Modelling of the wear of grinding media in the iron ore milling

• Grant number: 19/10481-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: June 01, 2019
• End date: October 31, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Mining Engineering - Ore Beneficiation
• Principal Investigator: Homero Delboni Junior
• Grantee: Dimas José Neto
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica (EP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 17/50343-2 - Institutional development plan in the area of digital transformation: advanced manufacturing and smart and sustainable cities (PDIp), AP.PDIP

Abstract

The wear of grinding media figures between the major expenses in the mineral processing. Although the methodology to quantify the wear rate is already established, the individual contribution of the process variables and the ore itself is not yet fully understood, because of the great number of variables and their interaction. A mathematical model to predict the consumption of grinding media in the processing of iron ore is interesting to the mineral industry, so as to reduce costs and to allow improvement opportunities in the process. This project aims to construct such a model, considering operational variables, ore characteristics (mineralogy/texture), slurry rheology and metallurgical features of the steel balls. From the Archard's Equation, the model will couple multivariable regression of the parameters that characterize the tribossystem to the Discrete Elements Modelling (DEM) of the multiple contacts inside the balls charge. The data to the model construction and validation will be obtained from marked ball wear tests in the IPT's pilot grinding plant. (AU)