With the aim of reducing costly downtime, Booyco Engineering has made it possible for mines to conduct on-site replacement of the non-ferrous alloy bushes in large mining equipment such as cone crushers. Booyco’s Bush Cooler can be trailer or skid mounted and is available for outright purchase or rental under certain conditions.
Specialists in custom engineered industrial HVAC systems, Booyco Engineering developed the mobile Booyco Bush Cooler so that mines could conduct the bush cooling process cost effectively and safely on site. This process traditionally makes use of liquid nitrogen – a hazardous chemical – or dry ice, which must be purchased specifically for each use, and transported to site on often significant lead times. In contrast, the Bush Cooler can be quickly put to use as often as it is needed. When purchased outright, it is estimated that the cost of the Bush Cooler will be recouped in its first usage.
According to Grant Miller, executive director at Booyco Engineering, the Bush Cooler can be trailer or skid mounted, and can even be fitted down a shaft for underground use. This innovation could also be used by manufacturers of crushers, when fitting bushes to new equipment.
“Our dual stage cooling technology will cool the bush in the Bush Cooler’s chiller to minus 40 °C in just six hours, even in ambient temperatures as high as 40 degrees,” says Miller. “This provides a much safer, more convenient and cost-effective process than the conventional use of liquid nitrogen or dry ice, especially since the Bush Cooler obviates the need for consumable expenditure every time.”
With a chiller area measuring 1,2 m in each direction, users can cool large bushes measuring up to 1 metre in length and 1 m in diameter, with a wall thickness of 20-30 mm. The bush is lowered into the cooling box through a hatch, which is then closed for the cooling phase.
In its trailer mounted configuration, the Booyco Bush Cooler has a total mass of about 1 300 kg and can be towed by a light utility vehicle. The trailer is fitted with a jockey wheel to facilitate manual parking, and stabilisers are provided at each corner to enable the user to level and stabilise the cooler irrespective of the underfoot conditions.
The cooling system uses the internationally accepted, ozone friendly R507 refrigerant. The main electrical housing and controls are easily accessible on the side of the unit, and all components are secured in place, including copper pipes and electrical harnesses, using pipe retaining clamps and straps to prevent chafing, fatigue and abrasion during transportation.
