ed (TINTS Cement Seminar Process Technology Dimensioning of Tube MillsTUBE MILLS - CONTENT OF THE 4 LESSONS INTRODUCTION - Mostly used mill type for diff. materials; coal, raw meal, cement, .. - Simple and approved design - Easy maintenance - Working principle of tube mills DIMENSIONING OF TUBE MILLS (WHY, HOW) - Dimensioning of new mills (Projects) - Conversions e.g. Open -> Closed, Raw -> Cement grinding - Performance e.g. Capacity increase - How ? - Calculation TUBE MILLS - Grinding process - Mill types - External elements of tube mills - Feed and discharge arrangements - Mill shell - Mill head - Mill bearing @ - Mill drive - Internal elements of tube mills - Head liners - Shell liners - Intermediate and discharge diaphragm - Grinding media MILL OPERATION - Performance of system - Mill / Separator / Dedusting - Mill longitudinal sieving CEMENT COURSE / SEMINAR 1995 [pied ey alSUMMARY The required driving power and the dimension of a tube mill can be calculated as a function of the mill output, the fill- ing degree, the mill speed and the length to diameter ratio. The filling degree is defined as volume of grinding media ex- pressed as a percentage of the total mill volume. The fill- ing degree varies between 26 % for air swept mills and 33 % for short mills. The mill speed is expressed in a percentage of the critical speed. The critical speed is attained when the centrifugal forces compels the outer layer of grinding media to rotated with the mill shell. A high percentage of the critical speed (74 ~ 75 %) is generally required for a high filling degree and with mill liners without lifting effect. A low filling degree in conjunction with a lifting lining requires a mill speed of 70 - 71 % of the critical speed. The length to diameter ratio of a tube mill depends on the grindability of the material, the fineness of the product and mill type. The length to diameter ratio is within a range of 1.5 - 2.5 for raw mills and of 3.0 - 3.5 for cement mills.TABLE OF CONTENT 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.48 INTRODUCTION MAIN DESIGN CRITERIAS Filling degree Mill speed Length to diameter ratio Length of compartments WEIGHT OF GRINDING MEDIA DRIVING POWER PRACTICAL CALCULATIONS EXAMPLE BIBLIOGRAPHY QUESTIONNAIRE PAGE aawos 13 16filling degree [+] INTRODUCTION The design of tube mills is still a matter of experience. There is no complete analytical theory available which would allow the optimal design of a tube mill. Many vari- ables, such as length to diameter ratio of the mill, speed, weight of ball charge, shape of liners, size of grinding media etc. and the material to be ground itself are in- fluencing the output and fineness of the finished product. MAIN DESIGN CRITERIAS Filling degree The filling degree f is defined as the volume Vg of the grinding media charge expressed as a percentage of the total mill volume Vy. The driving power is proportional to the weight of the grinding media charge. The distance of the center of gravity will decrease with an increasing filling degree. The driving power has a maximum in the range between 40 and 45% of filling degree. Fig. 1 shows the behaviour of the grinding media charge in function of the filling degree f and the percentage of critical speed: percentage of critical speed .[%] Fig. 4: Cascading effect of grinding media charge in function of filling degree and critical speed.Today the following values are adopted for the filling degree of tube mills: type of mill Filling degree comp. 1 | Comp. 11 | Comp. III Single comp. mill 27-33 Two comp. mill 27-33 25-30 Three comp. mill 26-32 26-30 Air swept mill 26-30 --- --- Fig. Filling degrees for different types of tube mills The filling degree in a tube mill can be practically de~ termined by measuring the free height h above the grinding charge according to Fig. 3. 