Ball Mill Lining With Segmented Cavities For Wear Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wear-resistant linings for ball mills, particularly those incorporating hard materials into a rubber base, face inefficiencies due to lengthy assembly times, material wastage, and frequent replacement needs, especially in continuous mills, where stopping the mill is necessary for partial repairs.

Innovation Solution

A wear-resistant lining with an elastically deformable rubber base featuring regularly shaped cavities for inserting hard grinding bodies, allowing for quick assembly and reduced material usage, where the hard bodies absorb wear and can be inserted during initial operation without a load, with cavities designed to accommodate grinding balls for stable locking and continuous regeneration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If wear-resistant bricks are stably incorporated in the mass of a rubber base by pressing and vulcanizing operations, then wear resistance is improved, but assembly time and manufacturing complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewear resistanceVSAvoidassembly time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The lining is divided into modular panels that can be manufactured separately and assembled quickly. Each panel contains cavities pre-formed to receive hard grinding bodies, allowing independent manufacturing and rapid installation without complex pressing and vulcanizing operations for the entire lining structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cavities for receiving hard grinding bodies are pre-formed in the rubber base panels during manufacturing. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for time-consuming assembly operations during installation, as the hard bodies can be simply inserted into the pre-positioned cavities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of time

If traditional rubber linings are used, then installation time is reduced, but frequent replacement is required due to wear, increasing maintenance downtime

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation timeVSAvoidlining lifespan
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The lining combines soft rubber base material with hard grinding bodies in a composite structure. The rubber provides shock absorption and flexibility while the hard bodies (alumina, steel, etc.) provide wear resistance, creating a hybrid system that maintains the advantages of both materials.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The hard grinding bodies can be independently replaced when worn, while the rubber base panels can be retained and reused. This selective replacement strategy extends the overall lining lifespan and reduces material waste compared to replacing entire rubber linings.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Reliability

If hard materials are incorporated into rubber base by pressing and vulcanizing, then wear resistance improves, but material usage and weight increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewear resistanceVSAvoidmaterial usage
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Hard grinding bodies are strategically placed only in the cavities at the work surface of the rubber base panels, where wear resistance is most needed. The rubber base remains soft in non-critical areas, optimizing material distribution and reducing overall material consumption while maintaining wear resistance at critical contact points.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Reliability

If complete lining replacement is performed, then wear resistance is restored, but production downtime increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelining performanceVSAvoidproduction continuity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The lining system is segmented into modular panels with independently replaceable hard grinding bodies. This allows maintenance crews to replace only the worn hard bodies in specific panels rather than replacing the entire lining, enabling faster maintenance operations and minimizing production downtime in continuous mills.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution reduces assembly time, minimizes material usage, and allows for continuous operation by distributing wear among the hard bodies, extending the lining's lifespan and reducing downtime for maintenance, thus enhancing production efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

a wear-resistant lining for ball mills, comprising a base (3) made of a material that is elastically deformable

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2674220B1Wear-resistant lining for mills
Publication Date: 2018.04.18 CERTECH S P A A SOCIO UNICO
  • EP2674220B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2674220B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5

AI summary

A wear-resistant lining for ball mills comprises a base (3) made of a material that is elastically deformable at the work surface (4) subjected to wear from which it is obtained, a plurality of cavities or hollows (5) suitable for accommodating bodies of hard material inside them. The presence of said bodies of hard material has the function of imparting particular wear resistance to the work surface (4) in that they are suitable for coming into contact with the grinding bodies or balls (6) made of hard material which are used in the mill as the grinding charge. The cavities or hollows (5) of at least part of said plurality are dimensioned and proportioned so that each of them is suitable for accommodating at least one of the grinding bodies or balls (6) inside it. The cavities or hollows (5) are shaped and dimensioned in relation to the shape and size of the grinding bodies or balls (6) so that when insertion and coupling are completed, the grinding bodies or balls (6) are stably housed in the respective cavities (5).