How to fix an overloaded coal feeder breaker

In the process of coal mining and processing, the feeder breaker is an extremely crucial piece of equipment, responsible for the transportation and crushing of coal.

Once the feeder breaker experiences overload, it not only hinders the normal production progress but also may cause equipment failure and even pose safety hazards. Therefore, it is of vital importance to master the methods for resolving the overload issue of the feeder breaker.

Overview of Coal Feeder Breaker

A feeder breaker is a comprehensive device that integrates the functions of coal transportation and crushing. It is typically composed of a feeding device, a crushing mechanism, a transmission system, and a control system.

The feeding device is responsible for uniformly and stably conveying coal to the crushing mechanism; the crushing mechanism breaks the coal through mechanical force to achieve the desired particle size; the transmission system provides power for the operation of the equipment; and the control system is used to adjust the operating parameters of the equipment to ensure its normal operation.

This equipment is widely used in coal mines, coal preparation plants, and other places. In the coal production process, it can effectively process raw coal and provide raw materials that meet the requirements for subsequent coal processing and utilization, making it one of the important devices to ensure the continuous and efficient operation of coal production.

Step – by – Step Fixing Process for Coal Feeder Breaker

After taking appropriate safety precautions, the overloaded feeder breaker can be repaired following these steps:

 

Comprehensive inspection of the equipment

First, conduct a thorough and detailed inspection of the equipment to determine the specific cause of the overload.

The inspection should cover whether the feeding device is functioning properly, whether there is any wear or damage to the crushing mechanism, whether the transmission system is operating smoothly, whether the control system has malfunctioned, and whether there are any impurities inside the equipment.

 

Addressing material-related issues

If the overload is caused by excessive feeding, adjust the feeding speed or quantity of the feeding device to match the processing capacity of the crushing mechanism. This can be achieved by adjusting the speed of the feeding motor or changing the opening of the feeding gate.

If impurities are found inside the equipment, they should be removed promptly. For hard impurities mixed in the coal, a filtering device can be installed at the feeding port to prevent them from re-entering the equipment.

If the overload is caused by abnormal coal properties, such as excessive moisture leading to clumping, measures like drying can be taken to reduce the moisture content. If the coal hardness exceeds the crushing capacity of the equipment, consider replacing it with a more suitable crushing device or pre-treating the coal.

 

Repair or replace damaged parts

If the overload is caused by worn or damaged parts, repair or replace the damaged parts in a timely manner.

For example, if the crushing teeth are worn, they can be repaired and ground if the wear is not severe; if the wear is severe, new crushing teeth should be replaced.

For damaged bearings, gears, and other components, they should be replaced promptly to ensure their performance meets the operational requirements of the equipment.

 

Fixing transmission system faults

If the transmission system experiences belt slippage, check the tightness of the belt and adjust it; if the belt is severely worn, replace it with a new one.

For poor gear meshing, check the installation position and wear of the gears, and adjust or replace the gears to ensure normal meshing and transmission.

 

Debugging the control system

When the control system malfunctions, check and debug the sensors, control programs, etc. Replace faulty sensors and recalibrate their detection accuracy.

If there are errors in the control program, professional personnel should modify and debug the program to ensure that the control system can accurately detect the equipment’s operating parameters and adjust parameters such as the feeding quantity in a timely manner based on the actual situation.

 

Trial operation of the equipment

After completing the above repair work, do not immediately put the equipment into normal production. Instead, conduct a trial operation first. Connect the power supply to the equipment and let it run unloaded for a period of time to observe whether the operating sound, motor current, temperature, etc. are normal.

Then conduct a trial operation with materials, gradually increasing the feeding quantity, and check the crushing effect and operational stability of the equipment. If no abnormal situations occur during the trial operation, it indicates that the repair was successful; if there are still problems, re-inspect and handle them.

