Ball mills

Michael Müller-Pfeiffer
Research Institute of the Cement Industry (Düsseldorf)
Seminar Grasim, 28 February 2007
Structure

1. Introduction
2. Movement of grinding media in a tube mill
3. Ball charge and ball filling level
4. Components of ball mills (linings, diaphragms, mill inlet, drive,
bearing)
5. Mill ventilation, water injection and grinding aids
6. Mill investigation
7. Case studies
8. Summary
 Ball mill for dry grinding (e.g. cement)

Intermediate diaphragm
Fine grinding chamber
67 % of total grinding path length
Classifying plate lining
50 mm - 15 mm balls

Coarse grinding chamber

33 % of total grinding path length
Lifter plate lining
100 mm – 60 mm balls
Discharge diaphragm
Open circuit ball mill grinding plant
Open circuit ball mill grinding plant

Advantage: Simple plant layout with minimal cost

Little space requirement
Simple process control

Disadvantage: High energy consumption – only for coarser

cements suitable
High fineness cements cannot be produced
Fineness of cement is only adjustable by feed
mass flow
At big mills very high mill temperatures
Closed-circuit ball mill grinding plant
 Closed-circuit ball mill grinding plant

Advantage: Lower power consumption than an open circuit ball mill

High cement fineness achievable
Cement fineness can be controlled with separator adjustment

Disadvantage: Closed-circuit mills are more sophisticated and can have

more technical problems
Larger space requirement
Higher investment cost (+ 25 to 30 % incl. housing)
Structure

1. Introduction
2. Movement of grinding media in a tube mill
3. Ball charge and ball filling level
4. Components of ball mills (linings, diaphragms, mill inlet, drive,
bearing)
5. Mill ventilation, water injection and grinding aids
6. Mill investigation
7. Case studies
8. Summary
Movement of grinding media in a tube mill

10
Ball filling level in %

20

30

40

20 40 60 70 80 90
Relative mill speed in %
Movement of grinding media in a tube mill
Movement of grinding media in a tube mill
Movement of grinding media in a tube mill
Movement of grinding media in a tube mill

• The relative mill speed is the relation of actual mill speed to

critical mill speed
nactual
n relative = 100%
ncritical

• The critical mill speed is that speed of rotation at which the balls
stick to the mill shell and do not fall, that means the centrifugal
power neutralizes the force of gravity

30 2 g
ncritical =
Di
42.298
ncritical =
Di
Ball filling level

h
ballfilling = 1.068 1.164 100%
Di

Recommended ball filling level:

1. Chamber: 26 – 32 %
2. Chamber: 24 – 28 %
Structure

1. Introduction
2. Movement of grinding media in a tube mill
3. Ball charge and ball filling level
4. Components of ball mills (linings, diaphragms, mill inlet, drive,
bearing)
5. Mill ventilation, water injection and grinding aids
6. Mill investigation
7. Case studies
8. Summary
Necessary ball size

Big particle
Necessary ball size

Big particle
Necessary ball size

Small
particle
Necessary ball size

Small
particle
Ball charge – Size distribution chamber 1

Example for ball size distribution for ball mills in closed circuit with a high
efficiency separator (without pregrinding)

1. Chamber

DBall 100 90 80 70 60 50 Average ball-weight

(mm) (g/pc)
% - 25 30 25 20 - 1590

100 mm-balls are only necessary in case of

• Very coarse clinker or
• Small diameter mills
Ball charge – Size distribution chamber 2

Example for ball size distribution for ball mills in closed circuit with a high
efficiency separator (without pregrinding)

2. Chamber

DBall 50 40 30 25 20 17 Average ball-weight

(mm) (g/pc)
% 4 10 20 24 23 15 49

Some 50 and 40 mm-balls are necessary to ensure the comminution of

oversized particles passing the intermediate diaphragm
Ball charge

• New arrangement of ball charge

• Removal of worn and undersized grinding
balls
• Recommended once a year
Ball filling level – coarse feed material

18 2,4
15 %

20 % 2,0
spec. power consumption [kWh/t]

25 %
12 spec. power consumption 1,6

throughput [t/h]
1,2

6 0,8

throughput
0,4

0 0,0
1,5 2,0 2,5 3,0 3,5 4,0
L/D-Ratio [-]
Ball filling level – fine feed material

18 2,4
15%
20%
2,0
spec. power consumption [kWh/t]

25%
spec. power consumption
12 1,6

throughput [t/h]
1,2

6 0,8

0,4
throughput

0 0,0
1,5 2,0 2,5 3,0 3,5 4,0
L/D-Ratio [-]
Structure

1. Introduction
2. Movement of grinding media in a tube mill
3. Ball charge and ball filling level
4. Components of ball mills (linings, diaphragms, mill inlet, drive,
bearing)
5. Mill ventilation, water injection and grinding aids
6. Mill investigation
7. Case studies
8. Summary
Movement of grinding media in ball mills

