Mobile crushers, which have been adapted for the Russian winter and undergo special preparation and maintenance, operate reliably at temperatures of -30 to -40 °C, demonstrate high efficiency in Siberia, deliver economic benefits and enable year-round operations.
In the harsh Russian winter, the mobile crusher is subjected to extreme temperatures ranging from minus 30 to 40 degrees, but specially adapted design solutions enable it to operate reliably, processing construction waste and rock without significant downtime, demonstrating the high efficiency of this specially engineered equipment in harsh climatic conditions.
Before the start of the winter season, all components of the mobile crusher undergo a comprehensive preparation process: low-temperature oils are filled into the hydraulic system, pre-start heaters are fitted for the engine and hydraulic circuits, the joints between components are sealed with special frost-resistant gaskets, and anti-icing coatings are applied to the working surfaces that come into contact with damp material.
As part of the project carried out in the Novosibirsk Region, the crusher operated continuously for 45 days at temperatures as low as minus 38 degrees, processing more than 12,000 cubic metres of frozen granite rubble and construction waste; downtime due to weather conditions accounted for less than 2 per cent of total operating time, which is an order of magnitude better than the performance of standard, non-adapted equipment.
A team of technicians is on duty at the site at all times; every three hours, they carry out a quick inspection of the components, remove ice from the drive belts, check the level of the working fluid in the heaters, and, between shifts, purge the pneumatic systems with compressed air, which prevents the lines from becoming blocked by frozen moisture and rules out sudden equipment failures.
The use of a customised mobile crusher enabled the project client to continue work on preparing aggregates for road construction throughout the winter, reduce delivery costs for finished crushed stone from remote quarries by 32 per cent, and to meet all contractual deadlines without incurring penalties, which meant that the costs of modifying the equipment were recouped within the first month of operation.
Experience has shown that, provided they are properly adapted and maintenance regulations are followed, mobile crushers are capable of operating effectively in Russia’s harshest winter conditions, this opens up the possibility of year-round operations in the mining and construction sectors, reduces seasonal risks and increases the overall profitability of production projects.
