The construction field involves a lot of processes, including concrete crushing. This is breaking up huge concrete blocks into smaller pieces using a crusher. But how do these crushers work? Read on!
What You Need to Know Before Operating a Concrete Crusher
Working in the building and construction field requires understanding various terms, the machinery used, and the processes. Concrete crushing is inevitable. It is crucial for the removal or repurposing of concrete materials. This process employs the use of heavy machinery known as crushers. They break up the concrete into manageable pieces so that it can be easily transported or re-used in other projects. This article explains how these crushers work as well as the types you may encounter in your projects.
Types of Concrete Crushers
When looking for concrete crushers in the market, you will find three distinct types. Each of them has a set of unique features and benefits. While they may perform similar roles, they are different, and this is evident in the concrete crusher price and features. It all depends on your intended purpose, the amount of concrete you are working on, and your financial reach. Here is more!
Jaw Crushers
As the name suggests, jaw crushers resemble a human jaw. While they are simple, they are also very strong and work like nutcrackers to increase the pressure. With their tapered shape, they only let small crushed materials pass through. Their sturdy nature allows them to handle highly abrasive materials in the concrete, thus making them very versatile. In most cases, you will find them in demolitions.
Impact Crushers
Impact crushers come in two main variations: the HSI and VSI. These are the HSI (Horizontal Shaft Impactors) and the VSI (Vertical Shaft Impactors). The HIS variation is most suited for soft materials and works best when you want to crush soft sedimentary rocks.
On the other hand, VSIs work differently using a high-speed rotor. They toss the material against the crushing chamber, thus splintering it into uniform particles. If you want to repurpose the concrete for hardscaping or other DIY (Do It Yourself) projects, you can trust the VSI to give the same-size particles.
Cone Crushers
This category of crushers is the least common of the three options. Their mechanism doesn’t allow them to process rebar-reinforced concrete. As such, their use is a little limited. They use a central cone that points upwards and gyration on a mantle and a crushing surface. The result is as light as fine sand.
A Step-by-Step Guide to How Crushers Work
The different concrete crushers operate differently depending on their capability and production. However, there is a general procedure that all of them follow. Here is how they work.
• Get the Concrete Crusher on Site: The first step is getting your crusher onto the construction site if it isn’t there yet.
• Feed Concrete Blocks into the Machine: Once the machine is set, feed the concrete blocks you intend to break up. Some sizes may be bigger and need you to use a crane to load them onto the crusher.
• Toggle and Set Your Machine: As an operator, remember that the output size highly depends on the discharge opening. If the size and input material are equal, the setting will narrow, lowering the production.
• Start the Crushing: The crusher subjects the material to compression efforts. The block you feed will be squashed between two plates, and you can have your smaller pieces discharged.
As you can see, crushers have become important machinery in construction as well as personal DIY projects. Their mechanism works by crushing big blocks or rocks into smaller pieces. The output can be fine or sizeable rock pieces, depending on your needs. With each of them operating differently, it is crucial that you pick the one that coordinates with your project. For instance, the jaw crushers are perfect for demolition, while the impact crushers prefer softer materials.
