Ball Mill Internals

GRINDING I – Training Session

 Ball Mill Internals

Content
• Partitions
• Single wall diaphragm
• Full liftered double wall diaphragm
• Adjustable double wall diaphragm
• Outlet partitions
• Slots design
• Ventilation screens

KUJ – July 2012 – Grinding I - 2

 Ball Mill Internals

Content
• Partitions
• Single wall diaphragm
• Full liftered double wall diaphragm
• Adjustable double wall diaphragm
• Outlet partitions
• Slots design
• Ventilation screens

KUJ – July 2012 – Grinding I - 3

 Ball Mill Internals

Different types of partitions

• Partition between chambers

• Single wall diaphragm
• Double wall diaphragm full lifting
• Double wall diaphragm with adjustable blade

• Outlet partition

KUJ – July 2012 – Grinding I - 4

 Ball Mill Internals

Purposes of a partition
• Main partition roles
• Keep grinding media in several compartments
• Material flow control (double wall)
• Help air flow (lowest pressure drop)

• Specific roles
• For intermediate partitions: control the compartment
output material size

KUJ – July 2012 – Grinding I - 5

 Ball Mill Internals

Content
• Partitions
• Single wall diaphragm
• Full liftered double wall diaphragm
• Adjustable double wall diaphragm
• Outlet partitions
• Slots design
• Ventilation screens

KUJ – July 2012 – Grinding I - 6

 Ball Mill Internals

Single wall partition

• It is only a ball screen between the chambers

Advantage Disadvantages

• Do not take much • No flow regulation

space • Small difference of ball
filling rate between
chambers

KUJ – July 2012 – Grinding I - 7

 Ball Mill Internals

Content
• Partitions
• Single wall diaphragm
• Full liftered double wall diaphragm
• Adjustable double wall diaphragm
• Outlet partitions
• Slots design
• Ventilation screens

KUJ – July 2012 – Grinding I - 8

 Ball Mill Internals

Double wall partition

• It is the most common partition
Outer Grate Segment
Inner Grate Segment
Center Hub or Cone
Center Screen (Mill Sweep)

Typical Chamber Filling Level

KUJ – July 2012 – Grinding I - 9

 Ball Mill Internals

Full liftered double wall partition

3. Material is gravity dropped through
the center hub and into the next
compartment Side View of a Partition

2. Material is lifted by
mill rotation 3
Gas Flow

BM Load Level

. 1

1. Material fills the chamber ,

in between the slotted plates
and blind plates

Lifters can be curved, straight or adjustable.

Assembly is sometimes called a partition's spider.

KUJ – July 2012 – Grinding I - 10

 Ball Mill Internals

Full liftered double wall partition

• Advantage
• Accelerate material flow in
the mill

• Disadvantage
• Tendency to empty the first
chamber

KUJ – July 2012 – Grinding I - 11

 Ball Mill Internals

Content
• Partitions
• Single wall diaphragm
• Full liftered double wall diaphragm
• Adjustable double wall diaphragm
• Outlet partitions
• Slots design
• Ventilation screens

KUJ – July 2012 – Grinding I - 12

 Ball Mill Internals

Adjustable double wall partition

• Purpose
• Control the empty zone before the partition by
regulating the material level in the partition
• Control different filling rates in both chambers

KUJ – July 2012 – Grinding I - 13

 Ball Mill Internals

Slegten Adjustable Partition Wall

• Fitted with scoops inside the partition.
• Position of the scoops to adjust to control the flow (trial and
error)
Scoop in full closed Scoop in full open
position position

Material level

KUJ – July 2012 – Grinding I - 14

 Ball Mill Internals

Pfeiffer Adjustable Partition

3rd generation diaphragms 4th generation diaphragms

Flow control
KUJ – July 2012 – Grinding I - 15
 Ball Mill Internals

Content
• Partitions
• Single wall diaphragm
• Full liftered double wall diaphragm
• Adjustable double wall diaphragm
• Outlet partitions
• Slots design
• Ventilation screens

