Grate support element, grate support structure and open grinding machine

Abstract

A grate support element (1) for an open grinding machine (2) comprises a peripheral portion (3), an inner portion (4) and at least one blade (5) extending between the peripheral portion (3) and the inner portion (4) of the grate support element (1). When the grate support element (1) is mounted to the open grinding machine (2), the blade (5) is angled relative to a plane (7) defined by an outer edge (8) of the peripheral portion (3) in such a way that the inner portion (4) is configured to be arranged outwardly from the plane (7) defined by the outer edge (8) of the peripheral portion (3). The disclosure also relates to a grate support structure and an open grinding machine.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to grinding machines, and more particularly to open grinding machines. Background Art

[0002] Mills, particularly SAG and AG mills, rely on their own ability to produce impact crushing of the ore charge and convey the ground material out of the mill via a discharge pulp lifter. Typically as mill diameter increases and flow rates increase, the discharge device limits mill performance by limiting material conveying rate and grinding efficiency. This is due to the inability to convey the ground material through the grate and pulp lifter, which limits conveying rate due to slurry flow back / short circuiting and carry over. The effect of this limitation in mill flow rate is a reduction in mill performance (product size) due to the resulting slurry pool that dissipates the energy of the balls / ore impacting the toe of the charge.

[0003] Open-ended mills may offer a solution to this problem, eliminating the need for a pulp lifter and allowing the pulp to flow unimpeded through the grate and out of the mill. However, this approach is limited to very small mills because the open design, and especially the grates used in such open mills, are not rigid enough to support larger charge loads.

[0004] Using the solutions currently known in the art, open grinder technology is limited to small grinders, or grinders that are only partially open. Summary of the invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a new grate support element, a grate support structure and an open grinding machine, the characteristics of which are set out by the embodiments disclosed in the present invention. Some preferred embodiments are also disclosed in the present invention.

[0006] The invention is based on the idea of ​​providing grate support elements at the discharge end of an open mill, which are designed to form a conical shape protruding outwardly from the volume of the mill housing, when a plurality of such grate support elements are mounted at the discharge end of an open mill.

[0007] An advantage of the new grate support element, the new grate support structure and the new open mill is that a more open grate can be provided without compromising the rigidity of the grate and the mill (including the bearing journals) compared to known solutions of open mills with flat vertical end plates. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail by means of preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0009] in:

[0010] Figure 1 Schematically showing the grinding machine as seen from one side;

[0011] Figure 2 Schematically showing an open grinder as seen from a second end;

[0012] Figure 3 A portion of an open grinding machine is shown in perspective;

[0013] Figure 4 A detailed view of the discharge end of an open grinding mill is shown in three dimensions;

[0014] Figure 5 A detail view of the discharge end of an open mill is shown from one side of the mill;

[0015] Figure 6 An exploded view of the discharge end of an open grinder is shown;

[0016] Figure 7 shows in perspective a grate support element according to an example of embodiment;

[0017] Figure 8 A grate plate according to an example of an embodiment is shown in a three-dimensional manner;

[0018] Fig. 9 shows a cross section of a grate support element; and

[0019] Fig.10 A cross section of another grate support element is shown.

[0020] The accompanying drawings are only intended to illustrate the main principles described in the present specification and embodiments. The accompanying drawings are schematic and not to scale, and for the sake of clarity, not all similar features in the drawings are provided with reference numerals. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Figure 1 A grinding machine 2 is shown schematically. Figure 2 The grinder 2 is schematically shown as seen from the second end 10 , in other words the discharge end 10 of the grinder. Figure 1 and Figure 2 Only some features of the grinding machine 1 are shown which contribute to the understanding of the present solution. It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that the grinding machine can and usually also comprises other features.

[0022] Grinding machine 2 (eg Figure 1 The grinder 2 of the present solution comprises a drum comprising a cylindrical shell 11. In the grinder 2 of the present solution, the longitudinal axis 9 of the drum is arranged in a substantially horizontal position at the use position of the grinder 2. The longitudinal axis 9 of the drum refers to the axis extending from one end of the cylindrical shell to the other end along the center line of the shell 11. The horizontal position refers to the longitudinal axis 9 extending in a substantially horizontal direction. In other words, the longitudinal axis 9 extends in a direction closer to the horizontal direction than to the vertical direction. The use position refers to the position in which the grinder 2 is arranged when used for grinding (e.g. ore grinding) in a production environment.

