Concrete & Asphalt Recycling - Down time

[Bezzy]

We have a concrete and asphalt recycler and our down time is killing us. it's not one specific thing that is holding us up but something unique to every job. We use a loader to bring material from the pile to the crusher and an excavator with a thumb feeds in the materials into the plant. I was going to try reversing it and have the hoe loosen and sort material at the pile and let the loader feed but i wasn't sure that wasn't going to bring more problems. Anyone out there have any ideas on what might work? The gravel crushing is fairly straight forward but the recycling is very different.

 

[Wolf]

how does this relate to demolition?

 

[Bezzy]

The raw concrete is generated from the demolition work that we do and then we crush it for road base. It can be done as part of a demolition or at a recycling facility.

 

[Turbo21835]

I think wolf was getting at is this probably belongs in the recycling section. That being said, no big deal.

What issues are you having? Most every crushing spread I have been around uses a loader to feed the crusher. Any use of an excavator at the pile is to size the concrete. Either by using a hyd hammer, a multi processor, or just a straight concrete processor. What are you using for equipment? That may explain some issues you have. Also, how many Tons Per Hour are you expecting?

 

[Bezzy]

I'm sorry. I didn't know there was a recycling forum.

For our set up we use a john Deere 240d and have just purchased a 744k loader because we thought it would be more productive at the pile. The hoe feeds and the loader moves material from the pile to the pad. Our crusher is an eagle 1400 and I have a 6x20 triple deck screen. In concrete I was hoping for 150-175 tones per hour. We have a breaker but thought that we had better control at the plant with the hoe for jams.

 

[Turbo21835]

I would think that 744k should break out of the pile just fine. What kind of bucket set up do you have? What size is your raw material? You say you are concerned about jams, is that something you are having an issue with? If so I would say your material going in is too big, or you are feeding to fast. Most guys crushing concrete here are feeding big jaw crushers with a 980g.

I would run a week with your current set up and track production. Then set up your operation to be fed with your loader. This includes building a suitable feed ramp for the loader. That way your loader operator can pull up to the crusher, and see the material as it feeds into the crusher. This will keep you from jamming the crusher. Your loader also needs to understand to not just jam a full bucket into your crusher if it still has material in there. I would have your hoe set up with your breaker at your raw material pile, sizing that smaller before the loader gets it. Track that production for a week and see which is more productive.

 

[Bezzy]

We are using a GP bucket with teeth and then a clean up bucket on the hoe. The feed material is sorted by the hoe to 24 inch minus and jams aren't a problem with the hoe but might be if we feed with the loader.

Do you find that running a breaker is more effective than feeding with the hoe? We have never tried it but would be willing.

 

[Turbo21835]

I dont see where you would have problems with jams as long as your material is sized to fit your openings. The grizzly should feed the material slowly enough that you will not jam up with properly sized material. Im not sure what tph you are getting, but you said you were expecting 150-175tph. My thoughts are, why are you breaking out of the pile, moving it to the crusher, then feeding it with the hoe.

The only time I see a hoe loading a crusher is when the crusher is a tracked machine. The bonus there is you are moving the whole operation along in a demolition situation. Your plant here is stationary, so you need to bring the material to the crusher. The step of throwing it on the ground is going to waste time. Feed that crusher with the loader, if the crusher is going to take a little while to crush whats in the hopper, that loader can work other tasks. Manage stockpiles, work on breaking out of your raw material pile. The loader and hoe can work in concert to sort the big material in your stockpile and downsize it away from the crusher.

If you are still having issues breaking out of the pile with your loader, you may need to consider a spade bucket rather than a gp.

 

[Dozerboy]

I agree with turbo and I see no reason you should need a different bucket.