A gyratory crusher is a key mineral processing asset in a comminution circuit. Monitoring and predicting the crusher liner wear is essential to ensure the throughput and product quality are maintained during production. This study developed a digital sensor and a discrete element modelling (DEM)-coupled methodology to monitor and reconstruct the gyratory crusher concave liner wear pattern. The developed digital sensor was able to track and report the live thickness of the specific installation point on a concave liner during operation. A wear reconstruction model was then developed based on the wear intensity obtained using the DEM and digital sensor results. The wear reconstruction model predictive results were subsequently compared with site measurements after 95 days of operation. The results indicated that the wear reconstruction model showed good agreement with measured results in terms of wear zone distribution as well as quantitative wear rate prediction. The outcome of this study can be potentially utilised in the mineral processing industry for plant monitoring and automation.
Keywords: discrete element modelling; gyratory crusher; intrusive sensor; wear measurement.