[0023] The drum includes a first end 14 at the feed end of the housing and a second end at the discharge end 10 of the housing. The feed end refers to the end of the drum where the material to be ground is fed into the drum. The discharge end refers to the end where the ground material is discharged from the drum. In wet grinding applications, the discharged material including the ground material and possibly liquid is also referred to as slurry in this application.

[0024] The grinding mill 2 may include various processing tasks, including but not limited to a ball mill, a pebble mill, an autogenous mill (AG mill) or a semi-autogenous mill (SAG mill). The working principle of such mills is known and will not be explained in more detail in this specification.

[0025] The grinding mill 2 also typically includes a bearing 15 that supports the drum at the discharge end 10. The bearing 15 may include any suitable type of bearing, such as a rolling element bearing, a hydrostatic bearing, or a hydrodynamic bearing. It should be noted that the grinding mill 2 may also have additional bearings that support the drum and / or other components of the grinding mill 2. Such bearings 15 for supporting the drum of the grinding mill are known as such bearings and are not described in further detail.

[0026] The grinder 2 may be an open grinder. An open grinder is a grinder that does not have a discharge trunnion, a pulp lifter for lifting the ground material to the discharge trunnion, or a solid discharge head plate. An open grinder may include a discharge grate 16 instead of (instead of) a discharge trunnion, a pulp lifter, and a solid discharge head plate, so that the ground material is discharged through the discharge grate 16. In a fully open grinder, the ground material can be discharged without lifting it. According to another embodiment, the open grinder 2 may include a partial top plate 23 located at the discharge end. Such a grinder may also be referred to as a semi-open grinder. A semi-open grinder may be similar to a fully open grinder, but it has a partial top plate 23 located at the discharge end of the housing, the partial top plate 23 partially extending from the periphery of the housing 11 toward the longitudinal axis 9 of the drum, but without a discharge trunnion and without a conventional pulp lifter. The partial top plate 23 at the discharge end 10 of the housing 11 may extend from the housing 11 towards the longitudinal axis 9 of the drum by a distance which is preferably less than 50% of the length of the housing radius 24, more preferably less than 30% of the length of the housing radius 24, and most preferably less than 15% of the length of the housing radius 24. The area of ​​the discharge end 10 of the drum extending from the inner edge of the partial top plate 23 towards the longitudinal axis 9 of the drum may define a discharge opening. The discharge opening may be provided with a discharge grate 16. In both types of open mills, in other words, in fully open mills and semi-open mills, the ground material may be discharged from the discharge grate 16 directly into the atmosphere.

[0027] Figure 3 A portion of a grinding machine 2 is shown, more specifically a portion of an open grinding machine 2 in perspective. Figure 4 A detail of the discharge end of an open grinding mill is shown in perspective. Figure 5 Detail of the discharge end of an open mill, shown from one side of the mill. Figure 6 An exploded view of the discharge end of an open grinder is shown. Figure 7 shows a grate support element according to an example of embodiment, Figure 8 A grate plate according to an example of an embodiment is shown.

[0028] According to one aspect and with reference Figures 3 to 8For example, a grate support element 1 for an open grinder 2 includes a peripheral portion 3, an inner portion 4, and at least one blade 5. The blade 5 is configured to extend between the peripheral portion 3 and the inner portion 4 in such a manner that the blade 5 has an inner portion side end connected to the inner portion 4 of the grate support element and an outer portion side end connected to the peripheral portion 3 of the grate support element. The blade 5 extending between the peripheral portion 3 and the inner portion 4 in such a manner that the blade 5 has an inner portion side end connected to the inner portion 4 and an outer portion side end connected to the peripheral portion 3 means that the blade has a first end at the peripheral portion of the grate support element and a second end at the inner portion of the grate support element.

[0029] When the grate support element 1 is mounted to an open mill 2, the blades 5 are angled relative to a plane 7 defined by an outer edge 8 of the peripheral portion 3 in such a way that the inner portion 4 is configured to be arranged outwardly from the plane 7 defined by the outer edge 8 of the peripheral portion 3. Thus, the blades 5 are angled relative to a plane defined by the periphery of the grate support element 1. In other words, when the grate support element 1 is mounted to an open mill 2, more specifically at the discharge end 10 of the open mill 2, the inner portion 4 protrudes outwardly from the mill volume.