Coarse grinding chamber: Movement with cataract portion – lifter plate lining

Fine grinding chamber: cascade movement – smoother lining profile

Lifter lining

Tasks:
• Protection of the mill shell
• Good ball lifting
• Throughput increase
• Wear resistant
(high chromium cast)
Classifying lining

Tasks:
• Protection of the mill shell
• Good ball classification
• Throughput increase
• Wear resistant
(high chromium cast)

8 Kg
Classifying lining – new Magotteaux Xclass

Advantage:
• Reduction of lining weight
• Faster and cheaper
installation
• 1 % energy saving
Fixing of liner plates

bolted

semi-bolted

boltless
Fixing of liner plates

bolted
Advantage: mechanically stable
insensitive in case of
breakage of a plate
simple installation
Disadvantage: plates must be
manufactured with the
accurate dimension
boreholes in the mill
shell must be accurately
positioned
Fixing of liner plates

semi-bolted and boltless

Advantage: easier manufacture
boltless lined mills don’t
spread
Disadvantage: plates must be
manufactured with the
accurate dimension
sophisticated installation
sensitive in case of
broken plates
Intermediate diaphragm

Tasks:
• Prevent passing of grinding balls into
the other grinding chamber
• Prevent passing of oversized particles
into the fine grinding chamber
• Material transport:
• Separation of air and material
• Material shall enter the ball
charge in 2. chamber directly
behind the diaphragm
• Control of material filling level in the
coarse grinding chamber
Intermediate diaphragm

• Consists of several cast segments for

easy installation
• Double wall partition with 2 front walls
and lifter scoops
• Central hole for mill ventilation
• Entrance side: Slot plates with slot
width of 6 to 10 mm
• Slot 2 times wider at the exit side
• Active surface 5 – 10 %
Intermediate diaphragm – Separation of air and material
transport

Old design New design

Intermediate diaphragm – Separation of air and material
transport
FLS-Combidan diaphragm

Screen plate

Coarse grate
Discharge diaphragm

• Design comparable to
intermediate diaphragm
• Central hole for mill
ventilation
• Entrance side: Slot plates
with slot width of 6 to 10 mm
• Slot 2 times wider at the exit
side
• Active surface 5 – 10 %
 Lifetime of wear resistant products of ball mills (12 % Cr)

• Mill inlet (liner plates): 12,000 – 17,000 h

• Lifter plates: 35,000 h
• Intermediate wall: slot plates: 13,000 h
back board: 19,000 h
• Classifying liner plates: 60,000 h
• Outlet wall: slot plates: 20,000 h
• Grinding balls: 40 g/t
Mill inlet

• Material shall enter the ball charge

directly behind the mill inlet
• Separation of air and material feeding
Mill drive technology

Girth gear and pinion drive

Central drive
Ring motor
Girth gear and pinion drive

Advantage: Low investment costs

Little space requirement

Disadvantage: With single gear and pinion drive

capacity is limited to 5000 kW
(Double gear and pinion drive far
higher capacities transmittable)
Central drive

Advantage: Low maintenance

Disadvantage: 50 % more expensive than single

gear and pinion drive
With co-rotating planetary stage
transmittable power is limited to
5000 kW
Ring motor

Advantage: Unlimited drive capacity

No gear
Low required space
Rotational speed continuously
adjustable
Lowest maintenance requirement
and highest availability

Disadvantage: High investment costs

Mill bearings

Trunnion supports

Slide shoe bearings

Trunnion supports

Disadvantage:
• High loading of mill front walls (risk of damage by material fatigue)
• Temperature problems of the trunnion bearing in case of the use
of hot gas (e.g. raw mills)
• High gas velocities in mill trunnion
• Difficult material feeding
• Higher investment costs
Slide shoe bearing

Advantage:
• Easy alignment
• Simple foundation
• Reduced Length
• Less weight of mill shell
Structure

1. Introduction
2. Movement of grinding media in a tube mill
3. Ball charge and ball filling level
4. Components of ball mills (linings, diaphragms, mill inlet, drive,
bearing)
5. Mill ventilation, water injection and grinding aids
6. Mill investigation
7. Case studies
8. Summary
Mill ventilation

Tasks of mill ventilation: Air volume flow: 0.2 – 1.0 m³/kgthroughput

• Dedusting Limit values for the air velocity in the
• Cooling free cross section:
• Support of material transport Open circuit mills: < 1.2 m/s
Closed circuit mills: < 1.4 m/s
Water injection

