Selecting the right wear lining thickness is a tradeoff between protection, cost and what can reasonably be achieved. Too thick however is not always better and if too thin it will prematurely fail, exposing the steel and causing downtime.
What wears equipment? Sharp material causing steady sliding abrasion, fine materials moving fast, large and sharp = impact and gouging. In many areas, you may get away with a light duty thin liner, but on impact zones you’re probably going to need some thicker tougher protection or even layered systems. For Abrasion Resistant Lining, visit www.kingfisher-industrial.com/wear-protection/
The second step is looking for material velocity and flow pattern. Wear areas are subject to a higher rate of degradation compared with straight runs with laminar flow. Once a pattern of wear has been identified, that thickness data can be applied to the liners so they are not over-lined.
Operating conditions also matter. High temperatures, chemicals and moisture can reduce useful life or affect the bonding. For instance, a 3 mm liner is worthless if it debonds because of poor adhesion or incompatible conditions.
Then there’s installation and maintenance. Alternatively, liners that are very thick can be heavy and difficult to manipulate; plus take longer time in installation during shutdowns. Many plants have a significant loss on the interior, limiting flow and increasing potential for blockage. But in many cases, a slightly thinner and more-prone-to-wear liner will be the wiser option since it can actually be replaced on a regular basis.
Ideally, you would want to utilise wear data. If you have your historical liner life and the thickness that they were changed out, then from this information you can estimate wear rate and do a quick guesstimate of how much time till others shut down. If not, start recording today; even basic measurements establish a baseline.
In a nutshell, feel the weight that is right for your job load and flow rate. The aim is more consistent wear life instead of surprises.