International Conference on Chemical, Ecology and Environmental Sciences (ICCEES'2011) Pattaya Dec.

2011

Effect of High Pressure Grinding Rolls on Comminution Circuit Designs

Rudzani Sigwadi, Molebogeng Nkobane, Touhami Mokrani and Ayo Afolabi

Abstract This study compares the energy consumption of high pressure grinding rolls with the laboratory rod milling tests and the pilot plant. Three types of minerals were used as test specimens namely: pyroxenite (I), pyroxenite (2) and pyroxenite (3). These test samples were ground using jaw and cone crushers to provide feed for laboratory milling test deposit and to evaluate a circuit comprised of high pressure grinding rolls comminution followed by laboratory milling. Attempts at improving the comminution machines generally have been directed towards increasing the performance efficiency, particularly increasing throughput rate and decreasing energy consumption. To evaluate the potential energy benefits of this novel circuit arrangement, energy consumption related to comminution was calculated for the circuit using power draw readings off the main motor and the throughput recorded during testing. To provide a basis for comparison, the energy requirements for laboratory rod milling tests, the high pressure grinding rolls tests and the piloting campaign were determined through high pressure grinding rolls pilot-scale testing. Keywords Comminution, Efficiency, Hpgrs, Rod Milling, Pilot
Milling Test.

I.

INTRODUCTION

HE mining industry all over the world has been facing the challenge of ore size reduction as some minerals are soft; hard, clay or may exhibit distinct cleavage which causes high energy consumption in mining practices such as comminution [1, 2, 3]. Comminution is required in mineral processing to provide the liberation between useful and gangue minerals [4]. High pressure grinding rolls (HPGRs) technology is rapidly gaining a wide acceptance within the mineral processing industry [5]. This technology is based on operation principle that applying enough pressure to a bed of particles might bring gains regarding energy efficiency. One of its attractive features is that, it could lead to better liberation of the precious mineral species. The use of the HPGRs could also have a

favourable impact on overall energy consumption [1, 6, 7, 8]. The slow load application to the particles causes the grains structural collapse and minimizes energy losses as heat and noise. Among the comminution equipments, HPGRs are the most efficient from the energy viewpoint [4]. In mineral processing, comminution accounts for a substantial portion of the energy consumed in the plant almost 80% [9]. Efforts to increase comminution efficiency come not only from the need for high production rates but also because of high energy costs associated with the inherent low-efficiency of conventional comminution systems and the low grade ores that have to be milled. This study focuses on the development of a comminution circuit design to address these issues. One option is to replace the tertiary crusher and primary rod mill with single HPGRs [10]. The HPGRs product would then serve as feed to a single stage rod mill in closed circuit with a vibrating screen to achieve the target grind for flotation (80 per cent passing size of 265 m). Interest in the application of these mills to the grinding of minerals and ores is also increasing and has led to attempts at modeling the high pressure rolls size reduction performance with particular regard to minerals and ores so that the effects of introducing high pressure rolls into typical mineral processing circuits may be predicted. II. MATERIALS AND EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

Three mineral samples namely: pyroxenite (1), pyroxenite (2) and pyroxenite (3) were used individually for testwork and in admixtures for comminution in the HPGRs, laboratory milling test (Bond rod mill test) and pilot milling test. A. Laboratory Milling Test Two types of laboratory milling tests were conducted. The first one involved basic batch tests that effectively simulated open circuit milling with plug flow material transport. The other test simulated closed circuit milling, also with plug flow material transport of the pulp. The latter procedure was similar to the locked cycle procedure used in the standard Bond rod mill test, except that it involved slurry, rather than dry material, and the milling energy was expressed directly in terms of specific energy input, rather than mill revolutions. Both procedures included the identification of model parameters that characterized the breakage kinetics inside the mill and can be used in computer simulation studies to predict the performance of complete milling circuits. The new feed and the screen undersize and oversize from the last cycle of
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Rudzani Sigwadi is with the Chemical Engineering Department, University of South Africa, P/Bag X6, Florida 1710, Johannesburg, South Africa. Molebogeng Nkobane is with the Chemical Engineering Department, University of South Africa, P/Bag X6, Florida 1710, Johannesburg, South Africa Touhami Mokrani is with the Chemical Engineering Department, University of South Africa, P/Bag X6, Florida 1710, Johannesburg, South Africa. Ayo Afolabi is with the Chemical Engineering Department, University of South Africa, P/Bag X6, Florida 1710, Johannesburg, South Africa, Tel: 0027114713617; Fax: 0027114713054; e-mail; afolaas@unisa.ac.za.

