Two-stage method for the simulation of the comminution process in a high-speed beater mill

Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawińskiego 5b, 02-106, Warsaw, Poland

^* e-mail: mmarijn@ippt.pan.pl

Abstract

The paper presents a two-stage simplified method for the simulation of comminution process which takes place in a beater mill. The first stage of the proposed method is a simulation of the flow of gas and ore particles through a mill based on a two-phase continuous-discrete model. It allows to capture the interaction between the fluid flow and embedded particles, to determine trajectories of their motion and average velocities and frequencies of their collisions against the flywheel and the mill's walls. The second stage of the proposed method is a discrete element method simulation of the process of comminution of a single ore particle. It allows to determine the size distribution of created smaller particles in terms of normal velocity and angle of impact and to estimate the global efficiency of the comminution process. The proposed simulation methodology is applied for the verification of the innovative concept of the application of high–speed beater mill for the comminution of the copper ore.