075 ch : DH 0.70: D, = Mill diameter e inside mill T liners 065+ 0,60+ = Filling degree f [8] 20 25 30 35 Fig. 3: Filling degree f in function of free heighth above grinding media charge.SE Dimensioning of tube mill FILLING DEGREE - Angle @ (Determined by number of lining plates) a [+], 80 TTT I 75, @ 70 65 60 we Filling degree f[%] 20 25 30 35 Filling degree in function of angle @ a@ = 180. (1-5) x = Number of visible liner plates y = Total number of liner plates ZK: Rohrmithlen TS/VA Original nei 47 1862.2 Mill speed The operating speed of the mill can be expressed in percent of mill critical speed. Critical speed is attained when centrifugal force Fc compels the outer layer of grinding media to rotate with the mill lining. This condition prevents continuous cascading of grin- ding media upon which effective grinding is dependent. F, = centrifugal force [n] c Fg = force of gravity (x) D, = mill diameter in- + side liner {x m = mass [kd G) = angular speed [sy g = gravity [ms | The critical speed is obtained when the centrifugal force Fe is equal the force of gravity Fg; i.e.: D. - me gjy2_ = go meg crit = The critical angular speed Werit will then be: Te _ VW le Porat Gerit ~ fe = “30The critical mill speed ncyit can therefore be calculated as a function of the mill diameter Di The operating mill speed n is then calculated as: k oy io aD Perit [min | ® n= operating mill speed —[min™*) crititcal mill speed [min™ +] k = ratio n/nerit - 100 = 8) D, = Giameter inside mill (=) lining Mpls 995 Hokets bookThe criticgl speed chart in Fig. 4 is based on the equations and and allows a quick determination of the critical spted for tube mills with various diameters. = critical mill speed fmin1) separational mill speed’ [min™*) 1 20 25 30 35 40 aS internal mill diameter D, [m] Pig. Percentage of critical mill speed in function of mill diameter Depending on the application, normal operating speeds of tube mills in the cement industry range today between 70 % and 76 % of critical speed. Some years ago the range was between 65 % and 72 8. The optimal speed depends mainly on the filling degree, size of grinding media and type of liners.Practical values for the percentage of the critical speed are given in the following table: Filling degree | Type of mill | % of critical liner speed (k) low liner with 70-71 & lifter bars high smooth liner 74-75 & Fig. Percentage of critical speed in function of filling degree and type of mill liner Length to diameter ratio The length to diameter ratio of a tube mill depend on various factors. The most important” ones are: - hourly throughput e - hardness of the material (grindability) - fineness of the finished product - open or closed circuit grinding - feed size - grinding system. On the one side the hourly throughput will certainly de- pend on the cross section and therefore on the diameter of the mill. On the other side the fineness of the material at the mill outlet depends mainly on the retention time of the material in the mill. The main influencing factor on the retention time is the mill length. Therefore, the ratio of length to diameter of a mill is an important factor for an optimal design of the mill.The values for the ratio A of length to diameter in the following table can be considered as guide-lines: Type of mill system Ratio A Remarks open circuit mills 3,0-6,0 G 2,0-2,4 :A~6,0 B 2,6-3,0 :A~ 5,0 a B 3,0-4,0 :A~ 4,0 cE] Z @ 4,0: A~3,0-3,5 5 closed circuit mills | 3,0-3,5 large mills: A= 3,0-3,2 low A yields ° higher circulating load Fs Ratio A similar as for cement mills. ag Max. length 12 - 14m. | Center discharge mill | 2,1-2,7 3 two comp. mill 2,0-2,5 The lower > are " applied for