Identification of Overloaded Coal Feeder Breaker

Timely and accurate identification of whether the feeder breaker is overloaded is the prerequisite for solving the problem. The following are some common identification methods:

 

Abnormal operating sound

Under normal circumstances, the sound emitted by the feeder breaker during operation is relatively uniform and stable. When overload occurs, the equipment will produce abnormal sounds, such as a heavy “muffled sound” or irregular “strange sounds”.

This is because when overloaded, the load on the internal components of the equipment increases, and the friction and collision between them intensify, resulting in a change in sound.

 

Abnormal motor current

The motor is the power source of the feeder breaker, and changes in its current can directly reflect the operating load of the equipment. When the equipment is operating normally, the motor current is within a relatively stable range.

If the motor current suddenly increases significantly and exceeds the rated current value, it is likely that the equipment is overloaded. The changes in motor current can be observed in real time through monitoring instruments such as ammeters.

Abnormal material conveying and crushing

When the feeder breaker is overloaded, there will be obvious abnormalities in material conveying and crushing.

For example, there may be material accumulation at the feeding port, which cannot enter the crushing mechanism in time; or the crushed material may have uneven particle sizes, and even large pieces of coal may not be crushed; at the same time, the discharge speed of the equipment will also significantly slow down.

 

Increased equipment temperature

When overloaded, the friction between the components of the equipment intensifies, generating a large amount of heat and causing the equipment temperature to rise. You can touch the motor, transmission parts, etc. of the equipment with your hand.

If you feel a significant increase in temperature, or if the equipment temperature exceeds the normal operating temperature range as detected by temperature monitoring instruments, it may be caused by overload.

Causes of Coal Feeder Breaker Overload

To fundamentally address the overload issue of the feeder breaker, it is essential to understand the underlying causes. The common reasons are as follows:

 

 

Excessive feed rate

This is one of the most common causes of feeder breaker overload. If the feeding device conveys coal at an excessively high speed or if the single feed volume is too large, the crushing mechanism cannot crush and discharge the coal in a timely manner, resulting in material accumulation within the equipment and an increase in equipment load, leading to overload.

 

Abnormal material properties

When the coal entering the feeder breaker is mixed with a large amount of impurities such as stones or metal blocks, the crushing mechanism will encounter significant resistance when crushing these impurities, causing a sudden increase in equipment load and triggering overload.

Additionally, significant changes in the properties of the coal, such as excessive moisture leading to coal clumping, will increase the difficulty of crushing and cause overload.

 

Wear or malfunction of equipment components

Components of the equipment will wear out over long-term operation, such as the crushing teeth and bearings.

When the wear is severe, the equipment’s crushing efficiency and operational stability will be affected, increasing the operating resistance and making overload more likely.

Moreover, malfunctions in the transmission system, such as belt slippage or poor gear meshing, can lead to poor power transmission and cause overload.

 

Control system failure

The control system regulates parameters such as the feed rate and operating speed of the feeder breaker.

If the control system malfunctions, for instance, due to sensor failure that prevents accurate detection of the material volume or errors in the control program that prevent timely adjustment of the feed rate, the equipment may operate under inappropriate parameters, thereby causing overload.

Safety Precautions Before Fixing Coal Feeder Breaker

Before repairing an overloaded feeder breaker, it is essential to take adequate safety precautions to ensure the safety of maintenance personnel and the equipment. The specific measures are as follows:

 

Cut off the power supply of the equipment

Before starting any maintenance operation, it is necessary to cut off the power supply of the feeder breaker and hang a warning sign that reads “Under Maintenance, Do Not Close the Switch” at the power switch to prevent others from accidentally operating the switch and causing the equipment to start suddenly, leading to safety accidents.

 

Release the internal energy of the equipment

For feeder breakers with hydraulic, pneumatic or other systems, the internal energy of the system must be released, such as draining the hydraulic oil and compressed air completely to avoid accidental release of energy during maintenance, which could cause injury.

