Joest introduce new banana screen to coal processing sector
Latest 4.3m wide screen designed to meet demands for increased throughput and reduced downtime
JOEST, South African manufacturers of specialist vibrating equipment, have launched a new 4.3m wide banana screen to meet customer demands for operational efficiency and increased throughput.
‘We have paid close attention to our clients’ needs by assessing the failure modes of existing 4.3m wide screens in this market and designed our screen with the focus on reduced downtime and ease of maintenance when required,’ said Derrick Alston, chief executive officer of Joest.
‘There are 50 to 60 screens of this size in the coal processing sector at present, many of which are approaching the point in their lifecycle where they will need to be replaced. Our new 4.3m wide screen, which incorporates the latest technology and refinements, is ideally positioned to fill this gap in the market.’
The trend towards larger equipment in the coal processing sector is being driven by the necessity to increase tonnage throughput and plant availability.
Mr Alston continued: ‘This has had an impact on the entire equipment supply chain, from screens through to cyclones and centrifuges. Joest have, therefore, been ideally positioned to incorporate the latest advances into its own 4.3m wide screen, which means that the coal processing sector in South Africa can now be confident it is on par with what is happening internationally.’
Ease of maintenance is vital for these giant screens due to the size of the components involved and the issue of easy access to remote sites. A particular design innovation of Joest’s 4.3m screen is the use of circular hollow sections as cross members – as opposed to traditional H-beams.
According to Kenny Mayhew-Ridgers, general manager of engineering at Joest, cross members are the main structural elements holding the side plates of the screen together, as well as supporting the screening deck.
‘If you select the wrong cross section for that length of beam, the end result is structural problems,’ he commented. ‘An added advantage of circular hollow sections is that it provides greater torsional stability on these large screens.’
Joest have made a significant investment in their capabilities to offer customers ‘intensive value added benefits’. Mr Alston explained: ‘It is the sum total of our experience, combined with the specific expertise we bring, to analyzing client problems and developing the most cost-effective and technologically relevant solutions.’
