Comparison of breakage distribution function estimation methods in modeling of an industrial vertical stirred media mill
Minerals Engineering, cilt.247, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 247
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.mineng.2026.110473
- Dergi Adı: Minerals Engineering
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Chemical Abstracts Core, Compendex, INSPEC, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Engineering Source (EBSCO)
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Breakage function, Copper ore regrind, Population balance modelling, Stirred mill, Vertical stirred mill
- Hacettepe Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
The evolution of stirred media milling is driven mainly by the greater demand for fine and ultrafine particles due to the depleting ore grades and finer dissemination. As a gradual increase in the number of fine milling applications is expected in the future, the accuracy of the model structures that may be used to predict their performance will become more important. This study assesses the use of batch milling of industrial feed size classes as a practical alternative to drop-weight testing for determining the breakage distribution function of the ore used in population balance modeling (PBM). In this context, breakage distribution function (Bij) values were first estimated from dry milling of narrow-size tests, –75 + 53 and –53 + 38 µm, using Reid’s analytical solution. These batch-derived Bij were initially validated through comparisons of fitted size distributions to experimental data obtained with a wider size feed, –425 + 75 µm. When combined with the calibrated specific breakage rate (Si) model, these Bij values also produced accurate fits for full-size milling. Industrial PBM calibration using both drop-weight and batch-derived Bij matrix yielded similar Si parameters, indicating that the two approaches effectively characterize the breakage behavior of the ore in a comparable manner. Validation using three additional industrial survey datasets demonstrated the method’s consistency with R2 values above 0.97. From a practical standpoint, batch milling provides a faster and more accessible method for estimating Bij , requiring smaller sample volumes and using standard laboratory equipment. The findings demonstrate that batch-derived Bij values are a reliable alternative to drop-weight testing for PBM-based modeling of industrial stirred milling. The validated PBM structure further enables simulations under different operating conditions, supporting evaluation of ore variability and identification of opportunities for improved process performance.