The cone crusher appeared in 1898, and its working principle is similar to that of the gyratory crusher, both of which operate continuously. However, their structures and performances differ in several aspects.
The cone shape of the gyratory crusher is sharply inclined, with the crushing cone in an upright position (smaller end at the top) and the fixed cone in an inverted position (larger end at the top). This design allows for larger feed size. On the other hand, the cone crusher has a gently inclined cone shape, and both the crushing cone and the fixed cone are upright truncated cones. This creates a parallel crushing zone (parallel band) between the two cones, providing better control over the particle size. Under the action of the crushing cone at higher speeds, ore is ensured to be crushed at least once within the parallel zone, resulting in a more uniform product size.
The crushing cone of the gyratory crusher is suspended on a crossbeam, while the cone crusher, due to its gently inclined crushing cone, increases the vertical crushing force. If a suspension structure is used, it would increase the size of the supporting structure horizontally, affecting uniform ore feeding. Therefore, its crushing cone is supported on a spherical bearing, leading to stricter dust prevention requirements and often employing water-sealing dust prevention devices.
The gyratory crusher has a larger discharge opening, allowing small, non-crushed materials (such as tramp iron, hammers, etc.) to pass through, with less strict requirements for safety devices. In contrast, the cone crusher must have safety devices, usually using pre-compressed spring safety devices or hydraulic safety devices.
The gyratory crusher tolerates a slight increase in discharge particle size due to liner wear without significant impact. It typically adjusts the discharge opening size by raising or lowering the crushing cone. The cone crusher, however, requires a uniform discharge particle size, and the range allowed for an increase in discharge particle size due to liner wear is small. Therefore, adjustment of the discharge opening is more frequent, requiring a convenient operation of the adjustment device. In the case of a spring-type cone crusher, the adjustment is achieved by changing the height position of the fixed cone.
It should be noted that since the adoption of hydraulic adjustment and hydraulic safety measures, the differences between gyratory crushers and cone crushers in points 3 and 4 are no longer significant.
The gyratory crusher has a lower rotational speed and smaller stroke for the crushing cone. The ore is mainly subjected to squeezing and bending. In contrast, the cone crusher, with a rotational speed 2.5 times higher and a swing angle 4 times larger than the gyratory crusher, delivers rapid impacts to the ore. This benefits the fragmentation of the ore, resulting in high crushing efficiency. Additionally, at any given moment, 95% of the ore in the crushing cavity of the cone crusher is in sliding motion, with only 5% in a crushed state. This leads to high output and low power consumption.
Due to its high efficiency, large crushing ratio, low power consumption, and uniform product characteristics, the cone crusher has been widely adopted by various countries worldwide since the end of the last century. It has continuously improved and refined while maintaining its basic structure. This type of crusher is suitable for the medium and fine crushing of materials with various hardness, with a nominal crushing ratio of 3 to 11.
