5.

Cement Milling
Systems
C E M E N T T E C H N O L O G Y N O T E S 2 0 0 4 54
5 . 1 I NT R ODUC T I ON
5 . 2 OP E N- C I R C UI T MI L L I NG
5 . 3 C L OS E D- C I R C UI T MI L L I NG
5 . 3 . 1 I NT R ODU C T I ON
5 . 3 . 2 S E P A R AT OR S
5 . 3 . 3 C I R C U I T C ONT R OL
5 . 4 R OL L P R E S S
5 . 4 . 1 I NT R ODU C T I ON
5 . 4 . 2 B A S I C OP E R AT I ON
5 . 4 . 3 R OL L P R E S S T E R MI NOL OGY
5 . 4 . 4 MI L L I NG C I R C U I T S WI T H R OL L P R E S S E S
5 . 5 R OL L E R MI L L
5 . 6 P R E - C R US HI NG
5 . 7 HOR OMI L L
contents chapter 6
C E M E N T T E C H N O L O G Y N O T E S 2 0 0 5 55
5.1 INTRODUCTION
In the simplest system, the ball mill is used in open-circuit where
feed materials are introduced to the mill inlet and cement
product leaves at the mill exit.
Increasingly mills were used in conjunction with an air
separator in which the mill exit material was classified
according to size, the fines becoming the product and the coarse
being returned to the mill inlet. Hence the ball mill was
operated in closed-circuit.
In recent years the roll press was developed and a number of
mill circuits using a combination of roll press, ball mill and air
separator have emerged. In some instances there are circuits
without the ball mill in which either a roll press or a vertical
roller mill are used.
Use of pre-crushing devices is now also re-gaining interest.
5. CEMENT MILLING SYSTEMS
contents chapter 5 chapter 6
C E M E N T T E C H N O L O G Y N O T E S 2 0 0 5 56
5.2 OPEN-CIRCUIT MILLING
The use of open-circuit mills for cement grinding is largely
restricted to smaller capacity and/or low product Blaine (where
less than 300m
2
/kg).
The circuit usually consists of: (See Figure 55).
- ball mill (or tube mill, as sometimes referred, due to
high length to diameter ratio).
- feed conveyor
- discharge hood
- fan
- dust filter
- product conveyor
- water cooling (external or internal)
Figure 55. Open Circuit Ball Mill Layout.
The mill itself can be 3 chambers, or 2 chambers with
classifying liner or sometimes 4 chambers. The length to
diameter ratio will usually be at least 3:1, but often is higher at
5 or even 6:1.
There are many mills of 2.5-3m diameter at around 1000kW,
but larger open-circuit mills of 2200 kW are also relatively
common.
Mill control is relatively simple and product fineness (usually
the Blaine) is controlled by the feed rate. The particle size
distribution is essentially only a function of the feed rate and
product Blaine for any given mill. However the psd is influenced
by the mill configuration (e.g. media grading, see section 6). In
general an open-circuit mill will produce a noticeably wider psd
than that of cement produced by a closed-circuit system.
Because of the relatively low efficiency of such a system, and the
lack of separator rejects, temperature rise in the mill can be very
significant.
Cooling can be achieved by shell cooling water, internal water
injection and ventilation airflow.
One important feature of an open-circuit mill is that the product
fineness is the same as that of the material leaving the mill.
Naturally, as we shall see, this differs considerably to the
situation in closed-circuit mills. As a result of this the 'in-mill'
fineness, i.e. fineness of material leaving the mill, can be very
high. Thus the problems associated with fine particle attraction
are much more significant in open-circuit mills. The resultant
agglomeration and coating of material on the media charge and
liners results in a significant reduction in grinding efficiency.
This is further exacerbated by the often high temperatures.
The main advantage of open-circuit mill systems lies in their
comparatively lower capital cost, since there is no need for the
separator and associated ancillaries. Also, the mill house can
often be very much smaller.
Because the mill is effectively "one-pass", any residual coarse
nibs (e.g. 3-5mm or larger) need to be removed from the circuit,
or they would end in the product and potentially cause
problems in packing and customer materials handling
equipment. One method is to pass the mill exit material over a
screen to separate the nibs. These are then discarded, usually
daily or per shift. Nibs usually only represent around 0.1% of
the product.