[0030] Thus, the grate support element 1 refers to an element that is configured to be mounted at the discharge end 10 of the housing 11 of the open grinding mill 2 and to support one or more grate plates 20 of the open grinding mill 2. The inner portion 4 refers to the portion of the grate support element 1 that is disposed at the end of the grate support element 1 that is directed toward the center 12 of the cross section of the grinding mill 2 at the discharge end 10 when the grate support element 1 is mounted to the grinding mill 2. Similarly, the peripheral portion 3 refers to the portion of the grate support element 1 that is disposed at the end of the grate support element 1 that is directed away from the center 12 of the cross section of the grinding mill 2 at the discharge end 10 when the grate support element 1 is mounted to the grinding mill 2, in other words, at the distal end of the grate support element 1.

[0031] According to one embodiment, the blades 5 extend between the peripheral portion 3 and the inner portion 4 in a radial direction relative to a cross section of the grinder 2 in a transverse direction. In such embodiments, when a plurality of grate support elements 1, or one or more grate support elements 1 including a plurality of blades 5, are mounted to the grinder 2, the blades 5 may thus be configured to extend radially from the periphery of the discharge end of the housing 11.

[0032] According to one embodiment, the blade 5 extends between the outer peripheral portion 3 and the inner peripheral portion 4 in a curved manner. In such embodiments, the blade may be configured to be curved, for example, in the direction of a plane defined by the blade 5, or in a direction transverse to the direction of the plane defined by the blade 5. The plane defined by the blade refers to a plane defined by the direction in which the blade 5 extends from the outer peripheral portion 3 towards the inner peripheral portion 4. Thus, curving in the direction of this plane means that the blade is curved, or angled, relative to a radial direction pointing from the outer peripheral edge 8 towards the center 12 of the cross section of the grinder 2 when the grate support element 1 is mounted to the grinder 2. The blade 5 may be configured to extend from the outer peripheral portion 3 towards the inner peripheral portion in a spiral manner, for example. Similarly, curving in a direction transverse to the direction of the plane defined by the blade 5 means that when mounted to the grinder 2, the blade 5 is configured to be curved towards and / or outwardly from the volume of the grinder 2. According to one embodiment, the angle or curvature may vary along the length of the blade 5.

[0033] According to one embodiment, the angle 13 between the blades 5 and the plane 7 defined by the outer edge 8 of the peripheral portion 3 is in the range of 5 to 30 degrees. In other words, when the grate support element 1 is mounted to the open grinder 2, more specifically at the discharge end 10 of the open grinder 2, the blades 5 protrude outwardly from the grinder volume, in other words, the blades 5 protrude outwardly from the interior of the housing 11 at an angle 13 in the range of 5 to 30 degrees.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the angle 13 between the blade 5 and the plane 7 defined by the outer edge 8 of the peripheral portion 3 varies at one, two or more points 14 along the length of the blade, or varies continuously over the length of the blade. In other words, the angle 13 between the blade 5 and the plane 7 defined by the outer edge 8 of the peripheral portion 3 may be different at different parts 15, 16 of the length of the blade 5 along the length of the blade 5 extending from the peripheral portion 3 to the inner portion 4. In other words, according to one embodiment, one, two or more points 14 may be provided along the length of the blade 5, at which the angle 13 is configured to vary. According to another embodiment, the angle 13 between the blade 5 and the plane 7 defined by the outer edge 8 of the peripheral portion 3 may be arranged to vary continuously over the length of the blade 5. Thus, in such embodiments, the blade 5 may be angled in a curved manner relative to the plane 7 defined by the outer edge 8 of the peripheral portion 3. In another embodiment, the blade 5 may comprise a same angle along a first portion 15 of the length of the blade 5 and a continuously varying angle along a second portion 16 of the length of the blade 5 relative to a plane 7 defined by the outer edge 8 of the peripheral portion 3. According to one embodiment, the first portion 15 and the second portion 16 of the length of the blade 5 may together be a portion of the length of the blade 5 or the entire length of the blade 5. According to an embodiment, the first portion 15 or the second portion 16 may be arranged on the peripheral portion 3 side, in other words, closer to the periphery of the grate support element 1. Fig. 9 and Fig.10 An embodiment with such points 14 and portions 15, 16 is shown in FIG. Fig. 9 shows a cross section of a grate support element, Fig.10 A cross section of another grate support element is shown.

