GB1284426A - Improvements in or relating to electrohydraulic crushing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1284426 Electrohydraulic crushing UNITED KINGDOM ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY 8 Dec 1970 [22 Dec 1969] 62470/69 Heading B2A In a system for electrohydraulic crushing, e.g. of granite lumps up to 1 foot across the feed including coarse material is allowed to stratify as at A, B, C, Fig. 1, in a liquid medium and then subjected to spark discharge shocks. The apparatus comprises a container or duct 1, electrodes within the container means 2 to introduce material into the container, the material being conveyed past the electrodes 7, 8, which provide spark gaps 6 coincident with the mean level of at least the coarser stratum of the material to be crushed. The electrodes are arranged in banks 5, and may extend through the ceiling and floor, or side walls of the duct 1. In the middle stratum B are further banks 9 of gaps 10 between common horizontal electrodes 11 and vertical electrodes 12, Fig. 2. The fines are removed by a bucket conveyor 3, and may be screened, coarse material being returned. Demineralized water may be injected by pipes 15. Fig. 3 and gas, e.g. air may be similarly injected to assist starting of the spark. In further embodiments the material may pass through the apparatus on a jigging sieve 21, Fig. 5, the electrodes may be inserted laterally, and the material may be conveyed past the spark gaps in a rotating perforated dum operating under water.