GYRATORY CRUSHERS: THEORETICAL CAPACITY

Basic Operating Principles

Gyratory crushers operate based on the simple concept of a conical crushing surface, the mantle,
gyrating with an eccentric motion within an inverted conical crushing surface, the concaves. The space
between the mantle and concaves forms the crushing chamer. The width of the opening between the
mantle and concaves at the discharge point of the crushing chamber is termed the setting of the crusher.
As the mantle gyrates within the crushing chamber, it moves from the maximum to the minimum setting
for every 180 of eccentric rotation. This cycle creates a crushing motion unlie any other. Although at
any specific point within the crushing chamber the crushing motion is strictly reciprocating, the crushing
motion for the crushing chamber as a whole is a continuous com!ressive action.
The setting of the crusher is defined by the eccentricity of the drive. The minimum setting is termed the
close" si"e setting !".#.#.$, and the maximum setting is termed the o!en si"e setting !%.#.#.$. The
open and closed side settings are related to the eccentricity of the crusher according to the following
relationships&
!'(. 1$
!'(. )$
The open side setting of the crusher determines the expected product si*e and is customarily stated in
half+inch increments.
,hen material is fed to the crusher, either by a feeder or by direct dump, it is grabbed or -nipped. at a
certain level within the crushing chamber. The ni! angle is defined as the included angle between the
mantle and concaves. The maximum nip angle of a specific application depends on the coefficient of
friction for the material being crushed and typically varies between )) and /0. Generally, harder
materials such as granite, trap roc and taconite re(uire maximum nip angles from )0 to )1.1. #ofter
materials such as limestone typically re(uire a maximum nip angle of )2. #lippery materials such as
mica bearing shale re(uire tighter nip angles, even though these materials may be relatively soft.
3ractically, the nip angle of a specific crusher model is limited by the geometry of the shells !#ee 4igure
1$.
At any instant during operation, material is crushed on the closed side of the crushing chamber. "rushing
occurs throughout the crushing chamber, however, the maximum crushing effect is located at the bottom
where there is greater motion of the mainshaft. The crushed material in this area falls to the next level, or
crushing *one, as the crushing chamber opens. As the crushing chamber closes, the material in this area
is once again nipped and crushed.
Theoretical Volumetric Capacity
4rom the above discussion, we would intuitively relate the theoretical volumetric ca!acit# of the
crusher to the maximum volume of material which can pass through the crushing chamber during a single
gyration and the fre(uency at which the crusher gyrates from the closed side setting to the open side
setting. This relationship can be defined by four variables&
5antle 6iameter
%pen #ide #etting
'ccentric Throw
Gyrations 3er 5inute
CRUSHI$G %I&ISIO$ 1
O S S C S S EccentricThrow . . . . . =
EccentricThrow Eccentricity = 2
W
C
S G
i
=
2 59 .
. .
,hen a new crusher is designed or when an existing crusher design is modified, a !ro"uct "iagram
which represents the crusher at both the open and closed side settings is developed using the geometry
of the crushing chamber !#ee 4igure )$. This geometry is defined by the radial feed opening, the open
side setting, the nip angle, the curvature of the mantle, and the curvature of the concaves. %nce the
geometry of the crushing chamber is defined, the lowest five crushing *ones are evaluated. The crushing
*one with the minimum cross sectional area is termed the cho'e !oint. ,ith straight concaves and
mantle, the choe point coincides with the discharge point of the crushing chamber where maximum
crushing motion occurs. ,ith Tra#lor

