Millsoft online simulation of SAG, AG and Ball Mills Metallurgical Engineering Department

Raj Rajamani / Mike Dennis

Millsoft Online Simulation of SAG, AG and Ball Mills

Raj K. Rajamani Metallurgical Engineering Department, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA and Michael Dennis Process Engineering Resources Inc. Salt Lake City, Utah, USA www.processeng.com

OUTLINE 1. DEM concepts 2. 3D code and verification 3. 2D code and Online Interface 4. Comparison of 3D code and 2D code results 5. Cortez Gold Mines Study with Millsoft Online 6. Conclusions

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Millsoft online simulation of SAG, AG and Ball Mills Metallurgical Engineering Department

Raj Rajamani / Mike Dennis

1. DEM Concepts

(Discrete Element Method)

Treat every ball or rock as individual particle. Calculate the collision of each ball with other balls and rock particles. Compute the force of impact of each ball against a lifter. Combine the calculations of all the collisions.

What is DEM ?

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How many calculations ?

Millions and millions, but we can do a 2D calculation in one or two hours. That is 6000 spheres in a 7.8 m diameter SAG mill. We can do 3D calculations in two to three days on a 3.0 GHz computer.

How do you calculate the ball impact with the lifter?

Construct the lifter with three plates: left side, top face and right side. Calculate the impact force of balls with each plate and some times with the edge.

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How is the mill rotation handled in DEM ?

Choose time increment = 0.0001 sec At each increment move the mill shell plates according to mill speed * 0.0001.

How do you construct the SAG mill for 3D code?

Using graphics and design software. See next slide for an example.

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Feed end

Discharge end

Mill body not shown

The area of discharge is created

Typical 3D result

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Millsoft online simulation of SAG, AG and Ball Mills Metallurgical Engineering Department

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Millsoft online simulation of SAG, AG and Ball Mills Metallurgical Engineering Department

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2. 3D code verification

3D Verification with a lab Scale Mill 0.9 X 0.14 m mill Front face fitted with a Plexiglas plate. 50 mm grinding balls 220-260 balls Power measured with a torque sensor Video images compared with 3D code graphics.

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Millsoft online simulation of SAG, AG and Ball Mills Metallurgical Engineering Department

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Lab mill 20 % ball load, 30 % critical speed Measured Power - 301 Watts Predicted Power - 294 Watts

3D code

Lab mill

3D code 20 % ball load, 50 % critical speed Measured Power - 459 Watts Predicted Power - 461 Watts

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Millsoft online simulation of SAG, AG and Ball Mills Metallurgical Engineering Department

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Lab mill

20 % ball load, 70 % critical speed Measured Power - 532 Watts Predicted Power - 531 Watts

3D code

3. 2D Code and Online Interface

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PERIs Millsoft Online Interface

Typical Millsoft Online Results

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Millsoft online simulation of SAG, AG and Ball Mills Metallurgical Engineering Department

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Top hat (7 degrees)

25 degree release angle

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Millsoft online simulation of SAG, AG and Ball Mills Metallurgical Engineering Department

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4. Comparison of 3D code and 2D code results

32 x 32 ft. SAG Mill. 54 lifter rows Feed size 3-4 inches Ball size 100 mm 70% critical speed Installed Power 16.5 MW

3D Simulation of a 1 ft section of the mill

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Cross section of the mill with velocity vectors

Isometric view showing mill length

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Millsoft online simulation of SAG, AG and Ball Mills Metallurgical Engineering Department

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View of the mill from the side. Velocity directions shown.

Ball and rock charge motion

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Comparison of Millsoft Online with 3D simulation

2D snapshot 12.2 MW computed power

3D snapshot 12.63 MW computed power

Comparison of Millsoft Online with 3D simulation

2D snapshot

3D snapshot

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5. Cortez Gold Mines Study with Millsoft Online

Mill #2 Operations
Mill #2 commissioned 1997 10,000 tpd with a conventional SABC 26 diameter x 12.5 variable speed SAG with 3350 kW installed power Shell lifter design was rubber shell plate w/ hi-low cast 17 face angle lifters Pulp discharger design was rubber w/ Polymet radial pulp lifters

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Design Change Steps

Several DEM simulations on MillSoft to analyze charge motion:

Eliminate every other lifter row to minimize packing and maximize lift as well as mill volume. Changed face angle to 28 This type of liner design has been well documented in other literature.

MillSoft Simulation: Old Hi-Low Design

17 face angle - media hits unprotected shell

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MillSoft Simulation 26 rows with 28o and 32o face angle

28 face angle

32 face angle

New Design Summary

Retained OEM shell plate thickness Ref: Norcast 3/26/04

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Energy Utilization
SAG Mill Circuit Power Data

3000 2900 2800 2700 2600 2500 2400 2300 2200 2100 2000
TM

50.0 45.0 40.0 35.0 30.0 25.0 20.0 15.0 10.0 5.0 0.0

TPL

550

Mill Feed (stph) / Mill BP (psi)

500 10.0 450

Ja nFe 04 bM 04 ar Ap 04 r M -0 4 ay Ju 04 n0 Ju 4 l Au -04 gSe 04 p Se -04 pO 04 ct N -04 ov D -04 ec Ja 04 nFe 05 bM 05 ar Ap 05 r M -0 5 ay Ju 05 n0 Ju 5 l Au -05 gAu 05 g Se -05 pO 05 ct N -05 ov D -05 ec Ja 05 nFe 06 bM 06 ar Ap 06 r M -0 6 ay Ju 06 nJu 06 n0 Ju 6 l Au -06 gSe 06 pO 06 ct N -06 ov D -06 ec -0 6

Time
SAG Mill kW SAG Mill kWh/ton Plant Operating Wi, kWh/t % Power to SAG

Throughput
SAG Mill Circuit Operating Data
14.0

New Shell Lifter design

12.0

8.0

TPL
400

TM

6.0

4.0 350 2.0

300

0.0

Time
SAG Mill tons / hr SAG Mill feed psi speed

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Spped, rpm

% Power to SAG / kWh/ton

New Shell Lifter design

SAG kW

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Shell Lifter Results Summary

A decrease of 1.8 kWh/ton operating work index for the entire grinding circuit at same P80 SAG mill power decreased from 2673 kW to 2410 kW.
Mill availability increased by 1%. Mill throughput no

measurable change

6. CONCLUSIONS 2D simulations agree with 3D simulations. Due to particle consolidation in 3D the charge fill looks lower than in 2D. The verification of 3D results shown by comparison with video pictures of a 90 cm diameter mill. At Cortez Gold Mines the shell lifters were designed with Millsoft which resulted in considerable energy savings. A number of other mines including Alumbrera, Andina, Candelaria, Collahuasi, El Teniente, Los Bronces, and Pelambres have used Millsoft Online simulations with much success.

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