Why are hammer crushers becoming less and less common? Why not break the sand with a hammer?

1. Limited Crushing Capabilities:

Hammer crushers are primarily designed for soft to medium-hard materials. They are not suitable for materials that are too hard or abrasive, as they can cause excessive wear and tear on the hammers. In the mining and construction industries, materials often exceed the hardness limits of hammer crushers, making them less effective in certain applications.

2. High Maintenance Costs:

Hammer crushers require regular maintenance, including replacing worn-out hammers and screens. The constant wear and tear on the hammers lead to increased costs, both in terms of replacement parts and downtime for maintenance. This makes hammer crushers less cost-effective compared to other crushing equipment.

3. Inefficient Energy Utilization:

Hammer crushers operate by impacting the material with high-speed hammers. This process is not very energy-efficient, as a significant amount of energy is dissipated as heat and noise. As a result, hammer crushers consume more energy per unit of output compared to other types of crushers, such as jaw crushers or cone crushers.

4. Limited Particle Size Control:

Hammer crushers are known for producing a wide range of particle sizes, which can be a disadvantage when precise size control is required. The lack of precision in particle size reduction makes hammer crushers less suitable for applications where a narrow particle size distribution is essential.

5. Environmental Concerns:

Hammer crushers produce a significant amount of dust and noise during operation. This can pose environmental challenges, especially in urban or environmentally sensitive areas. The need for dust suppression systems and noise reduction measures adds to the overall cost and complexity of using hammer crushers.

Why Not Break the Sand with a Hammer?

Breaking sand with a hammer is not an efficient or practical solution. Sand is a fine-grained material that requires a different approach to crushing. Hammer crushers are not designed for sand, and attempting to break it with a hammer would result in excessive wear, high energy consumption, and poor particle size control. Instead, alternative crushing methods, such as impact crushers or cone crushers, are better suited for sand crushing, as they are designed to handle fine-grained materials more efficiently.

The declining popularity of hammer crushers is due to their limited crushing capabilities, high maintenance costs, inefficient energy utilization, and limited particle size control. In comparison, alternative crushers like jaw crushers, cone crushers, and impact crushers offer greater flexibility, efficiency, and precision in particle size reduction. As a result, these crushers are increasingly being preferred over hammer crushers, especially in the mining and construction industries.