Commercialisation pathway for low energy wet/dry gyratory rolls crusher comminution technology

Abstract

Comminution for mining and cement industries accounts for over 2 % of global energy consumption and an innovative Gyratory Rolls Crusher (GRolls®) technology has been developed in South Australia to reduce energy and water consumption, providing dry and wet crushing from ∼ 20 mm to 20µm fractions without media, replacing up to two stages of size reduction. The GRolls® is a compression based particle size reduction device, designed to generate fine and ultra-fine products from coarse feeds, by simultaneously applying pulsed compression and shear forces to a packed particle bed. The breakage mechanisms initiated by these forces include compression breakage, inter-particle compression, induced tensile failure and particle shear forces generated by a gyrating roll.The paper presents the commercialisation pathway of the GRolls® technology, from “proof of concept” laboratory scale Alpha prototype and concept design of an upscaled Beta prototype for a pilot plant. A systematic progression of laboratory scale testing of a wide range of feed materials through the Alpha prototype was undertaken to confirm the ‘”proof of concept” design and identify the many design variables and operational configurations that affect the GRolls® crushing and energy performance. The test results were evaluated against currently available comminution solutions such as the High Pressure Grinding Rolls (HPGR) and Vertical Rolls Mill (VRM) in which the mining section is moving towards to provide more economical dry comminution and a progression towards partial to full dry process flowsheets.The commercialisation pathway has confirmed the broad performance range and energy consumption of the GRolls® which could be modularised in the near future to support new and existing low grade mining operations in remote areas restricted by limited water and power infrastructure.