KUJ – July 2012 – Grinding I - 16

 Ball Mill Internals

Compound mill outlet partition

• Purpose
• Evacuate the material flow
out of the mill
• Allow the nibs to go out of
the mill
• Two existing types
• Full lifting
• With flow control

KUJ – July 2012 – Grinding I - 17

 Ball Mill Internals

Air flow + fines particles

Bi-rotator mill outlet partition
• Characteristics
• Good
permeability for
pore pressure
drop 1st chamber 2nd chamber
side side
• Poor flow control
• To manage the
material filling
rate, the only
way is to
plug the
slots

Material discharge

KUJ – July 2012 – Grinding I - 18

 Ball Mill Internals

Content
• Partitions
• Single wall diaphragm
• Full liftered double wall diaphragm
• Adjustable double wall diaphragm
• Outlet partitions
• Slots design
• Ventilation screens

KUJ – July 2012 – Grinding I - 19

 Ball Mill Internals

Slots design


s

The ground material is transferred

through the slots.
40-70
The design of the slots, slot width and
stability of the slot shape have an
important process function.
s+3

KUJ – July 2012 – Grinding I - 20

 Ball Mill Internals

Slots design
moulded

• Angles of the slots

• Inlet angle 70° to 90° Bazzi

• Outlet angle 12° to 14°

Pfeiffer

KUJ – July 2012 – Grinding I - 21

 Ball Mill Internals

Slots design
General Rule

• Size of the slots Discharge

Diaphragm =
Intermediate
Diaphragm + 2 mm

• Raw Mills
• Transfer diaphragm:16 to 20mm
• Intermediate diaphragm:10 mm
• Discharge diaphragm:12 mm

• Cement Mills
• Intermediate diaphragm:6 to 8 mm
• Discharge diaphragm:8 to 10 mm

KUJ – July 2012 – Grinding I - 22

 Ball Mill Internals

Slots design With the slot flared

out, material can pass
Some metal will peen freely without jamming
over the slot, but it will
break off here in time

Beyond here, the slot begins to widen

Best design
(concentrically)

KUJ – July 2012 – Grinding I - 23

 Ball Mill Internals

Slots design

• Peening of slots
• Consequence: slots
have to be opened by
manual grinding

KUJ – July 2012 – Grinding I - 24

 Ball Mill Internals

Outer Grate Casting

• Cast grooves to protect slots

KUJ – July 2012 – Grinding I - 25

 Ball Mill Internals

Optimum Material Level 1st Chamber

KUJ – July 2012 – Grinding I - 26

 Ball Mill Internals

Optimum Material level 2nd chamber

KUJ – July 2012 – Grinding I - 27

 Ball Mill Internals

Lifter bar on partition

• Role: avoid wear of the partition by ball rotation on
the surface

KUJ – July 2012 – Grinding I - 28

 Ball Mill Internals

Content
• Partitions
• Single wall diaphragm
• Full liftered double wall diaphragm
• Adjustable double wall diaphragm
• Outlet partitions
• Slots design
• Ventilation screens

KUJ – July 2012 – Grinding I - 29

 Ball Mill Internals

Good permeability
Ventilation Screens
• Purpose
• Insure gas flow
• Preventing balls from passing between
compartments
• Specifications
• Maximum permeability (cleanliness)
• Mechanical behaviour with the 90
mm balls
• Screen# < 40 mm in C1
• Screen# < 15 mm in C2 to
prevent 20 mm balls from escaping
• Corrective measures
• Cleaning or replacement

Total lack of permeability

KUJ – July 2012 – Grinding I - 30

 Ball Mill Internals

Partition control - Reminders

• Wear control
• Slot size and dimensions Discharge Intermediate
Diaphragm = Diaphragm + 2 mm
• Lifter of the step partition

• Cleaning actions
• Nibs in the slots
• Foreign materials on central screen (raw mill essentially)

• Maintenance action
• Remove slot peens with a disc grinder

KUJ – July 2012 – Grinding I - 31