Studies On Scale-Up Of Ball Mills

Data from ball mills with a wide range of diameters are analyzed using detailed mathematical/ numerical models. Analysis shows the relative power inefficiency of large ball mills is due to their inefficient breakage of coarse particles. The models developed can be used to scale-up mill behavior. The behavior of large mills at Bougainville and Pinto Valley is compared. It is concluded that the mills are equally inefficient at grinding coarse particles. Differences in coarseness of total mill feed are shown to account for the fact that Pinto Valley mills achieved design throughput whereas Bougainville mills did not.