Numerical analysis of a protective coating for mining industry feed chute

Abstract

Abstract The selection of materials for the protective coating of a crusher’s feed chute significantly influences the mean time between failures (MTBF) and operational costs associated with the mass production of sulfuric acid at MMG/Kinsevere. Neglecting the condition of the protective coating can pose a serious challenge to production efficiency and result in increased downtime. This study focuses on enhancing industrial productivity in Sulfuric Acid production with minimal maintenance. The investigation explores the quality and type of materials used for the protective coating of the feed chute in the mining industry, particularly at MMG/Kinsevere, utilizing Ansys Fluent and SOLIDWORKS Software for analysis. The paper proposes a Ceramic protective liner for the crusher feed chute due to its superior resistance to erosion compared to other liners. Different feed chute models, constructed with materials like halogenated butyl rubber, 316 stainless steel, and ceramic, underwent analysis. The evaluation of the potential impact on the mean time between failures (MTBF) for different materials used in a protective coating, considering the rate of erosion through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) with ANSYS FLUENT software, is a central aspect of this study. The detailed modeling and simulation reveal that the ceramic material exhibits the most favorable protective coating characteristics, with an erosion rate density of 06.636753 kg/m2s, outperforming halogenated butyl rubber (3.326576 kg/m2s) and 316 stainless steel (2.186633 kg/m2s). The simulation yielded results corresponding to flow rates of 284.19 kg/s for the solid phase and 123.14 kg/s for the liquid phase.

Keywords

• Protective coating
• Crusher
• Numerical analysis
• Maintenance