Custom Sensor Improves Accuracy and Safety at Ball Mill Mine

摘要

A large mine in the Southwest was having trouble getting accurate temperature measurements of the ball bearings involved in crushing giant boulders to extract copper. During the grinding, the pressure of the heavy ore and the vibrations caused by the grinding process caused the bearings to overheat. The bearings were cooled by turning inside an oil tray that lubricated the bearings and helped prevent friction. The mine first used noncontact infrared temperature sensors, but they could not be located close enough to the bearings. Instead of accurately reporting the bearings' temperature, the noncontact sensors were primarily measuring ambient temperatures around the bearings. The inaccurate readings meant that bearings would burn up before the dangerous rise in temperature was detected.