Force F3 F 3 F ⋅ cos a
p = =
A A
Segregation
Possibly the greastest single factor in destroying crusher performance and process control.
Reaction to uneven,segregated feed
F1 F4
Crushing Force F4+F5
F F1+F2 Crushing Force
F4 +F5 > F1+F2 F
F6 > F3 F3
F6
As wear becomes uneven Throughout every revolution
F2 F5
the power and pressure fluctuation both power and pressure will
will become exaggerated, fluctuate considerably, causing
extreme cyclic stress on
the setting more difficult to control and machine component parts. This
the product grading and quality will will require the setting to be run
deteriorate. wider than necessary
Zero reaction at any point during the revolution will suggest a portion of the chamber is empty
El Teniente,Chile CH880, tertiary application
Misaligned/segregated feed - High pressure amplitudes
M is a l i g n e d F e e d
8 .0
7 .0
6 .0
5 .0
Pressure [MPa]
4 .0
3 .0
2 .0
1 .0
0 .0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 10000
T im e x 1 0 0 [ s ]
Improved segregation
Aligned feed- Low pressure amplitudes
A li g n e d f e e d
8 .0
7 .0
6 .0
5 .0
Pressure [MPa]
4 .0
3 .0
2 .0
1 .0
0 .0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 10000
T im e x 1 0 0 [ s ]
What are the negative effects?
High power and pressure will cause the crusher to be run at wider than necessary settings
resulting in coarser product therefore higher recirculating loads with increased conveying, wear
and crushing costs.
Occasionally the necessity for increased crushing will demand increased capital investment.
Segregated and poorly distributed feeds will cause the crusher liners to wear unevenly, again
with deteriorating performance and associated costs.
Product will become coarser and cubicity, often in critical products, will deteriorate. Costs??
What are the negative effects?
Segregation and uneven wear will cause reduction in liner life through premature
exchange. Costs??
Segregation and uneven wear will cause reduction in mechanical component life, often
leading to traumatic failure and the costs of unplanned stoppages.
ALL IN ALL CONSIDERABLE COST TO THE OPERATION.
Case study
Segregation
CH870 EC
Iron ore
Negative effect of uneven wear
19mm diff
16mm diff
Demands much higher scrap weight----increased operating costs
Improvements after fitting an RFD
27. 10. 05 Each amplitude represents 1 cycle 17. 01. 06
Wear life improvement after fitting RFD
166hours
145311tonnes
Liner B
875tph
87 hours
103875 tonnes Liner A
1194tph
Cost comparison
Liner A Liner B
Hours 87 166
Tonnes 103875 145311
Tonnes/hr 1194 875
Average setting over liner lifetime 80mm 60mm
Differential wear 19mm 5mm
% oversize 47 22
Tonnes/hr oversize 561 193
Tonnes/hr product 633 682
Additional cost assuming €0.5/ton €280/hour €96.5/hour
Wear cost 8000/633 x 87 8000/682 x 166
(assuming €8000 per set) =€0.145/tonne of product =€0.071/tonne of product
Early Prevention
During the design stage, whether a new plant or plant extension or replacement
crusher is being planned, careful consideration is required to the design of the feeding
arrangement.
Material normally arrives in a stream, from a conveyor, feeder or chute—the need is
for even full width distribution with no segregation.
Height can be an ally when available and employed to constrain material, change
flow direction, combat segregation and remove impact, but a deadly enemy when
working against us.
Early Prevention
•Flexibility in design---e.g.... the opportunity to alter the position and speed of the
material discharge point and trajectory.
•Each feed arrangement design is unique, can be complex and may require several
compromises
•THE OPERATIONAL SUCCESS AND OVERALL OPERATING COST OF THE
INSTALLATION WILL DEPEND ON A SATISFACTORY DESIGN.
Late cure
• WHY segregation
Belt width and speed
Belt width and speed
Static distributors and splitters
Summary
Poorly designed crusher feeds leading to segregation or uneven distribution are extremely
costly and often remain so for the life of the operation. These costs result from:
1. Re-crushing oversize through running crushers wider than necessary.
2. Detrimental effects on product quality.
3. In serious cases increased capital expenditure.
4. Energy and wear costs as oversize is transported around the plant.
Summary
5. Poor utilisation of manganese liners through uneven wear.
6. Poor utilisation of component parts through extreme cyclic overloading.
7. In serious case traumatic unplanned mechanical failures.
8. Lost business opportunities.
Improved feeding
I hope we have given an insight into some causes, consequences and possible solutions
to poor feeding.
Segregation and /or poor distribution, if they already exist can and should be improved.
If you want to know more please enter the workgroup………………………
Case study speed
Some practical considerations.
Cone crushers have volumetric capacities
which can be adjusted by
•chamber volume--- but this is limited as the
prime criteria is to match with the feed size.
•eccentric throw.
•speed as each revolution of the eccentric can
be seen as a “crushing cycle”
Feed
12 hour
operation
CSS : 40
Average kW : 248
Pressure mPa : <3.0
900
Comparison 850 990 rev/min
& Trend.
800 800rev/min
tonnes/hr
750
700
990 v 800 rev/min 650
40mm CSS
600
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
hours
Average of 8 tests at 40mm CSS Average of 3 tests at 40mm CSS
0ver first 194hrs with new liner. 0ver first 194hrs with new liner
Speed 800 rev/min Speed 990rev/min (standard)
Size %passing %passing
-75mm 99.0 100.0
-63mm 93.7 98.9
-50mm 76.8 89.3
-40mm 56.6 67.0
-31.5mm 42.8 49.3
-16mm 22.5 25.2
-10mm 15.5 16.9
-5mm 9.3 10.2
Capacity range 798-875tonnes/hr 731-746 tonnes/hr
Average capacity 843 tonnes/hr 736tonnes/hr
% increase in capacity 14.5%
63 x 40mm production 37.1% 31.9%
Production
800rev/min 990rev/min
Ballast yield 37.1% 31.9%
Ballast yield 312.75 tonnes/hr 234.78 tonnes/hr
Ballast increase 78 tonnes/hr
Verification of capacity reduction through
wear 680
660 First set manganese
Second set manganese
640
620
tonnes/hr
600
580
560
Liner life 540
30mm CSS
520
500
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
hours
Summary 900
850 990 rev/min
800 800rev/min
tonnes/hr
1. having established the optimum average 750
production through the correct selection of 700
chamber and throw it is possible to use 650
600
speed to adjust for changes in demand. 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
hours
900
2. as there is a relationship between 850 990 rev/min
800rev/min
capacity and speed the latter can be 800
tonnes/hr
750
used to sustain capacity by
700
compensating for the deterioration
650
caused by changes in chamber profile. 600
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
hours
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