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 energy-efficient discharge system via Discrete Element Method (DEM) and Smoothed Particle Hydro-dynamics (SPH) simulations. The research evaluates milling charge dynamics, empha-sizing the impact of liner geometry and operational variables such as charge filling and ball size. Our methodology integrates SPH to assess effects of the slurry on energy dissipation, power loss, breakage rates, and material transport. Our findings highlight significant operational inefficiencies in the overflow setup, notably extensive dead zones and excessive charge volume that hinder milling efficiency by limiting slurry in-teraction 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 indus-trial-scale operations, identifying critical charge excesses that constrain throughput and elevate power consumption. The new discharge system decouples the filling charge from the evacuation mechanism, further than tackling common issues in the traditional grate discharge setups like backflow and carry-over. This approach substantially improves 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.