[0035] According to one embodiment, the grate support element 1 comprises the shape of a conical wheel or a conical disk, or the shape of a portion of a conical wheel or a portion of a conical disk. The grate support element 1 comprising the shape of a portion of a conical wheel or a portion of a conical disk refers to a shape in which a plurality of grate support elements 1 arranged adjacent to each other form a conical wheel shape or a conical disk shape, such that their inner portions 4 are directed to a common central point, and their peripheral portions 3 are directed away from the common central point.

[0036] According to one embodiment, the blade 5 is angled relative to a second plane 17 defined by the inner portion 4 in addition to being angled relative to the plane 7 defined by the outer peripheral portion 3. Depending on the embodiment, the plane 7 defined by the outer peripheral portion 3 may be parallel or non-parallel relative to the second plane 17 defined by the inner portion 4. In other words, for example, Figure 5 , the second angle 18 between the blade 5 and the second plane 17 defined by the inner portion 4 may be the same as the angle 13 between the blade 5 and the plane 7 defined by the peripheral portion 3, or may be different.

[0037] According to another embodiment, the blades 5 may not be angled relative to the second plane 17 defined by the inner portion 4. In other words, the inner portion 4 and the blades 5 may have the same angle relative to the plane defined by the peripheral portion 3.

[0038] According to one embodiment, the inner portion 4 connected to the blades 5 at the central end of the grate support element 1 is configured to form an annular inner periphery of the grate support element, e.g. Figures 3 to 6 According to another embodiment, the inner portion 4 connected to the blades 5 at the central end of the grate support element 1 is configured to form a solid circular central portion of the grate support element 1 .

[0039] According to one embodiment, the blade 5 is provided with at least two openings 19 along its length for attaching the grate support element 1 to the grate plate 20. According to another embodiment, the blade 5 comprises at least one recess (not shown) and the opening 19 is arranged in such a recess in such a way that at least a part of the bolt head arranged in the opening 19 is arranged in such a recess.

[0040] According to one embodiment, the grate support element 1 and the grate plate 20 are fixedly attached to each other to form a unitary structure. According to another embodiment, one grate support element 1 alone forms the grate support structure 22 .

[0041] According to one embodiment, the grate support structure 22 comprises at least two grate support elements 1 as described in the present description and the drawings.

[0042] According to one embodiment, the grate support elements 1 described in this specification are arranged radially along the periphery of the grate support structure 22 to form a disk-like or wheel-like grate support structure 22 comprising a conical shape, wherein, when the grate support structure 22 is mounted on the grinding machine 2, the center of the grate support structure 22 extends outwardly from a plane 7 formed by the periphery of the grate support structure 22. Therefore, the plane 7 formed by the periphery of the grate support structure 22 and the plane 7 defined by the peripheral portion 3 of the grate support element 1 forming the grate support structure 22 are the same plane.

[0043] According to one embodiment, the grate support structure 22 comprises a hole 23 in a central portion of the grate support structure 22, the hole 23 being defined by the inner portion 4 of the grate support element 1, more specifically by the inner circumference of the inner portion 4 configured to form an annular inner circumference. According to one embodiment, the diameter of the hole 23 is in the range of 0% to 50% of the diameter 24 of the outer circumference of the grate support structure 22.

[0044] According to one embodiment, an open grinding mill 2 comprises a grate support structure 22 and / or at least one grate support element 1 as described herein. According to one embodiment, such an open grinding mill 2 further comprises a grate 25 and a cylindrical housing 11, and the grate support structure 22 is mounted to the grate 25 and the cylindrical housing 11. According to another embodiment, the grate support structure 22 is at least detachably mounted to the cylindrical housing 11.

