A distinct element approach to ball mill mechanics

A three-dimensional distinct element model (DEM) for analysing the mechanics of a ball mill is presented. Under the usual DEM assumption that the distinct elements, in this case the balls and the mill walls, are rigid with deformable contacts, a systematic mechanical power draft analysis for the ball mill is presented. The FORTRAN computer code 3DBALL generates the mill and constituent geometry from a few essential input parameters and performs simulations of mill motion. The code has been validated with readily available results from simple single ball mechanical experiments and by qualitative assessment of the motion of the mill charge. Power draft estimates by the model appear to be in agreement with comparable experimental results in the literature and known trends. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley ge Sons, Ltd.