An elliptical motion vibrating screen has been designed using new technology that makes it particularly suited for screening applications challenged with high-moisture content, and the equipment can handle capacities up to 3 500 t per hour while minimising water usage.

Haver & Boecker Niagara engineered the elliptical motion Niagara XL-Class vibrating screen for a Brazilian iron-ore producer. The screen runs in an elliptical motion of up to 6 g in a high-moisture iron-ore screening application to ensure stratification in all phases of screening. The vibrating screen also features a robust elliptical exciter drive that offers a bearing life up to 75 000 hours.

“The vibrating screen’s unique elliptical movement maintains unrivalled screening performance when processing high-moisture materials,” said Haver & Boecker Niagara sales manager Denilson Moreno.

Iron-ore contains up to 15% moisture and may have the properties of a pasty, clay-like material, prone to blinding on a screen deck. The elliptical movement motion and increased acceleration of the XL-Class ensures that the material is stratifying without blinding or contamination. 

The new vibrating screen is available in a wide range of sizes, in either a single module or tandem design.

Haver & Boecker Niagara manufactures its own brand of Niagara Exciter technology which functions as the drive system for all elliptical XL-Class vibrating screens. The bridge-mounted exciters are available in five different sizes and are said to offer the largest static moment range on the market.

Each elliptical XL-Class machine is custom-designed to the operation’s specific application using Finite Element Analysis, which measures high stress areas and natural frequencies of a vibrating screen. The analysis helps engineers optimise machine performance by providing the information required to determine where to reinforce critical areas and reduce the weight of any oversized components.

Operations can pair the elliptical XL-Class with the company’s signature Ty-Deck Ultra modular screen media to maximize the screening efficiency of high-moisture material and address its challenges. Ty-Deck Ultra’s accelerated screening action cleans material without the use of water, reducing the need for tailing dams. With a 50% longer wear life than the original Ty-Deck, the screen media panels are seen as an ideal choice for screening high moisture materials such as iron-ore.