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Using discrete element modelling (DEM) and breakage experiments to model the comminution action in a tumbling mill

Includes abstract.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Kulya, Chisenga
Other Authors: Powell, Malcolm
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Department of Mechanical Engineering 2014
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access_status_str Open Access
author Kulya, Chisenga
author2 Powell, Malcolm
author_browse Kulya, Chisenga
Powell, Malcolm
author_facet Powell, Malcolm
Kulya, Chisenga
author_sort Kulya, Chisenga
collection Thesis
description Includes abstract.
format Thesis
id oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/5521
institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:33:28.738Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2014
publishDateRange 2014
publishDateSort 2014
publisher Department of Mechanical Engineering
publisherStr Department of Mechanical Engineering
record_format dspace
source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/5521 Using discrete element modelling (DEM) and breakage experiments to model the comminution action in a tumbling mill Kulya, Chisenga Powell, Malcolm Mainza, Aubrey Govender, Indresan Sarracino, Robert Mechanical Engineering Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 147-153). The Discrete Element Method (DEM) is a powerful modelling tool that characterises the system at the individual particle level. This makes it particularly well suited for simulating tumbling mills whose charge is principally individual particles (steel balls, rocks and fines). The use of DEM to simulate tumbling mills has proliferated since the early 1990s and been successfully employed to predict important milling parameters such as charge motion, power draw, liner wear and impact energy distribution. The ultimate aim of any model of the tumbling mill is to predict the product of the milling process. Current DEM simulations of the tumbling mill however do not simulate the breakage of the particles and as such can not directly predict the product. In order to predict the performance of industrial-scale tumbling mills, laboratory-scale mills are used to experimentally obtain data, which is then scaled up using black box mathematical models. In this thesis a tumbling mill model that utilises the power of DEM to provide the mechanical environment and the energies available for breakage is proposed. The incorporation of DEM eliminates the need to scale up because DEM is able to simulate the actual industrial-scale device. Data from breakage experiments on the ore being treated is also incorporated into the model to determine the breakage functions. Population balance techniques are applied in the mathematical framework of the model to predict the product of the comminution process. In order to test the proposed tumbling mill model, DEM simulations of a 1.695m diameter pilot SAG mill using charge based on actual operation data were performed and analysed. Results from the DEM simulation and Drop Weight Tester breakage experiments were then used in the proposed tumbling mill model to predict the evolution of the product size distribution. 2014-07-31T11:21:13Z 2014-07-31T11:21:13Z 2008 Master Thesis Masters MSc http://hdl.handle.net/11427/5521 eng application/pdf Department of Mechanical Engineering Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment University of Cape Town
spellingShingle Mechanical Engineering
Kulya, Chisenga
Using discrete element modelling (DEM) and breakage experiments to model the comminution action in a tumbling mill
thesis_degree_str Master's
title Using discrete element modelling (DEM) and breakage experiments to model the comminution action in a tumbling mill
title_full Using discrete element modelling (DEM) and breakage experiments to model the comminution action in a tumbling mill
title_fullStr Using discrete element modelling (DEM) and breakage experiments to model the comminution action in a tumbling mill
title_full_unstemmed Using discrete element modelling (DEM) and breakage experiments to model the comminution action in a tumbling mill
title_short Using discrete element modelling (DEM) and breakage experiments to model the comminution action in a tumbling mill
title_sort using discrete element modelling dem and breakage experiments to model the comminution action in a tumbling mill
topic Mechanical Engineering
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/5521
work_keys_str_mv AT kulyachisenga usingdiscreteelementmodellingdemandbreakageexperimentstomodelthecomminutionactioninatumblingmill