large single comp. mill 1,7-2,2 Seta i air swept mill 1,5-2,0 Fig. Length to diameter ratio } for different mill systems. Length of compartments With regard to the length ments the following guide for dry and wet grinding: of the diffe: values apply rent compart- for tube mills Type of mill % of total length Comp. I | Comp. 11 | Comp. III Two comp. mill 30-35 70-65" --- Three comp. mill 20 30 50 Center discharge mill | 50 50 --- Fig. 7: Length of grinding different types of compartments for mills. Some suppliers prefer to have tor 3-compartment milis the first compartment approx. and the second compartment only 20 % of the total length. 30 % of the total lengthWEIGHT OF GRINDING MEDIA The weight of the grinding charge can be calculated as follows: £ oie 5 Q Dy? + ny + — ! * 400 re) H @ where: Ly = internal length of the mill or . compartment fry £ = filling degree tf Ye bulk weight of the grinding media [t/m3] Dj = internal mill diameter (inside im) lining) t e Q = grinding media charge fd The values for bulk densities of the grinding media are given in the following table: Ball size Bulk weight Steel balls 100 - 60 mm @ : 4.4 t/m3 Steel balls 50 - 30 mm O : 4.6 t/m3 Steel balls 30 - 20 mg: 4.8 t/m3 Cylpebs 30 - 20 m¢: 4,8 t/m3 | Fig. 8: Bulk weight of grinding media chargeDRIVING POWER The total driving power for a tube mill is the sum of the net power for maintaining the center of gravity of the load in a position of kinetic equilibrium and of the power losses for friction and transmission. b = distance of centre of gravity from the vertical plant through the axis of rotation (xi) Dj = ‘Giameter inside liners fri] Q "= weight of grinding media charge [t] n- = speed of the mill {rin} @ = angular speed [s-1] According to MITTAG the distance .b can be expressed as a function of the mill diameter Di,taking into account the following assumptions: - Distance b is always in the same relationship with the diameter for mills with the same filling degree but different diameters.” - Distance b does not depend on the mill speed for the usual range of speed. The following formula can then be derived: bo = x+Di where x is mainly a function of the filling degree an of the size of grinding media. SEton The torque M_ can be expressed as 0 M x+Di+Q (xj and the driving power N as a function of the angular speed Gand the torque M No= Mew [rw With the angular speed w being Gen -1 e 30 [s 4 the driving power N can finally be written as bs} e x+Dy-Q-Yen N= 30 For practical calculations the formula can be simplyfied to N = c-Q-Di-n| [xi] © N = Driving power (x0) Q = Grinding media charge fel D, = Mill diameter inside liners J n = Mill speed {nin-] ¢ = Power consumption factor t] @ te = 8 Formula G allows the determination of the total driving power for “& tube mill including all friction losses in the bearings and transmission losses with an accuracy within * 5-108. For multi-compartment mills the total driving power can be calculated as the sum of driving powers for each indi- vidual compartment.-W- The power consumption factor _c¢ depends on filling degree and on grinding media size. The value of x and therefore the value of c cannot be calculated theoretically. But by measuring the total driving power of industrial mills in operation and by considering the known values of Q, Di and n, the power consumption factor c can be determined. Fig. 9 shows this factor c versus the filling degree f. 026 25- t o uw IN og balls (> ¢omm¢) 4 0 ot 3 PT IN Q a3 TI & small balls INQ ea 7| (eylpebs) | (< fomn¢) o2t 2204+ 1. + Se 2 2 6288 4 36 filling degree 2 & Fig. 9: Factor c, depending on filling degree and ball size. Formula © indicates that the driving power varies as the grindthg media charge, which in turn varies as the square of the diameter Dy for a given shell length; that driving power likewise varies as the diameter; and that it varies as the speed, which is an inverse function of the diameter, whence it follows that No ~ D4?