Towards a Pool-based Model of Volumetric Slurry Hold-up for Cylindrical Ball Mills

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis paper discusses the incremental development of an empirical model of volumetric hold-up of slurry inside a cylindrical mill as a function of pool volume.Relevant experimental data from three geometrically similar mills were considered for calibration and testing against the pool-based model. The data included information on ball filling, slurry hold-up, mill speed, mill internal volume, shoulder, and toe angles of the media charge, as well as slurry pool angle.Initial results showed that the proposed empirical model fitted well the data not only from the three mills but also from an independent source. The one-parameter model also proved to be capable of estimating the volumetric slurry hold-up of a cylindrical mill from its load behavior to within 9% average error. Further refinement is to follow for the model to be useful over a wide range of operating conditions.