Do you need to process minerals, gravel, sand, or other aggregate products and not yet purchase or lease crushing equipment? There’s no question that you need to work with professional and capable material. They will handle equipment engineering and design companies dedicated to installing, renting, and selling the best new crushers for your needs.
However, if you are new to the aggregate processing industry, you probably have many questions about rock crushers. Crushers need to coordinate seamlessly with washing equipment, screens, and conveyor systems as foundational material handling equipment in all plants.
What are the Stages of Rock Crushers?
It is common to use multiple rock crushers types within a project and set them up as stations in a circuit format to perform the necessary material reduction work. In many cases, primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary stations are installed to reduce the rock with the desired size, shape, and consistency.
Moreover, if the final size of your product only needs to be between 4 inches and 6 inches, an impact crusher can accomplish the goals. However, you will likely require a finer product that incorporates three or even four stations with various crusher types.
1. Primary Crushing
In the first stage in a crushing circuit following extraction from a mining site, primary crushing reduces the material to a shape and size that the secondary crusher can handle.
Moreover, the minimum setting on most primary crushers will be about 4 to 6 inches. Its gyratory crushers, impact crushers, compression-style jaw, and cone are often appropriate as primary crushing equipment types. There can also be an overlap between primary and secondary crushers as far as suitable types.
2. Secondary Crushing
In the second stage, secondary crushing reduces ratios and becomes an essential consideration. You should know how fine your final output is and the feed requirements of your final or tertiary reduction crushing station. It will help you determine how much reduction needs to occur within the stage.
Cone crushers are placed within the secondary crushing station since they are versatile in throw, speed, closed side setting, and feed. It is beneficial to operate them at consistent choked settings with cone crushers to keep productivity.
3. Tertiary, Quaternary & Final Reduction Crushing
The goal of the tertiary, quaternary, or final reduction stage of the crushing process is to shape and size the rock or other material into a marketable product. There may be overlapping between stages regarding which crusher styles work best.
High-pressure grinding roll crushers, horizontal impact crushers, cone crushers, or vertical shaft impactors may be used in the final reduction position.
Types of Rock Crushers to Determine What You Need
Granite, gravel, limestone, and sandstone are arguably the most common aggregates used in the construction industry today. These rocks have different abrasiveness and hardness characteristics.
- Jaw Crushers
In contrast to crushing, jaw crushers tend to be more of a blunt instrument than cone crushers. They are often used in the primary rock crushing circuit stage.
- Cone Crushers
Like gyratory and jaw crushers, cone crushers work by compression, which reduces materials by squeezing them until they break apart.
- Gyratory Crushers
Gyratory crushers feature a concave surface and conical head that break apart material by compression through what is known as an eccentric movement.
- Impact Crushers
Impact-style crushers include horizontal shaft impactors used with less abrasive rock types, like limestone. These rock crushers break apart material by the impacting forces of certain wear parts known as impact plates or blow bars.
Find A Rock Crusher For Your Fleet
Still, have questions about crushers or other aggregate processing and material handling aspects?
At JWBell Aggregate Processing, you can get the best performing crushing equipment that will work hard to make any finished products you plan to produce. It includes sand, gravel, fertilizer, specialty mineral products, recycled asphalt, salt, coal, and slag that is affordable and efficient.
Contact us today at 319-365-3655 or visit the JW Bell website at https://www.jwbell.com/aggregate-processing to discover how they can provide a custom-designed crushing circuit or retrofit a new rock crusher into your existing operation.