Particle motion and energy distribution in tumbling ball mills

The charge flow characteristics and the local energy distributions have a profound influence on the comminution behavior in tumbling ball mills. Computer simulation using a particle dynamics method offers a viable approach for investigating the flow and energy distribution characteristics within tumbling particulate media. In particle dynamics method, particulate systems are simulated by tracking particles as they move in response to the forces developed through particle interactions. Utilizing this method, we focus upon a numerical investigation of flow and energy parameters of tumbling charge in ball mills. Specifically, we investigate the variation of these parameters with the fundamental properties of mill-wall, clinker and ball-media particles. The properties considered in this work reflect particle and mill-wall elasticity and surface characteristics, such as, stiffness, elastic restitution and surface friction. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.