Improving efficiency, reliability and processes is an ongoing challenge in the mining industry. The new HPGR Pro (high-pressure grinding roll) from thyssenkrupp the company says addresses these requirements. “Based on over 40 years of experience in the minerals industry and more than 150 HPGRs installed worldwide, thyssenkrupp has further developed the technology.” The HPGR Pro it claims offers up to 20% more throughput, up to 15% lower energy consumption, and up to 30% longer-lasting rollers.
“For decades, our HPGR has been the machine of choice for efficient high-pressure grinding and processing of ores. Our experts have now further improved the HPGR to achieve even higher throughput, lower energy consumption, and a longer-lasting working life for the most important components. That makes the HPGR more economical than ever,” says Frank Schroers, Global Product Manager for the HPGR. “We used our experience and what we learned from conversations with customers to introduce improvements that are unique in this market and make grinding much easier.”
More throughput is possible from the same-sized machine. This is made possible by using rotating side-plates on the fixed grinding roll. The rotating plates enable improved material feed and up to 20% more throughput compared to conventional HPGRs. At the same time, the specific energy consumption of the HPGR Pro is reduced by around 15%. The uniform pressure profile in the milling gap results in better grinding and more even roller wear improving the service life of the rolls by up to 30%. By reducing the so-called bathtub effect the rolls need to be replaced less frequently.
A certain amount of roller skew is beneficial as it ensures uniform grinding. The new and unique controlled mechanical skew limitation allows skew but prevents excessive skew. Damage caused by excessive skew is therefore prevented, even in case of an emergency or operational error making the whole operation safer.
The HPGR Pro rolls are lubricated with oil and not grease. This prevents too high temperatures occurring during higher machine usage and supports easier cleaning. Optimised bearing seals, oil quality monitoring, and continual filtering also reduce contamination and the environmental impact. Besides, continual filtering allows the oil to be used longer.
The availability of the HPGR Pro is increased even further through thyssenkrupp’s stud detection system. While the machine’s operation, the surface of the rolls is automatically monitored and measured by a laser. The operator is constantly informed about the state of the studs and the rolls. “In this way, the stud detection system can predict the best possible time for roller replacement. Our customers no longer need to stop the machine as a precautionary measure, which saves them valuable time and money”, explains Schroers. “What’s more, as our specialists collect and process machine data, our customers can continually improve their HPGR’s operation and optimise throughput, energy consumption or machine
availability in line with their specific targets.”
