Replacing large non-ferrous alloy bushes in mining equipment, such as cone crushers, can be time-consuming and expensive, notes Booyco Engineering, which says that its Bush Cooler provides an innovative solution to this challenge.

Specialists in custom engineered industrial HVAC systems, Booyco Engineering developed its mobile Bush Cooler to enable mines to conduct the bush cooling process cost effectively and safely on site, and is available for outright purchase or rental under certain conditions. The process usually makes use of liquid nitrogen, or dry ice, which is a hazardous chemical that must be purchased specifically for each use and transported to site – often with significant lead times. The company says its Bush Cooler, in contrast, can be quickly put to use as often as it is needed.

Booyco Engineering executive director Grant Miller says the cooler can be trailer- or skid-mounted, and can even be fitted down a shaft for underground use, adding that it could also be used by manufacturers of crushers, when fitting bushes to new equipment.

“Our dual stage cooling technology will cool the bush in the Bush Cooler’s chiller to minus 40 °C in just six hours, even in ambient temperatures as high as 40 °C,” says Miller. “This provides a much safer, more convenient and cost effective process than the conventional use of liquid nitrogen or dry ice, especially since the Bush Cooler obviates the need for consumable expenditure every time.”

With a chiller area measuring 1.2 m in each direction, users can cool large bushes measuring up to 1 m in length and 1 m in diameter, with a wall thickness of 20 mm to 30 mm. The bush is lowered into the cooling box through a hatch, which is then closed for the cooling phase.

In its trailer-mounted configuration, the Booyco Bush Cooler has a total mass of about 1 300 kg and can be towed by a light utility vehicle. The trailer is fitted with a jockey wheel to facilitate manual parking, and stabilisers are provided at each corner to enable the user to level and stabilise the cooler irrespective of the underfoot conditions.

The cooling system uses the internationally accepted, ozone-friendly R507 refrigerant. The main electrical housing and controls are accessible on the side of the unit, and all components are secured in place, including copper pipes and electrical harnesses, using pipe retaining clamps and straps to prevent chafing, fatigue and abrasion during transportation.