Mineral Sizer Cleaning Device and Common Faults
Introduction
In recent years, with the expansion of Mineral Sizer applications in various industries, its use in crushing moist and sticky materials has increased. However, due to the unique structure of the Mineral Sizer, when the crushed material has a smaller particle size (≤30mm), frequent clogging and material sticking occur, leading to production accidents and severely affecting equipment performance.
Structure of the Mineral Sizer Cleaning Device
Due to the design of the Mineral Sizer (with fixed spacing between the internal crushing teeth), there is no material blockage between the teeth when crushing large, oversized materials. However, when crushing material to a particle size below 25mm, the small spacing between the crushing teeth, combined with the material’s moisture content, can easily cause clogging, which negatively impacts the device’s normal operation.
Traditional crushing equipment lacks effective self-cleaning functions. After a certain period of use, sticky and wet materials accumulate between the mineral sizer crushing teeth, forming hard clumps that block the entire crushing rollers and render them ineffective. This reduces production efficiency. During the cleaning process, the accumulated material is difficult to remove and takes a long time, increasing maintenance workload.
To overcome the shortcomings of existing technology, a cleaning device has been introduced to solve the clogging issue caused by sticky and wet materials. The Mineral Sizer cleaning device includes cleaning blades, which are placed on a mounting frame that is connected to the housing. The cleaning blades can be individually replaced, and their installation and removal are quick and easy, significantly saving maintenance time and improving production efficiency.
The mounting frame is connected to the housing by high-strength bolts. The cleaning blades are secured to the mounting frame using U-shaped bolts. One end of the cleaning blade is fixed to the mounting frame, while the other end corresponds to the position of the crushing teeth.
Working Principle of the Mineral Sizer Cleaning Device
Coordinated Cleaning Action
The core component of the cleaning device is the cleaning blade. One end of the cleaning blade is fixed to the mounting frame with a U-shaped bolt, while the other end aligns with the crushing teeth (i.e., the cleaning blade is positioned to precisely cover the area between the teeth). During the mineral sizer operation, the crushing rollers rotate, driving the crushing teeth, while the cleaning blades remain stationary.
Dynamic Scraping of Sticky Material
As the crushing teeth rotate, the surface and the gaps between the teeth inevitably accumulate sticky and wet material. Because the cleaning blades are positioned in close proximity to the teeth, when the teeth rotate to come into contact (or near contact) with the cleaning blades, the cleaning blades function like “scrapers,” removing the sticky material from the tooth surfaces and between the teeth. This dynamic scraping action helps to clear the newly adhered material, preventing it from building up and clumping between the teeth of the Mineral Sizer.
Ensuring Unobstructed Crushing Channels
By continuously scraping, the area between the crushing teeth remains clean, preventing material clumping and clogging. This keeps the material flowing through the crushing channel and guarantees that the crushed material can flow easily through the spaces between the teeth, ensuring the mineral sizer’s constant crushing efficiency.
Mineral Sizer Cleaning Device Related Failures
Cleaning Blade Related Failures
Excessive Wear of Cleaning Blades
Cause: The gap between the cleaning blade and the crushing tooth is too narrow. This tight arrangement inevitably leads to hard contact and friction between the two during long-term operation, accelerating the wear of the cleaning blade. Meanwhile, hard impurities, such as metal blocks, may be mixed into the material during the conveying process. These impurities cause severe impacts and scratches on the cleaning blade when passing through the gap between the blade and the crushing tooth, further exacerbating its damage.
Symptoms: The cleaning blade’s edges get thinner, blunter, and sometimes even start to show obvious notches over time. The cleaning blade is unable to remove material residues from in between teeth as a result of this condition. Blockages result from material adhesion between the crushing teeth as it accumulates. This series of issues severely impacts the normal processing efficiency of the mineral sizer, causing the entire production process to be hindered, ultimately reducing the equipment’s overall performance and output.
Cleaning Blade Breakage or Detachment
Cause: The U-shaped bolts fixing the cleaning blade may loosen or even break after prolonged use or external force, losing their intended fastening function, causing the cleaning blade to be inadequately secured in place. Furthermore, the cleaning blade will experience a tremendous instantaneous force if it is subjected to a violent impact from the crushing tooth, particularly if the tooth becomes inadvertently lodged in large, hard objects. The cleaning blade is susceptible to damage from this excessive strain.
Symptoms: The cleaning blade may fall off its mounting bracket or break at the root or middle section. Either breakage or detachment directly impairs the area’s ability to clean, making it impossible to clean the material there efficiently. In the meantime, the loss of the cleaning blade’s assistance will cause material adhesion to the corresponding crushing teeth, reducing crushing efficiency and potentially exacerbating the mineral sizer’s wear and damage.
Cleaning Blade Misalignment
Cause: The U-shaped bolts might not be torqued to the proper level during installation or maintenance, which could cause them to loosen when materials are struck. This would then cause the cleaning blade to move.
Symptoms: The cleaning blade’s misalignment causes some spaces between the crushing teeth to be inadequately covered by the blade. Because of this, material tends to build up in these places during mineral sizer operation, which can cause material adhesion and, in extreme situations, local blockages that reduce normal operating efficiency.
Cleaning Effectiveness Failures
Incomplete Cleaning in Localized Areas
Cause: Some cleaning blades have worn out or broken and were not replaced in time; the gap between the cleaning blade and the crushing teeth is too large (exceeding the design specification), preventing proper contact with the material between the teeth; crushing teeth have worn down, changing the tooth shape and preventing the cleaning blade from fitting properly.
Symptoms: Certain areas between specific teeth continue to experience material adhesion and buildup, which gradually expands into a full blockage, leading to an increased load on the mineral sizer.
Cleaning Device Jam
Cause: Detached cleaning blades, bolts, or other components may fall into the crushing chamber and get stuck between the cleaning blade and the crushing teeth. If the material is too hard and clumps together, it may get jammed between the cleaning blade and crushing teeth when the blade scrapes it. Additionally, the deformation of the mounting bracket could cause interference with the crushing roller.
Symptoms: The mineral sizer will produce loud abnormal noises during operation, the crushing roller’s speed will decrease, and the motor’s current will spike. In severe cases, this could cause a shutdown.
Other Failures
Abnormal Friction Noises
Cause: This is often due to a gap that is too small (installation deviation) or misalignment of the cleaning blade. Continuous friction during operation produces high-pitched noise and accelerates component wear.
Excessive Vibration of the Device
Cause: The mounting bolts of the bracket may loosen, the bracket may deform, or the cleaning blade may experience periodic impacts with the crushing teeth (for example, if the blade is misaligned), transmitting vibrations to the housing and affecting the stability of the mineral sizer.
Conclusion
A key technological advancement, the Mineral Sizer cleaning device was created to address blockage problems brought on by sticky or wet materials, guaranteeing the stability of the machinery while it operates effectively. A smooth crushing passage is ensured by the cleaning device’s dynamic scraping off of material, which greatly increases production efficiency and lowers maintenance frequency.
However, with continued use, the cleaning device may experience a number of malfunctions, including excessive wear, the cleaning blade breaking or detaching, the connecting parts loosening or deforming, and more. Maintaining the equipment in good operating order requires routine inspections and maintenance. The mineral sizer’s service life can be increased and failures can be successfully avoided with routine cleaning and inspection.