International Conference on Chemical, Ecology and Environmental Sciences (ICCEES'2011) Pattaya Dec. 2011

each test were sized down to 38 m using standard sieves conforming to a root-two geometric progression of mesh sizes. B. High pressure grinding rolls (HPGRs) The testwork was operated under an open circuit tests with the pressure settings ranges from 1.5 to 4.5 N/mm2. The optimum pressure setting for each ore type was picked based on energy considerations, particle size distribution (PSD) analysis, and observed behaviour. The nitrogen pressure was kept at a constant ratio of 0.8:1 of the hydraulic pressure. Initial no-load power consumption, operating pressures and gaps were recorded using the data recorder. The throughput was determined by taking timed sample using a specially designed sampler that split the HPGR product into a centre product and two edged products. This centre and edge product was weighed and sub-sampled for PSD analysis. C. Pilot milling test The commissioning tests showed that the maximum new feed rate that the mill could handle was about 0.25 t/h due to constraints imposed by the capacity of the feed inlet arrangement for injecting new feed and recycled pulp into the mill. It was necessary to operate the mill at very low power levels because of the very low specific energy requirements, determined by the rod load. During the commissioning run, the rod load was set at 15% of the mill load. Even at this load, the grind size proved to be significantly finer than the target grind (a P 80 of 0.265 mm). Accordingly, the main tests were conducted at a rod charge of only 10% of the mill volume. An estimate of the net power draw of the mill was obtained from the known rod charge mass, the fractional milling of the mill with rods, and the fixed mill speed. III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

shows that apart from the pyroxenite 1, the measured P80s for closing screen sizes of 300 and 425 m straddled the target grind of 265 m. Although complete accuracy was not achieved in reconciling the measured and predicted specific energy requirements, the trends are clear with regard to the relative grindability of the different types of ores. The specific energy requirement for achieving the target grind for the pyroxenite 2 is less than a third of that required for the pyroxenite 1 and the pyroxenite 3. The specific energy requirement for the pyroxenite 3 appears to be marginally higher than that required for the pyroxenite 2.
TABLE II PREDICTED AND MEASURED ENERGY REQUIREMENTS FOR CLOSED CIRCUIT MILLING Ore type Pyroxenite 1 Pyroxenite 2 Pyroxenite 3 Predicted at 265 m P80 3.8 kWh/t 0.4 kWh/t 4.0 kWh/t Measured at 300 m closing screen 3.2kWh/t (80% -270 m) 1.1 kWh/t (80% -234 m) 5.2 kWh/t (80%-219 m) Measured at 425 m closing screen 2.4 kWh/t (80% -311 m) 1.2 kWh/t (80% -303 m) 2.5 kWh/t (80% -305 m)

A detailed investigation of the effects of HPGRs pressing force was conducted recently on three different samples. HPGR press tests ranging from 1.5 to 4.5 N/mm2 press force were compared. Fig. 1 illustrates the particle size distribution curves for each specific pressing force. The total upper limit for a press force is more than 4.5 N/mm2. The PDS values for 1.5 N/mm2, 2.0 N/mm2, 3.0 N/mm2 PSD are very similar.

Table I shows the measured energy size relationship for three different pyroxenite ore samples that were subjected to open and close milling circuits. The given net energy requirements are based on the new feed rate in both cases. It can be seen from this table that the pyroxenite 2 appears to be an order of magnitude softer than the other two ore samples in terms of the net specific energy required to achieve the target grind.
TABLE I SPECIFIC ENERGY REQUIREMENT FOR OPEN AND CLOSED CIRCUIT ROD MILLING

