Geometric analysis of cone crusher liner shape: Geometric measures, methods for their calculation and linkage to crusher behaviour

Abstract

Abstract This paper presents a set of related methods for performing a computational geometry analysis of a cone crusher shape that provides geometric information for use in understanding cone crusher flows and breakage and their variation with key crusher geometric parameters. Algorithms that are able to calculate geometric measures such as the variation of the cross-sectional area available for flow at each height in the crusher, open and closed side areas, geometry based reduction ratios, eccentric throw as well as the open and closed side setting are described. These are demonstrated in a worked example of a specific short head cone crusher showing how systematic variation in the cone vertical displacement and eccentric angle affects geometric measures. Both the OSS and CSS are found to vary almost linearly with cone height and eccentric angle. The eccentric throw is found to be nearly invariant for changes in cone height but to vary strongly with eccentric angle. There is close to a linear relationship between variation in choke area (representing throughput) and the CSS (representing maximum product size) when the cone height is changed. In contrast, the choke area is almost independent of the CSS when the eccentric angle is varied meaning that throughput and breakage top size are independently controllable. Linear and area-based estimates of the reduction ratio can be used to bound the likely breakage performance. This analysis can be used in conjunction with DEM models to help to guide the evolution of liner configurations.