McLanahan Mineral Sizer: From Concept to Reality
McLanahan’s first standardized Mineral Sizer will soon ship to a Mongolian coal customer, with commissioning expected to take place in the first quarter of 2023.
The customer initially came to McLanahan seeking a Feeder-Breaker as part of a terminal addition at their processing facility. The customer is processing hard black coal between 40-112 MPa and was looking to reduce 1 m (3’) lumps down to a nominal 300 mm (11.81”) product. The unique operating environment in Mongolia also meant that the engineering requirements for the customer needed to account for temperatures as low as -40°C (-40°F) and as high as +50°C (122°F). It soon became clear that the customer’s processing requirements were more suited to the Mineral Sizer’s capabilities.
The chosen solution was a McLanahan Mineral Sizer (MPS-125-240-500), capable of processing 3,500 tph and up to 3,800 tph if required. The unit weighs approximately 85 T (94 ton) and stands 2.4 m (7’ 8”) tall.
Additional features and benefits of the Mineral Sizer for the customer include:
- Complete condition monitoring package, including temperature and vibration for bearings, reducer and drive motors; reducer oil temperatures and levels; oil conditioning flow indication and more
- Built-in powered tramming for easy roll-out maintenance
- In-situ, replaceable bolt-on segments for efficient segment changeouts
- Increased uptime with rapid changeout of crushing rolls
- Improved tooth geometry for increased crushing teeth wear life
- Ability to retrofit a breaker bar for additional crushing of oversized lumps or for enabling future process flexibility
- Automatic lubrication system to keep critical components greased continuously
- Proprietary crushing segment and tooth design for improved wear life and operating efficiency while also reducing downtime and maintenance durations
- Improved drive reliability with oil conditioning system, complete with duplex (duty/ standby) filters
- Hydraulically operated locating pins for securing the machine
- Heated components fitted to maintain optimal operating temperatures in adverse weather conditions
The Mineral Sizer has been designed with easy assembly in mind, with machined interfaces and locating keys, down to lifting lug locations, ample cable and hose routing management, and a modular machine design.
Similarly, disassembly has also been optimized to suit the customer’s specification of containerisation. The Mineral Sizer will be shipped in five 40’ shipping containers, which was made possible through a robust, modularized design, allowing for the sizer to be easily split into multiple containers for ease of transport.
McLanahan understands that primary crushing is about maximising uptime and reducing downtime. Often, spare parts changeouts can eat into valuable production time. McLanahan’s Mineral Sizer has been designed to specifically combat lengthy changeout times and complete maintenance in a smaller timeframe and with lower overall cost.
- The bolted segment design allows for segments to be replaced in-situ for reduced downtime and maintenance flexibility
- The roll assembly can be replaced quickly using hydraulic nuts and tensioners, allowing for quick disconnect from the drive at the coupling. The complete roll assembly can then be lifted from the frame and a new one installed, reducing downtime and allowing roll maintenance to occur at a dedicated workshop, improving speed and safety.
The Mineral Sizer will undergo a standard three-hour Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) at the Cameron Park facility in Newcastle, Australia, allowing engineering, project management and workshop staff the ability to monitor the machine in real time to serve as a baseline against site performance. McLanahan has also provided the customer with guidance on items such as machine install to ensure the best maintenance access and final plant layout to optimize performance.