After initial blasting, the hard rock from the quarry face is fed through the jaw rock crusher. This is no small task, and requires a durable and high power diesel engine. The stones are then lifted from a screener to make chippings that are used in the construction industry for concrete, tarmac and other purposes.
Over 20,000 tonnes of material is processed and crushed per month at this plant. The igneous basalt – otherwise known or old solidified lava – is used for high quality concrete in building foundations, roads and much more.
When the McCloskey rock crushing machine is not hard at work at the Ballycastle quarry, it can be found working on recycling applications. This powerful machine crushed 1,900 tonnes of material a month at a previous job site, which is enough for over 20,000 trucks loads to be used at various construction sites.
According to Neill Suitor, Engineering Director at McCloskey International, it’s the torque that sets the Volvo Penta diesel engines apart. “The engines have great torque curves, which make a good difference to the running of our machines. They have the ability to keep the machine running under the tough conditions they work in.”
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The demands of one recent assignment in Arklow, County Wicklow required additional Volvo Penta horsepower, as Neill explains. “The jaw crusher was originally built with a 360Hp D11 engine. The rock in Arklow was so hard we uprated the engine to the current 510Hp D13 and an uprated hydraulic drive to transmit an additional 100Hp to the crusher. The productivity increased significantly and the fuel consumption actually reduced.”
The relationship between Volvo Penta and McCloskey International goes back several years, and McCloskey employs five different power ranges of Volvo Penta diesel engines in their range of jaw stone crushers. Neill explains the reasons behind the positive partnership. “Volvo Penta work alongside us and guide us to the best solution and aid the initial design process right through to after sales support and backup. We are planning ahead together.”
For machine operator Gary Mooney, the pleasure is in the performance and handling of the jaw crusher and diesel engine. “It just makes life a lot easier. We’re under a lot of pressure to deliver, so knowing that we have the right power onboard from the start makes operators like me very happy.”
This robust diesel engine provides power to the McCloskey rock crusher machine with the high performance that’s required grind hard rock down into a finer substance. The D13 delivers high power and torque at a low rpm, enabling heavy duty machinery to see more performance. It also gives the operator more comfort due to its low noise levels. In addition to high performance features, the off-road D13 engine cuts operating costs significantly because of its low diesel fuel consumption.