- Da-12- This formula means that the driving power of tube mills of the same length operating under the same relative condi- tions varies with 2.5 power of the internal diameter. Diffe- rences of length can be considered by the following formula 2. wy pay 779. tap N2 Dig 79+ Lig By assuming the same ratio of length to diameter for both mills the above formula can be written as: It can be seen from the above that the diameter of a e@ tube mill has a great influence (~D 2-5) on the driving power, whereas the length of the mill has just linear influence. According to some authors the amount of power, that a grinding mill can consume, varies as direct function of the length and as function of the 2.4 power of the internal diameter. The decrease from the theoretical 2.5 exponent probably results from energy from the falling balls being transferred back to the mill shell on its down-going side. ‘The capacity of the mill also varies directly as a function of the length and as function of the 2.6 power of the internal diameter. Fred C. Bond states that, theoretically, the maximum exponent for size reduction entirely by impact is 3.0. The difference between the two diameter exponents of 2.6 (capacity) e and 2.4 (driving power) is 0.2 and indicates theo- xetically a mechanical advantage of large diameter mills. The efficiency increases as the mill diameter to the 0.2 power and the specific power consumption in kWh/t required to grind should decrease in the same ratio. With the introduction of large grinding mills in the cement industry, the above mentioned advantage was also expected. However, this presumed advantage in efficiency for large mills could never be proved. At todays knowledge no evident difference in efficiency between smaller and bigger mills exists.- 13 - 5. PRACTICAL CALCULATIONS For rough calculation of the main mill dimensions the mentioned formulas Nec'Q' Din ® ow @® te @ win} k n= — * nerit ® minh k 100 k N = 33,22 °c ++ Dyed 100 Li Introducing the length to diameter ration A = — Di f£ k N= 33,227 ¢° A+ —- ++ yd tkw] 100 Vo 100 * ©-14- The internal mill diameter can therefore be calcu- lated according to formula a N+ 100 + 100 3,5 £° Tock N+ 100 + 100 0,286 is ——_— tm @ a Ce mill motor power [aj e 2 Power consumption factor 3 weight of grinding media charge [t] internal mill length fx) internal mill diameter iy k = percentage of critical speed fa £ = filling degree i} % = vulk weight of grinding media [e/m3] X= length to diameter ratio et =. Based on formula (7) a nomograph for the calculation of . the required mill Wiameter has been established in Fig. 10. e-15- (w] fa xejawyp rr Teujow Le ES TR ECtiry Pegarrtry re geero res [wal] nx t2m0d sorour 5 STTRY oqna 3 40} yderBowoN g TOT Bra > [e/a] 0 e6xeuo eypaw Bufpuysb Jo 3yBTam TN Baeteaeeatereet [e] 3 eea6ep SurrresSaree EXAMPLE Given: Cement mill in open circuit, 100 t/h of normal cement with a specific surface of 3000 cm2/g. Questions a) Mill motor power? b) Nominal mill diameter? ©) Total mill length? 