Hopper Purpose

Conveyors and loading equipment deliver material in surges. Crushers require steady continuous feed for efficient operation. Feed hopper accumulates material providing buffer between intermittent delivery and continuous crushing maintaining throughput.

Hopper Design

Inverted cone or pyramid geometry with steep walls preventing material bridging. Wide top inlet receives material from conveyors or trucks. Tapered bottom section funnels material to crusher inlet. Discharge gate or feeder controls flow rate matching crusher capacity.

Material Flow

Steep wall angles typically 60-70 degrees from horizontal ensure mass flow preventing ratholing and bridging. Smooth internal surfaces reduce friction. Large enough outlet prevents arching. Design considers material properties - particle size, moisture, cohesion.

Capacity Sizing

Volume provides surge storage balancing upstream delivery with crusher feed rate. Typical storage 15-60 minutes crushing capacity. Larger hoppers suit intermittent loading from trucks. Smaller sufficient for continuous conveyor feed.

Material Selection

Carbon steel with abrasion-resistant liners for hard rock and ore. Stainless steel for corrosive materials. Wear plates in high-impact zones. Design withstands material weight and impact loading from dumping.

Feeder Integration

Vibrating feeders, belt feeders, or apron feeders control discharge rate. Variable speed adjusts feed matching crusher load. Proper feeder design prevents material flooding crusher or starving feed.

Applications

Mining operations feeding primary and secondary crushers, aggregate plants processing stone and gravel, cement plants crushing raw materials, recycling facilities sizing demolition waste, and any bulk material requiring size reduction.

Level Monitoring

High-level sensors prevent overloading. Low-level warns of feed shortage. Operators or automated systems coordinate material delivery based on hopper level maintaining optimal inventory.

Structural Support

Heavy-duty structure supports filled hopper weight plus dynamic loading. Foundation design for total load including material surge. Seismic considerations in earthquake zones. Access platforms for inspection and maintenance.

Dust Control

Enclosed hoppers with dust collection minimize airborne particulates. Spray systems suppress dust from material dumping. Covers reduce weather exposure. Environmental compliance for dust emissions.

Performance Benefits

Provides surge capacity stabilizing crusher feed. Enables efficient crushing through continuous material delivery. Buffers upstream-downstream variations. Reduces equipment wear from feed starvation or flooding.

Construction Standards

Structural design per applicable building codes. Materials for abrasive service. Dust collection per environmental standards. Complete documentation with structural calculations and material specifications.

ERGIL crusher feed hoppers provide reliable material surge capacity ensuring efficient continuous crushing in mining and aggregate operations.