 

Clear the internal materials of the equipment

After stopping the equipment, the residual coal and other materials inside the equipment must be cleared.

On the one hand, this can prevent materials from falling and causing danger during maintenance; on the other hand, it also facilitates the inspection of the internal condition of the equipment by maintenance personnel.

 

Equip necessary protective gear

Maintenance personnel must wear appropriate protective gear, such as safety helmets, protective gloves, protective glasses, and anti-slip shoes. These protective gears can reduce the possible injuries during maintenance to a certain extent.

 

Check the maintenance tools

Ensure that the maintenance tools used are in good condition and meet safety standards. Using inappropriate or damaged tools may affect the maintenance effect and even cause safety accidents.

Post – Repair Measures for Coal Feeder Breaker

After the repair work is completed, it does not mean everything is fine. A series of follow-up measures need to be taken to ensure the long-term stable operation of the equipment.

 

Clean up the repair site

Clean up the waste generated during the repair process, such as the old parts replaced and the material residues cleared out, to keep the repair site clean. At the same time, organize the repair tools and put them back in their original places for easy use next time.

 

Record the repair situation

Record in detail the cause of the overload of the feeder breaker this time, the measures taken during the repair process, the model and quantity of the replaced parts, etc.

These records can not only provide a reference for the subsequent maintenance of the equipment but also help analyze the common types of equipment failures and provide a basis for preventing similar problems.

 

Strengthen equipment monitoring

In the period after the equipment resumes normal operation, strengthen the monitoring of the equipment.

Increase the frequency of inspections and closely monitor the changes in parameters such as the operating sound, motor current, temperature, feed volume, and crushing effect of the equipment. Once any abnormal situation is detected, stop the machine in time for inspection and handling.

Preventive Measures to Avoid Coal Feeder Breaker Overload

Taking effective preventive measures can reduce the occurrence of feeder breaker overload from the source, lower the risk of equipment failure, and ensure the smooth progress of production.

 

Reasonable control of feed quantity

Set the feed quantity and feed speed reasonably based on the rated processing capacity of the feeder breaker.

An automatic feed adjustment device can be installed to automatically adjust the feed quantity according to the operation of the crushing mechanism, ensuring that the materials can be crushed and discharged in a timely manner and avoiding accumulation and overload.

 

Strengthening material pretreatment

Before the coal enters the feeder breaker, it should be pretreated. Install impurity removal devices such as vibrating screens and magnetic separators to remove stones, metal blocks and other impurities from the coal.

At the same time, treat the coal that does not meet the requirements in terms of moisture and hardness, such as drying and pre-crushing, to ensure it meets the feeding requirements of the equipment.

 

Regular equipment maintenance and servicing

Develop a comprehensive equipment maintenance and servicing plan and strictly follow it. Regularly inspect, clean, lubricate and replace the components of the equipment.

For example, regularly check the wear of crushing teeth, bearings and other parts, and repair or replace them in a timely manner; regularly lubricate the transmission system to ensure smooth operation; regularly calibrate the sensors and control programs of the control system to ensure their accuracy and reliability.

 

Strengthening operator training

The operation level of the operators directly affects the operation status of the equipment. It is necessary to strengthen the training of the operators to make them familiar with the working principle, operation procedures and common fault identification methods of the feeder breaker.

Operators should strictly follow the operation procedures during work, closely monitor the operation status of the equipment, and stop the machine and report in a timely manner when abnormal conditions are found.

Conclusion on Coal Feeder Breaker Overload Fixing

Overload of the feeder breaker is a common issue that may occur during the production process, but its resolution is not difficult.

As long as we can accurately identify the overload situation and find out its cause, we can begin the repair process.By following the correct repair steps, the problem can be effectively resolved.
After the repair, taking relevant measures and doing daily preventive maintenance is also essential.These actions help ensure the normal operation of the feeder breaker. As a result, coal production can continue smoothly and efficiently.