[0045] According to one embodiment, the grate plate 20 may comprise an entire sector or section of the grate 25, or two or more grate plates may be configured to be mounted adjacent to each other in a radial direction and / or circumferentially along the blades 5 of the grate support element 1. In other words, the grate 25 may comprise one or more grate plates. Thus, the discharge grate 16 may comprise at least a grate 25 (which comprises at least one grate plate 20) and at least one grate support structure 22 (which comprises at least one grate support element 1).

[0046] According to one embodiment, in the open grinding machine 2 described in this specification, the central portion of the grate support structure 22 (including the inner portion 4 of the grate support structure 22) extends outward from the cylindrical housing 11. More specifically, in such embodiments, the central portion of the grate support structure 22 (including the inner portion 4 of the grate support structure 22) extends outward from the cylindrical housing 11 in the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical housing 11.

[0047] It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that, as technology advances, the inventive concept can be implemented in various ways.The invention and its embodiments are not limited to the examples described above but may vary within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A grate support element, characterized in that: For an open mill, wherein the open mill is a mill without a discharge trunnion, a pulp elevator for lifting the ground material to the discharge trunnion, or a solid discharge top plate, the grate support element is mounted at the discharge end of the open mill, the open mill includes a discharge grate at the discharge end, and the ground material is discharged directly into the atmosphere from the discharge grate, the grate support element comprising: Peripheral part; Internal parts; and At least one blade extends between the peripheral portion and the inner portion in such a manner that the blade has an inner portion side end connected to the inner portion of the grate support element and an outer portion side end connected to the peripheral portion of the grate support element, and when the grate support element is mounted to the open grinder, the blade is angled relative to a plane defined by an outer edge of the peripheral portion in such a manner that the inner portion is configured to be disposed outwardly from a plane defined by an outer edge of the peripheral portion.

2. The grate support element according to claim 1, wherein: The angle between the blade and the plane defined by the outer edge of the peripheral portion is in the range of 5 degrees to 30 degrees.

3. The grate support element according to claim 1, wherein: The angle between the blade and the plane defined by the outer edge of the peripheral portion varies at one, two or more points along the length of the blade, or varies continuously over the length of the blade.

4. The grate support element according to claim 1, wherein: The grate support element comprises the shape of a conical wheel or a conical disk, or the shape of a part of a conical wheel or a conical disk.

5. The grate support element according to claim 1, wherein: The blades are also angled relative to a plane defined by the inner portion.

6. The grate support element according to claim 1, wherein: The blade is provided with at least two openings along its length for attaching the grate support element to a grate plate.

7. The grate support element according to claim 6, wherein: The blade comprises at least one recess, and wherein the opening is arranged in the recess in such a way that at least a part of a bolt head arranged in the opening is arranged in the recess.

8. The grate support element according to claim 1, wherein: The grate support elements and grate plates are fixedly attached to form a unitary structure.

9. The grate support element according to claim 1, wherein: The blades extend between the peripheral portion and the inner portion in a radial direction relative to a cross section of the open grinder in a transverse direction.

10. The grate support element according to claim 1, wherein: The blades extend in a curved manner between the peripheral portion and the inner portion.

11. The grate support element according to claim 1, wherein: One grate support element alone forms the grate support structure.

12. A grate support structure comprising at least two grate support elements according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein: The grate support elements are radially arranged along the periphery of the grate support structure to form a disc-like or wheel-like grate support structure comprising a conical shape, wherein the center of the grate support structure extends outwardly from a plane formed by the periphery of the grate support structure when the grate support structure is mounted on a grinding machine.

13. The grate support structure according to claim 12, wherein: The grate support structure comprises a hole in a central portion of the grate support structure, the hole being defined by one or more inner portions of one or more of the grate support elements.

14. The grate support structure according to claim 13, wherein: The diameter of the holes is in the range of 0% to 50% of the diameter of the outer circumference of the grate support structure.

15. An open grinding mill comprising a grate support structure according to any one of claims 12-14.

16. The open grinding machine according to claim 15, wherein: The open grinder further comprises a grate and a cylindrical housing, and wherein the grate support structure is mounted to the grate and the cylindrical housing.

17. An open grinding machine according to claim 16, wherein: The grate support structure is at least removably mounted to the cylindrical housing.

18. The open grinding machine according to claim 16, wherein: A central portion of the grate support structure, including an interior portion of the grate support structure, extends outwardly from the cylindrical housing.

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