Enhancing Particle Breakage and Energy Utilization in Ball Mills: An Integrated DEM and SPH Approach
This study examines the conversion of an overflow ball mill into a new discharge system via Discrete Element Method (DEM) and Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) simulations, demonstrating significant performance improvements. The methodology integrates SPH to assess the effects of the slurry on e...
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MDPI AG
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Mining |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-6489/5/1/18 |
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| author | Wallace Santos Soares Elisan dos Santos Magalhães Nicolin Govender |
| author_facet | Wallace Santos Soares Elisan dos Santos Magalhães Nicolin Govender |
| author_sort | Wallace Santos Soares |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study examines the conversion of an overflow ball mill into a new discharge system via Discrete Element Method (DEM) and Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) simulations, demonstrating significant performance improvements. The methodology integrates SPH to assess the effects of the slurry on energy dissipation, power loss, breakage rates, and material transport. The findings highlight significant operational inefficiencies in the overflow setup, extensive dead zones, and excessive charge volume that hinder milling efficiency by limiting grinding media interaction with the ore and reducing energy for comminution. Additionally, slurry pooling shifts the center of gravity, causing torque losses and direct material bypass to the discharge zone. Our simulations replicate these challenges and benchmark them against industrial-scale operations, identifying critical charge excesses that constrain throughput and elevate power consumption. The new proposed discharge system decouples the filling charge from the evacuation mechanism, releasing the effective volume in the mill, in addition to tackling common issues in the traditional grate discharge setups like backflow and carry-over. This arrangement substantially improved grinding efficiency, as demonstrated by enhanced breakage rates and diminished specific energy consumption. The results provide a robust framework for mill design and operational optimization, underscoring the value of integrated slurry behavior analysis in mill performance enhancement. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1a13f2c559f54d0c92c33a3a48e8602f |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2673-6489 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Mining |
| spelling | doaj-art-1a13f2c559f54d0c92c33a3a48e8602f2025-08-20T02:42:22ZengMDPI AGMining2673-64892025-03-01511810.3390/mining5010018Enhancing Particle Breakage and Energy Utilization in Ball Mills: An Integrated DEM and SPH ApproachWallace Santos Soares0Elisan dos Santos Magalhães1Nicolin Govender2Technological Institute of Aeronautics (ITA), Department of Aerodynamics, Propulsion, and Energy, São José dos Campos 12228-900, BrazilTechnological Institute of Aeronautics (ITA), Department of Aerodynamics, Propulsion, and Energy, São José dos Campos 12228-900, BrazilResearch Center Pharmacetical Engineering Gmbh, 8010 Graz, AustriaThis study examines the conversion of an overflow ball mill into a new discharge system via Discrete Element Method (DEM) and Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) simulations, demonstrating significant performance improvements. The methodology integrates SPH to assess the effects of the slurry on energy dissipation, power loss, breakage rates, and material transport. The findings highlight significant operational inefficiencies in the overflow setup, extensive dead zones, and excessive charge volume that hinder milling efficiency by limiting grinding media interaction with the ore and reducing energy for comminution. Additionally, slurry pooling shifts the center of gravity, causing torque losses and direct material bypass to the discharge zone. Our simulations replicate these challenges and benchmark them against industrial-scale operations, identifying critical charge excesses that constrain throughput and elevate power consumption. The new proposed discharge system decouples the filling charge from the evacuation mechanism, releasing the effective volume in the mill, in addition to tackling common issues in the traditional grate discharge setups like backflow and carry-over. This arrangement substantially improved grinding efficiency, as demonstrated by enhanced breakage rates and diminished specific energy consumption. The results provide a robust framework for mill design and operational optimization, underscoring the value of integrated slurry behavior analysis in mill performance enhancement.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-6489/5/1/18DEM-SPH couplingoverflow ball millgrate dischargeslurry poolinggrinding efficiency |
| spellingShingle | Wallace Santos Soares Elisan dos Santos Magalhães Nicolin Govender Enhancing Particle Breakage and Energy Utilization in Ball Mills: An Integrated DEM and SPH Approach Mining DEM-SPH coupling overflow ball mill grate discharge slurry pooling grinding efficiency |
| title | Enhancing Particle Breakage and Energy Utilization in Ball Mills: An Integrated DEM and SPH Approach |
| title_full | Enhancing Particle Breakage and Energy Utilization in Ball Mills: An Integrated DEM and SPH Approach |
| title_fullStr | Enhancing Particle Breakage and Energy Utilization in Ball Mills: An Integrated DEM and SPH Approach |
| title_full_unstemmed | Enhancing Particle Breakage and Energy Utilization in Ball Mills: An Integrated DEM and SPH Approach |
| title_short | Enhancing Particle Breakage and Energy Utilization in Ball Mills: An Integrated DEM and SPH Approach |
| title_sort | enhancing particle breakage and energy utilization in ball mills an integrated dem and sph approach |
| topic | DEM-SPH coupling overflow ball mill grate discharge slurry pooling grinding efficiency |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-6489/5/1/18 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT wallacesantossoares enhancingparticlebreakageandenergyutilizationinballmillsanintegrateddemandsphapproach AT elisandossantosmagalhaes enhancingparticlebreakageandenergyutilizationinballmillsanintegrateddemandsphapproach AT nicolingovender enhancingparticlebreakageandenergyutilizationinballmillsanintegrateddemandsphapproach |