TPZ Ceramic Wear Element for Comminution Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Comminution devices, such as grinding rollers and crushers, experience high wear on their surfaces, leading to frequent and costly replacements of wear protection elements, which is also a concern in storing abrasive materials in silos.

Innovation Solution

A wear protection element made entirely of yttrium-stabilized, tetragonal polycrystalline zirconium oxide (TPZ) with specific porosity, density, and grain size distribution, providing high wear resistance and toughness, is used for attachment to comminution devices or silo surfaces, reducing wear and extending service life.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If wear protection elements are applied to the surface of grinding rollers to counteract wear, then wear resistance is improved, but replacement frequency increases due to high wear rates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewear resistanceVSAvoidservice life of wear protection elements
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the material parameters by using TPZ ceramic with specific porosity (3-25%), density (3.8-5.1 g/cm³), and grain size distribution (D10=0.5-2.0 μm, D50=1.5-5.0 μm, D90=3.0-10.0 μm). These parameter optimizations resolve the contradiction by achieving superior wear resistance while extending service life through controlled material properties

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs composite material structure by combining TPZ ceramic particles with a binding phase to create a wear protection element that integrates high wear resistance with adequate toughness. The composite nature allows the material to resist wear while maintaining structural integrity for extended service periods

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If ceramic wear protection elements with high wear resistance are used, then maintenance costs are reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewear resistanceVSAvoidmanufacturing of wear protection element
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent specifies controlled parameter ranges for porosity (3-25%), density (3.8-5.1 g/cm³), and grain size distribution that balance wear resistance with manufacturability. These parameter windows allow standard ceramic processing techniques to produce high-performance wear protection elements without excessive manufacturing complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes porous TPZ ceramic structure with controlled porosity (3-25%) that provides wear resistance while facilitating easier manufacturing through reduced sintering requirements and improved green body formation. The porous structure allows for simpler processing compared to fully dense ceramics

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Data Source

PatentEP4065281B1Wear-resistant element for a comminution device
Publication Date: 2024.03.06 F L SMIDTH & CO AS
  • EP4065281B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4065281B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4065281B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The invention relates to a wear-resistant element (16) for attaching to a comminution device or to a silo, characterised in that the wear-resistant element (16) is made of a ceramic material comprising yttrium-stabilised, tetragonal polycrystalline zirconia (TPZ), the TPZ having a volume percent of at least 60%, preferably at least 80%, and in particular 95% to 100% in the ceramic material.