Cost optimization of stirred ball mill grinding

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:5719847

Schultz, C W; Mehta, R K ^[1]

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1. Alabama Univ., University, AL (United States). Mineral Resources Inst.

On going research at the University of Alabama has shown that stirred ball mill grinding is the highest cost unit operation in the beneficiation of Eastern Oil Shales. Minimization of that cost is critical if oils derived by beneficiation and hydroretorting of Eastern shales are to become an economic alternative to conventional crude oils. Cost optimization of stirred ball milling is a substantially different problem than optimizing a conventional (tumbling) mill operation. For conventional mills minimum cost is virtually synonymous with minimum energy consumption. Because the technology is mature and well understood, the operator can predictably optimize within a very narrow range of operating conditions. In contrast, stirred ball milling offers the operator several more degrees of freedom'' in selecting operating conditions. An example is the selection of rotor speed. In general, lower speeds result in lower energy consumption per ton of material ground but at the cost of reduced mill capacity per unit volume. Because stirred ball mills have a high capital cost per unit volume the trade off between energy consumption and capacity becomes critical. This paper presents a generalized total cost mode for stirred ball milling and examines data generated in the grinding of oil shales in terms of the model. The paper also discuss the role of the cost model in guiding future research in grinding circuit optimization.

• Research Organization: Institute of Gas Technology, Chicago, IL (United States); Alabama Univ., University, AL (United States). Mineral Resources Inst.
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC21-87MC11089
• OSTI ID: 5719847
• Report Number(s): DOE/MC/11089-92/C0005; CONF-911182--6; ON: DE92011202
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040402* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Surface Methods
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
COMMINUTION
COST
ECONOMICS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GRINDING MACHINES
MACHINE TOOLS
MATERIALS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
OIL SHALES
OPTIMIZATION
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SHALES
TOOLS