4) Compartment lengths? e e) Total ball charge? £) Ball charge per compartment? g) Mill speed? Assumption: - filling degree £ = 308% (Fig. 2) - % of critical speed kK = 748 (Fig. 5) - length to diameter ratio DD = 3,5 (Fig. 6) - bulk weight ball charge Yo 7 485 t/m? (Fig. 8) a) Mill motor power According to the grindability curve on Fig. 11 a specific power consumption q of about 33 kWh/t for a specific sur- face of 3000 cm2/g can be assumed. The required power at the mill shaft is therefore: Nys = 4 P Assuming a total gear efficiency of Qs power amounts to 33 kWh/t 100 t/h = 3300 kW 0,95 the mill motor = 3300 ® 3500 kWaeyurT Jo AyTrgepuyzp TTT “Bra (eureta) B/gup uy eoezing ‘oadg oor ose o00€ oosz 0002 yo uoTdinsuco za“og *oedg- 18 - b) Nominal mill diameter The mill diameter can roughly be calculated by means of the nomograph Fig. 10 or by applying formula Fig. 10 —» D# 4,3 m (Nominal diameter = inside mill shell) ma [ Zea 0,286 © = 0,225 (Fig. 1) 34 c) otal mill length li = ADs 3,5 4,049 14,0 m 4) Compartment length e according to Fig. 7: 1st compartment 0,35* 14,0 4,90 m 2nd compartment 0,65+ 14,0 9,10 m- 19 - e) Total ball charge according to formula ® T 141042 + 14,0- 0,3+ 4,5 = 240 t £) Ball charge per compartment so = 85+ 240 = Bat - 22, - *Q = 14,0 240 = 156 t g) Mill speed The critical mill speed is according to formula © or Fig. 4: = 42:3 _ 4253 = 21,05 min™ 2 cna \ D, {i 04 and the operating mill speed according to(2) 1 1 n = Ke nye = 0/75 ¢ 21,05 = 15,8 min Final remarks For practical reasons one would use a mill.with a standar- dized mill shell diameter of either @ 4,4 mor 4,2 m. The mill length as well as the remaining parameters would have to be adjusted. accordingly.BIBLIOGRAPHY - ALF. Taggart Handbook of Mineral Dressing (Chapman & Hall, London) - 0. Labahn / W. Kaminski Cement Engineers Handbook (Bauverlag, Wiesbaden, Germany) - C. Mittag Die Hartzerkleinerung (Springer Verlag) - U. Bayer Auslegung von Rohrmiihlen (aufbereitungstechnik 1969 No. 6, p. 294) - Rohrmiihlen und Mahltechnik (vDZ Merkblatt MT 22 Sept. 1961) - R. Ruegg Zur Auslegung von Rohrmithlen fiir die Zementmahlung (Zement-Kalk-Gips No. 12, p. 547) - P, Tiggesbdumker / G. Blasczyk Einige Gesichtspunkte beim Betrieb grosser Mahlanlagen (4. Europ. Symposium "Zerkleinern", Niirnberg 1975) - B. Beke The process of fine grinding (Martinus Nijhoff / Dr. W. Junk Publishers, London)QUESTIONNAIRE 1 Which criteria influence the driving power of a tube mill ? What is the filling degree of a mill and how can it be measured ? With which filling degrees mills are normally opera- ted and what is the reason for this difference ? How does the speed of a mill influence the driving power ? Does the speed of a mill influence the mill output ? If so, how ? What is the critical speed of a mill ? In which range of percentage of critical speed the mills are normally operated ? A cement clinker has 9 grindability of 36 kwh/t for - a fineness of 3200 cm°/g Blaine. A new closed circuit mill should be designed to grind 60 t/h cement of the above fineness : ~ What are the dimensions of a suitable mill: length, diameter ? - What is the weight of the ball charge ? - What is the speed of the mill ?Mill calculation Plant : Wi idiadie Cement mill Zé Diameter Length Motot x Mabey UB Ratio’ Compartment lengths ace SRM an L2 Internal diameter /lemee Era] Relative mill speed %n crit Factor Fa Hor: c Media weight ld Lllojpoviviehlq Motor power abs. (!Wlersafl asp mec + Eperoie tov biauein | pee. energy Consumption Esp Mee IN AA ore Ott fer Je ie per Mower Mea, aus. Pmec Pe Motor power electr, abs. Pel R Naker guild alee aps Spec. energy consumption Internal length (lreiedinge Li 3.75 8.50 [mj Filling degree dillgrad f ; 30.0 28.0 lf) Spec. media weight ge p82" Mia 4.40 4.65 _ |e] speed Mahlendreh jbl m 15.9 |{[min-1] | Drive efficiency mech. Prcbitb aligtons mek. 9.960 |fJ | Drive efficiency electr. 4% q léktr. 0.965 |f-] i Mill throughput /!isih/enlesw dag 95 |tthy Fineness ginlert Blaine 3,700 |[cm*/g] a helative mabkenileéboah| Residuel [%] 32 [um] ub a vell xen ORG SB [kW] aieetrBbtihter few, Energy utilization °°¢3: Entrgicauawidllgomg5/8€Zv/08 VA 0} "99e uONeINajeD youu 49 “o9]e u ld 42/72 AeyUNOD s JO}JOIN- d W-ATHE COMBIFLEX DRIVE CONCEPT ifr Hnlvi¢hée Dev Com kept