Measurement of load behaviour in an industrial grinding mill

Abstract A technique has been developed to measure directly the load behaviour of an industrial mill, by inserting probes into or onto mill liner bolts. The results indicate that increased process understanding is possible. The data makes the calculation of the angle of orientation of the load possible as a function of axial position, leading to a load volume measurement. The axial temperature gradient is measured which can lead to calculations of the axial mixing coefficient. The dynamic behaviour of the temperature measurements can lead to a better understanding of the dynamics of the milling circuit. This together with the new measurements potentially lead to better control of the mill.