Ore type Pyroxenite 1 Pyroxenite 2 Pyroxenite 3

Open circuit [kWh/t] 8.5 1.7 10.2

Closed circuit [kWh/t] 3.8 0.4 4.0

Fig. 1 PSD of Pyroxenite 1 sample at different specific pressing forces

To determine the transfer size between the closed circuit milling, three different top sizes (265, 300 and 425m) were evaluated. These particle sizes tested the limits for closed circuit milling and an evaluation was based on the specific energy requirements for comminution and whether the closed circuit milling could operate and grind effectively. Table II
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Fig. 2 shows the particle size distribution curves of pyroxenite 2 and the feed size distributions. The results were obtained from measuring specific pressing force. The figure shows that the specific pressing forces follow almost same trend but the HPGRs feed is shown to be a bit lower. However, the feed also produced the cumulative passing of 100%, so only the shape of the curve could be compared. Although these size distributions resemble a similar trend,

International Conference on Chemical, Ecology and Environmental Sciences (ICCEES'2011) Pattaya Dec. 2011

the size distributions of different specific pressing forces could be considerably different.

distribution as compared to a feed, milling discharge and screening under size product.

Fig. 2 PSD of Pyroxenite 2 sample at different specific pressing forces

Fig. 4 Measured and reconciled size distributions at low feed rates

Fig. 3 shows the summarized results of pyroxenite 3 and the feed size distributions. These results were also obtained from measuring specific pressing force.

IV.

CONCLUSIONS

Fig. 1 PSD of Pyroxenite 3 sample at different specific pressing forces

Fig. 4 shows the measured as reconciled size distribution for the low and high feed rates. The results appear to be anomalous because the size distributions and circulating load ratio seem to be insensitive to the feed. It should also be noted that the measured solids flowrate for the screen undersize is much lower than the measured new feed rate. This discrepancy could be due to either circuit instabilities or inherent inaccuracies associated with trying to estimate flowrates from timed grab sample cuts taken over very short time periods. The screen over and under sizes can be up to 10 mm and mass percentage sizes of 100% was achieved. This pilot milling test provides a steeper over size screening

A comprehensive testworks including laboratory rodmilling tests, HPGRs tests and piloting campaign were conducted on three pyroxenite ore samples to explore a more efficient and easier method of operating milling circuit to achieve a target grind of 80% passing 265 m. The new circuit explored consists of replacing the tertiary crusher and primary rod mill in the actual configuration by a single stage HPGRs followed by a single stage rodmill in closed circuit with a screen to achieve this set target grind. HPGRs tests showed that increase in the specific grinding force increased the specific energy consumption. These conditions were applied to the locked cycle tests for each ore type. The specific energy inputs (kWh per ton new feed to the HPGRs) for the pyroxinite 1,2&3 samples averaged about 1.4 kWh/t at new feed rates around 40 t/h and circulating load ratios around 20 to 30 per cent. These results indicated that all three ore types were amenable to HPGRs treatment with the HPGRs used as a tertiary. These ore samples are therefore amenable to HPGRs treatment as a replacement of a tertiary crusher and primary mill with HPGRs. It was established that the target grind of 80% passing 265 m can be achieved in a single-stage using a rod mill closed by a vibrating screen. ACKNOWLEDGMENT The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial supports of the National Research Foundation (NRF) and University of South Africa. REFERENCES
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International Conference on Chemical, Ecology and Environmental Sciences (ICCEES'2011) Pattaya Dec. 2011
[3] [4] [5] L.M. Tavares, Particle weakening in high-pressure roll grinding, Minerals Engineering 18 (2005) 651-657. F. B. Gomes, A. E. C. Peres, High Pressure Grinding Rolls as an alternative for comminution circuits, Revistaingenieria 24 (2010) 45-51. F.P. van der Meer, A. Gruendken, Flowsheet considerations for optimal use of high pressure grinding rolls, Minerals Engineering 23 (2010) 663669. I.L. Lim, W. Voigt, K.R. Weller, Product size distribution and energy expenditure in grinding minerals and ores in high pressure rolls, Int. J. Miner. Process 44-45 (1996) 539-559. [7] N.A. Palm, N.J. Shackleton, V. Malysiak, C.T. OConnor, The effect of using different comminution procedures on the flotation of sphalerite, Minerals Engineering 23 (2010) 1053-1057. I.B. Celik, M. Oner, N.M. Can, The influence of grinding technique on the liberation of clinker minerals and cement properties, Cement and Concrete Research 37 (2007) 1334-1340. A. M. Abouzeid, D. W. Fuerstenau, Grinding of mineral mixtures in high-pressure grinding rolls, Int. J. Miner. Process 93 (2009) 5965.

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