Ask two quarry supervisors how much their crusher produced last week and you will often get two different answers, even on identical machines. Some of that is the rock and the feed. A good part of it is how the number was worked out. A proper crusher capacity calculation starts with tonnes you actually weighed and hours the plant actually ran, not the figure on the data sheet.
What Does Crusher Capacity in TPH Mean?
TPH is simply tonnes per hour. But when people talk about crusher capacity in tph, they can mean two different things. One is the rated figure a manufacturer quotes under set test conditions. The other is what your plant really delivers with your own rock, your own feed and your own settings. Use the rated number for reference. Use the actual number to plan the shift.
The TPH Calculation Formula
The straightforward way to calculate TPH is using actual output from a weighbridge. The formula is TPH = tonnes processed divided by running hours. For example if the weighbridge shows 1,440 tonnes after 6 hours of operation that’s 240 TPH.
If you don’t have a weighbridge you can estimate TPH using volume. The formula is TPH = volume per hour (m³/h) multiplied by density (t/m³). So at 110 m³/h and a density of 1.6 t/m³ the TPH comes out to 176.
Keep in mind that loose crushed stone typically has a density between 1.4 and 1.7 t/m³ but this can change depending on the type of rock and how it’s graded. Always weigh a known volume, from your stockpile before relying on any general table. What works for one site may not work for another.
Crusher TPH Calculation: A Worked Example
Here is a simple trial. A quarry feeds 30 dumper loads, averaging 18 tonnes each, over 3 hours, and the plant stops for 15 minutes in that time. Total feed is 540 tonnes and running time is 2.75 hours. This crusher tph calculation comes to 540 ÷ 2.75, or about 196 TPH. Over 6.5 productive hours in a shift, that is around 1,274 tonnes. Notice that the 15 minutes were taken out. Leaving stoppages in is the usual reason calculated figures look better than the daily production report.
What Affects Crusher Production Capacity?
Jaw Crusher Output refers to both the volume and size of material produced, while Jaw Crusher Throughput is the practical, sustained rate at which the machine processes feed over time, which is often lower than its theoretical maximum. Throughput is what actually matters for planning a shift's production, since it reflects real feeding patterns, material variability, and stoppages, not a peak figure achieved under ideal test conditions.
Crusher production capacity moves with a lot of small things on site. Hard, abrasive rock slows the work and wears liners faster. Wet or clayey feed sticks in the chamber and blinds the screens. Oversize lumps hold the crusher up. A tighter closed side setting gives finer product but usually costs some throughput. Worn liners change the shape of the chamber, so capacity and product shape both drift over time. Feed consistency matters more than most people expect too. A crusher fed unevenly runs half-empty one minute and overloaded the next.
Stone Crusher TPH in a Closed Circuit
In a circuit the screen sends oversize material back to the crusher. This means the crusher has to process more, than the fresh feed. The crusher throughput equals the feed multiplied by one plus the circulating load. With 200 TPH of feed and a 25% circulating load the cone crusher ends up crushing 250 TPH. Also keep in mind that the stone crusher tph of a whole plant can only be as high as its slowest stage, so the feeder, screen and conveyors have to keep up.
Rated Capacity vs Actual Throughput
Manufacturer capacity charts are made for particular models, settings and materials, so check your readings against the chart for your exact machine. PICS International’s Jaw Crusher range is used for primary crushing, and the Cone Crusher range for the secondary and tertiary stages. To see a complete plant, the 200 TPH 3 Stage Aggregate Crushing page describes a setup with a a jaw crusher, cone crusher and vertical shaft impactor. Your own results will still depend on your rock and how the plant is run.
What to Record Before You Calculate TPH?
| Factor | What to Record |
|---|---|
| Feed material | Rock type, hardness, moisture |
| Feed size | Maximum size and consistency |
| Closed side setting | Current CSS |
| Tonnes processed | Weighbridge or dumper count |
| Running time | Hours excluding stoppages |
| Circulating load | Percentage returned by the screen |
| Bulk density | Measured from your own stockpile |
Conclusion
Crusher capacity is not one fixed number. It depends on the rock, the feed, the setting, the circulating load and the condition of the machine on that particular day. Measure over several shifts and average the results, and your crusher capacity calculation will hold up when someone questions it. If you are sizing a new plant or reviewing an existing one, you can reach the PICS International team through the Contact Us page.