Equipamentos de fragmentação: uma revisão avaliando circuitos alternativos para a moagem de finos

Abstract

The search for more efficient circuits from the point of view of productivity, investment and operating costs is a constant in the mineral processing industry, especially regarding the crushing and grinding circuits, known as the largest consumers of energy in processing plants. The correct simulation and determination of the ideal circuit of fragmentation requires improved knowledge of the mineral raw material to be processed and the equipment commercially available. In this paper some important physical and chemical characteristics of raw materials, such as hardness, abrasiveness, particle size, among others, and the influence they have on the choice of equipments for fragmentation will be pointed out. The mechanisms of fragmentation and its relationship with the operating principles of crushing and grinding equipment on the market today, and energy aspects related to them will be discussed. Finally, a hypothetical situation will be presented to the grinding of iron ore fines, contemplating its dimensioning and evaluating alternative to the circuit originally suggested. The choice of the most appropriate circuit was based on that with the lowest energy consumption, without any prejudice to the processing of the material.