Optimum control of cone crushers utilizing an adaptive strategy for wear compensation

Abstract The aggregate industry is a major industry worldwide. In the aggregate industry cone crushers are widely used to produce the final saleable product. Rigorous specifications, set by the standards authorities, apply to the size and shape of the aggregates utilized in the construction industry. Poor control over system parameters and drift in crusher setting due to liner wear can cause considerable inconsistency in product quality. The high cost associated with re-processing or discarding unsaleable material calls for the employment of more effective methods of control. A collaborative project between Pegson Ltd, one of the main UK manufacturers of jaw and cone crushers, De Montfort University Leicester and Transfer Technology plc was established in 1992, to develop a new generation of systems for automatic control of cone crushers. Aspects of the work are now continuing at the University of Technology, Loughborough. Innovative wear sensors for direct measurement of liner wear and a model-based adaptive control strategy are used to maintain an optimum crusher setting to ensure product quality. The benefits of the automation, in terms of improved crusher efficiency, enhanced quality and reduced re-circulating load, is expected to result in estimated savings of around 10%.