curve" non(cho'ing concaves, the choe point is moved to a

point above the discharge point of the crushing chamber, reducing the tendency of the material to pac
while being crushed. 7y multiplying the cross sectional area of the choe point by the circumference of
the mantle in this region, the maximum volume of material which can pass through the crushing chamber
during a single gyration is determined. This value is multiplied by the gyrations per minute to determine
the theoretical volumetric capacity of the crusher. This theoretical value can be changed by altering any
one of the four variables listed above.
All other variables being e(ual, the effect of increasing or decreasing the mantle "iameter would be to
respectively increase or decrease the relative cross sectional area of the crushing chamber. The cross
sectional area of the choe point would also increase or decrease with an approximately linear effect on
theoretical volumetric capacity. Thus, the maximum theoretical volumetric capacity of a 809 gyratory
crusher with a 11/9 mantle diameter exceeds that of a 809 gyratory crusher with a 1109 mantle diameter
which, in turn, exceeds that of a 809 gyratory crusher with an 8:9 mantle diameter.
#imilarly, the effect of increasing or decreasing the o!en si"e setting alone would be to respectively
increase or decrease the relative cross sectional area of the crushing chamber. "hanging the open side
setting would also have an approximately linear effect on theoretical volumetric capacity. ;ooing at the
attached product diagram, increasing the open side setting would be roughly analogous to pulling the
mantle and concaves apart, while decreasing the open side setting would be roughly analogous to
pushing the mantle and concaves together. Thus, the maximum theoretical volumetric capacity of a 809 x
1109 gyratory crusher designed for a 10 inch !)10 mm$ open side setting exceeds that of a 809 x 1109
gyratory crusher designed for an 8 inch !)0/ mm$ open side setting which, in turn, exceeds that of a 809 x
1109 gyratory crusher designed for a 29 !128 mm$ open side setting.
<ncreasing or decreasing the eccentric thro) alone would also respectively increase or decrease the
theoretical volumetric capacity in an approximately linear relationship. At the same open side setting, the
dynamic effect of increasing the eccentric throw would be to decrease the closed side setting, allowing
more material to -fall through. the crusher during each gyration. "onversely, the dynamic effect of
decreasing the eccentric throw would be to increase the closed side setting, allowing less material to -fall
through. the crusher during each gyration. ;arge eccentric throws tend to produce an excess of fines,
cause pacing and consume more power. A general Rule o* Thum to avoid these conditions is that the
eccentric throw should not exceed )1= of the open side setting.
The final variable which can effect theoretical volumetric capacity is g#rations !er minute. <f all other
variables are e(ual, increasing the gyrations per minute would increase the maximum theoretical
volumetric capacity, and decreasing the gyrations per minute would decrease the maximum theoretical
volumetric capacity. >nlie changing mantle diameter, open side setting and eccentric throw, changes to
the gyrations per minute have a direct proportional effect on theoretical volumetric capacity.
Theoretical Process Power
<n addition to the theoretical volumetric capacity, gyratory crushers are selected based on the theoretical
!rocess !o)er re(uired for the specific application. The theoretical process power is calculated using
the following procedure&
1$ The Crusher +or' In"e, in ,h?ton is a function of the material@s impact strength and is defined
by the formula&
!'(. /$
CRUSHI$G %I&ISIO$ 2
W
W
P
W
F
i i
=
10 10
80 80
where " A impact strength in foot+pounds per
inch thicness
#.G. A specific gravity
This value is obtained empirically from test samples of the material.
)$ The +or' or energy re(uired to reduce the nominal si*e of the material is determined from the
e(uation&

!'(. 0$
where 380 A screen si*e in microns which will
pass 80= of the product
480 A screen si*e in microns which will
pass 80= of the feed
The expected capacity in short tons per hour of crushed product does not include the
fraction of crusher feed which already meets the product si*e re(uirement. The
percentage of feed material which is finer than the 380 is termed the *all(through
*actor.
/$ The Theoretical Process Po)er is calculated from the e(uation&
!'(. 1$
where B A the expected capacity in short tons
per hour of crushed product
,hen si*ing a crusher for a specific application, a 10= service factor is typically added to the theoretical
process power to obtain the theoretical motor !o)er which is used to confirm that the crusher drive
motor is suitably rated.
Summary
Gyratory crusher capacity can be evaluated both in terms of the maximum theoretical volumetric
ca!acit# and the theoretical !rocess !o)er re(uired. The theoretical volumetric capacity of a gyratory
crusher is determined by the geometry of the crushing chamber, the setting, the eccentricity and the
operating speed. The theoretical process power is determined by the crusher wor index, feed si*e and
desired product si*e of the material. The concepts and calculations presented in the above discussion
are generally accepted by the crushing industry and apply to all gyratory type crushers.
CRUSHI$G %I&ISIO$ 3
HP W Q = 134 .
-IGURE .: CO//O$ $IP A$GLES
COMMON NIP N!"#S
$ % &'()* 22'3+
$ % )',,* 23')&
$ % )'2)* 2&'-.
$ % )'),* 2)'.1
$ % )'()* 2-'+)
$ % -',,* 2.',(
CRUSHI$G %I&ISIO$ &
-IGURE 0: TYPICAL PRO%UCT %IAGRA/
CRUSHI$G %I&ISIO$ )