• Usually water injection from the discharge side

into chamber 2 (warmest part of the mill)
• In case of high clinker temperature also water
injection into chamber 1 possible
• It is better to cool the balls than to cool the air
• Right positioning of the water injection is important
Water injection chamber 1

water

ai
r

water

air
Grinding aids

Specification:
• Reduce adhesive forces between fine particles
• Prevent coating of linings and grinding balls in the 2. Chamber
• Improve the flowability of cement
• Improve the separation efficiency in the classifier
• Water is the most simple grinding aid
• Surface active organic liquids are more effective
(e.g.Triethanolamin 0.02 - 0.06 %, Ethylenglycol 0.02 – 0.08 % )
• By addition of grinding aids energy saving up to 25 % and
throughput increases up to 40 % are possible
Structure

1. Introduction
2. Movement of grinding media in a tube mill
3. Ball charge and ball filling level
4. Components of ball mills (linings, diaphragms, mill inlet, drive,
bearing)
5. Mill ventilation, water injection and grinding aids
6. Mill investigation
7. Case studies
8. Summary
Mill investigation

• Control of condition of wearing parts

(lining, slot plates, etc.)
• Control of ball filling level
• Sampling at each meter of the grinding path
• Recommended once a year
Structure

1. Introduction
2. Movement of grinding media in a tube mill
3. Ball charge and ball filling level
4. Components of ball mills (linings, diaphragms, mill inlet, drive,
bearing)
5. Mill ventilation, water injection and grinding aids
6. Mill investigation
7. Case studies
8. Summary
1. Chamber - Ball charge too coarse

Cause: Too big ball charge

Effect: Inefficient grinding

Number of ball impacts on
material too low
1. Chamber - Ball charge too coarse

100
Chamber 1 Chamber 2
2000 µm
90
1000 µm
400 µm
80
200 µm
70 90 mm
40 µm
Residue in %

60

50

40

30

20

10

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Length of grinding path in m
1. Chamber – Ball charge too fine

Cause: Very big clinker pieces,

Too small ball charge

Effect: Coarse material particles are

not sufficiently comminuted and
accumulated in front of the
diaphragm
1. Chamber – ball charge too fine

100
Chamber 1 Chamber 2
90
4000 µm
80 2000 µm
1000 µm
70 400 µm
200 µm
Residue in %

60 90 µm
40 µm
50

40

30

20

10

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Length of grinding path in m
2. Chamber – Ball charge to coarse

Cause: Too big grinding balls,

Effect: Inefficient grinding

Low throughput
High energy consumption
2. Chamber – Ball charge to coarse

100
Chamber 1 Chamber 2 4000 µm
90
2000 µm
80 1000 µm
400 µm
70 200 µm
90 µm
Residue in %

60 40 µm
50

40

30

20

10

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Lenth of grinding path m
2. Chamber – Ball charge too fine

Cause: Too small grinding balls,

worn grinding balls (ball scrap)
Oversized particles passing
into the 2. chamber
Effect: Oversized particles are not
comminuted and accumulated
in the 2. chamber
2. Chamber – Ball charge too fine

100
Chamber 1 Chamber 2
4000 µm
90
2000 µm
80 1000 µm
400 µm
70 200 µm
90 µm
Residue in %

60
40 µm
50

40

30

20

10

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Length of grinding path in m
Too high material filling level

Cause: blocked slots in the outlet

diaphragm
Effect: Ball hits partly are absorbed
high energy consumption
low throughput
Too high material filling level

100
Chamber 1 Chamber 2 4000 µm
90
2000 µm
80 1000 µm
400 µm
70 200 µm
90 µm
Residue in %

60
40 µm
50

40

30

20

10

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Length of grinding path in m
Too low material filling level

Cause: Too high ball filling level

Effect: high energy consumption
high wear
Bad material supply in the mill inlet

Cause: High air velocity in mill inlet

Bad material supply

Effect: Material is sucked into the mill

The first meter of the coarse
grinding chamber get lost
Bad material supply in the mill inlet

100
90 Chamber 1 Chamber 2
10000 µm
80 4000 µm
2000 µm
70
1000 µm
Residue in %

60 400 µm
200 µm
50 90 µm

40
30
20
10
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Length of grinding path in m
Structure

1. Introduction
2. Movement of grinding media in a tube mill
3. Ball charge and ball filling level
4. Components of ball mills (linings, diaphragms, mill inlet, drive,
bearing)
5. Mill ventilation, water injection and grinding aids
6. Mill investigation
7. Case studies
8. Summary
Ball mills - summary

• High grinding energy consumption - less than 10 % of

total grinding energy is used for comminution
• Optimal adjustment of the ball mill (ball charge, ball
filling level, mill ventilation) is very important
• Regularly control of the condition of the wearing parts
(lining, diaphragm)
• Possible optimisation potentials:
• Ball charge
• Diaphragm
• Lining
• Water spray equipment
Summary

Thank you for your attention!

Any questions?