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Winter doesn鈥檛 mean what it used to.
A few decades ago, most crushing plants north of the Mason-Dixon Line would shut down when the weather got cold 鈥 usually around Thanksgiving. During the following winter months, plants would remain inactive, and it wasn鈥檛 until weather got warmer that anyone thought about getting a plant up and running.
That鈥檚 not the case anymore.
Today, very few crushing plants are shut down for any extended period of time 鈥 even听听and extremely cold climates (although these typically require special insulation and equipment). Instead, many of them run all winter, whether snow or sun, enabling higher outputs and continued productivity year-round.
This can lead to success in meeting production quotas, but it can also lead to disaster if plants aren鈥檛 properly winterized. Machines don鈥檛 function in the cold the way they do in the heat and failing to adapt to that reality can cause costly damage. The good news is that there are simple steps you can take to ensure your plant is prepared for winter.
Here are four things you鈥檒l need to consider.
1. Make sure dust suppression is working properly.
Dust and debris are some of the most dangerous elements of winter crushing. They鈥檙e a problem in any season, of course. But during the winter, dust can settle and freeze on machine components, leading to damage via the same process that causes potholes.
Dust suppression听isn鈥檛 overly complex, but it is critical. Make sure that there is adequate drainage and that all of your lines are elevated so that they can run smoothly. Check to ensure that your water is clean and that there are no plugs in your system.
In terms of debris, take more care than ever to keep things clear. Mobile equipment, especially, can suffer from frozen debris that causes听tracks to break.
In winter, more than ever, keeping your dust suppression working and your operations free of debris will keep your plant running.
2. Make sure your oils are at proper viscosity.
Another key consideration during the winter months is oil viscosity.听听refers to how easily oil flows at different temperatures; at higher temperatures, oils tend to have a low viscosity and flow more easily, while at lower temperatures, they have a high viscosity, becoming thicker and flowing with more difficulty.
Oil that doesn鈥檛 flow easily won鈥檛 be able to lubricate or cool your crushing systems in the ways it鈥檚 supposed to. To ensure your oils are at the correct viscosity during the cold winter months, check your operating manuals and make sure that you are using the correct types. Often, this will mean replacing 鈥渟ummer oils鈥 with lower-viscosity 鈥渨inter oils鈥 to maintain the same degree of flow.
Don鈥檛 simply leave your oils from the summer to perform in the winter. That鈥檚 a costly mistake.
3. Make sure your heating systems are working.
On a related note, heating systems play a key role in maintaining oil viscosity. Make sure that your heaters are set to the correct levels, and make sure that your temperature gauges are accurate. A worst-case scenario is that your heaters don鈥檛 recognize when the right temperature has been reached and keep heating until your oils catch fire.
A better scenario is that you check your heating system and ensure that it鈥檚 playing its part to keep your crushing plant running.
4. Turn on 鈥渨inter mode鈥 when you have the option.
Finally, if your crushing equipment has a winter mode, you should turn it on during the winter. If that sounds like common sense, it鈥檚 because it is. But it鈥檚 still an easy thing to forget.
Equipment that comes with a winter mode most often works by periodically allowing oils to be pumped through the crusher. This keeps the machine at a good temperature and makes startup easier and quicker. It鈥檚 a very useful feature.
If your equipment doesn鈥檛 come with winter mode, you may be able to add that functionality fairly efficiently. If you have line power set up, it may be that nothing more than controls is needed. If you don鈥檛 have line power, though, and you need to add a generator, you鈥檙e probably looking at an expensive update.
Regardless, we recommend consulting with听听so that you have the information you need to make an informed decision.
Ready to keep crushing this winter?
In today鈥檚 age of year round rock crushing, operating in the winter is more common than ever 鈥 but, if done haphazardly and without proper preparation, it has the capability to cause your plant huge damages.
Pay attention to the four items above, and you鈥檒l be in a good position to keep your plant running through the cold months.
If you鈥檙e looking for more information on how to avoid winter crushing hazards 鈥 or for any assistance in optimizing your crushing plant 鈥撎get in touch with us. From crushing consulting to equipment service and replacement, we can help you optimize your crushing equipment and procedures for increased production.
Let Mellott help your crushing plant thrive during the winter months and for the rest of the year.
