A customised RX22 hydraulic breaker from Chicago Pneumatic has been chosen for use in a demanding  cleaning application. The rig-mounted hydraulic breaker, which is modified to withstand temperatures of over 1,000°C, was supplied by specialist mining contractor Servicios Nettle Hermanos for use at Codelco’s Caletones copper smelter.

Following ore smelting,  the copper matte is then charged into a large in slag furnace. Following this, the furnace must be cleaned using a hydraulic breaker to prepare it for the next charge. In order to effectively perform this essential cleaning operation, Servicios Nettle Hermanos chose to a robust and efficient RX22 hydraulic breaker from Chicago Pneumatic, customised to provide reliable performance in a demanding high temperature application.

Prior to opting for the RX22, the customer used a smaller 1,000 kg hydraulic breaker which suffered from availability issues and low hitting power due to the high temperatures involved. This meant that frequent hose changes were required, and led to Servicios Nettle Hermanos recommending the use of a customised medium-sized 1,500 kg RX22 hydraulic breaker from Chicago Pneumatic, with extra large moil points, as a solution to the problem.

Hydraulic breakers from Chicago Pneumatic are designed with moil points that have a strong focus on the optimal transfer of energy. The moil point of a hydraulic breaker must be capable of withstanding strong stresses, as when it receives the piston impact it is required to transfer the energy back to break the material. One key factor is to have an optimised moil point length, balancing the useful length (the longer the better) and the resistance to bending stresses (the shorter the better).

In special applications, such as the high temperature working conditions experienced in the Chilean mine, a longer moil point can increase the productivity of a hydraulic breaker. After receiving the request for an RX22 with a longer working moil point, capable of operating in high temperatures, an analysis was done for feasibility. Engineers at Chicago Pneumatic confirmed it was possible, due to the low material resistance to break, and that volumes were sufficient to produce a bespoke solution for the customer.

Commenting on the on-going successful operation of the RX22, James Nettle, Marketing Manager for Servicios Nettle Hermanos, said: ”Today the breaker is working at optimum condition without problems, and our customer is very happy as a result. Since switching to the RX22 the wear of the breaker box has decreased, as well as hose consumption, and the hydraulic breaker now performs more efficiently with less parts used in the process.”