The mill ventilation air passes through ducting to a filter (either
fabric bags or electrostatic precipitator) where the entrained
particles are removed. This dust is then usually passed directly
to the product. Sometimes there is a static separator, to remove
the bulk of the dust, prior to the filter. The ducting at the mill
discharge hood is kept relatively large to keep the dust burden
to a low level. This requires velocities of only 1-2m/sec. In the
ducting transport velocities (say 20m/sec) are used.
Care should be taken when sampling the product from the mill,
noting where the dust is returned (usually into the discharge
hood).
Product conveying is usually of screw-pump design, but can be
screw conveyor, belt conveyor or blow tank.
5. CEMENT MILLING SYSTEMS
Filter
Air
Dust
Fan
Feed
Product
Mill
contents chapter 5 chapter 6
C E M E N T T E C H N O L O G Y N O T E S 2 0 0 5 57
5.3 CLOSED-CIRCUIT MILLING
5.3.1 INTRODUCTION
As discussed in section 3, Rittinger postulated that the increase
in SSA is proportional to the energy input. However we shall
see that for higher fineness levels there is an increasing deviation
from this linear relationship (see section 6). Thus the kWh/tonne
required for an increase in the Blaine of 10m
2
/kg increases as the
Blaine increases. In fact increasing the Blaine from 300-
400m
2
/kg requires some 50-100% more kWh/tonne than
increasing from 100 to 200m
2
/kg. (See figure 56).
Figure 56. Average Cement Grindability Curve.
Notes: For 0 200/250m
2
/kg, the relationship is close linear
Above this SSA, the deviation from linear gradually
increases
e.g. from 100 to 200m
2
/kg requires 10.3kWh/tonne
from 300 to 400m
2
/kg requires 17.7kWh/tonne
i.e. ~70% more kWh/tonne
Grinding end-point effectively reached around 500-
700m
2
/kg
As we have already seen in open-circuit mills the in-mill fineness
has to reach that of the product. At high SSA's the grinding
efficiency reduces. Thus, by grinding to a lower in-mill fineness
the grinding efficiency can be enhanced.
In a closed-circuit milling system the total mill throughput is
substantially higher than that of an open-circuit mill and thus
the material leaving the mill has a much lower SSA than that of
the product from an open-circuit mill. This coarser material
then passes to an air separator where the coarser particles are
returned to the mill for further grinding. The finer particles are
collected as the cement product.
The main elements of a closed-circuit system are shown in
figure 57. These are similar to those of an open-circuit mill (See
5.2) with the addition of:
- Material Elevator (Bucket)
- Air Separator (or classifier)
- Separator rejects handling system (air slide, screw
conveyor)
- Separator Fan
The most important element is of course the separator.
Figure 57. Closed Circuit Ball Mill Layout.
5.3.2 SEPARATOR
The 1980's saw a rapid introduction of so-called high efficiency
separators. In the past, the move to closed-circuit operation had
not resulted in the expected reduction in power consumption for
OPC. In general, at modest Blaine, the additional 10% or so
capacity achieved over open-circuit operation was matched by
around a 10% increase in total kW in the circuit (e.g. elevator,
separator and fan).
The limited benefits for conventional separators (often referred
to as 1st generation) are due to their inherent poor efficiency
which results in excessive recycling of fines and failure to
control product residue levels.
Such types of separator include:
- Heyd
- FLS CV
- Polysius Turbo
- Sturtevant Whirlwind
Their poor separation efficiency can be attributed to:
- Poor dispersion of feed
- By-pass of feed directly into the rejects stream
- Ill-defined and weak separating forces, which
prevent a clear separation of fine and coarse
material
- Poor product/airflow separation
The conventional separator (See Figure 58) essentially
consists of:
- Two concentric cyclones
- Feed distribution plate
- Main Fan
- Auxiliary fan (or means of control)
- Return louvres for the air
5. CEMENT MILLING SYSTEMS
Dust
Product
Separator
Fines
F (f)
Separator
Feed
A (a)
Filter
Air
Fan
Feed
Mill
Returns
R (r)
Mill Outlet
contents chapter 5 chapter 6
C E M E N T T E C H N O L O G Y N O T E S 2 0 0 5 58
Figure 58. 1st Generation Separator.
The feed is introduced, from the side or top, into the inner cone
and onto a rotating distribution plate. A main fan, inside the
separator casing, causes the air to flow up in the inner cone,
through the fan, and down the annulus of the two cones. The
air is then returned to the inner cone through a set(s) of louvres
or vanes. The airflow also has a strong tangential component to
its flow.
Between the distribution plate and the main fan is the separating
zone. Here particles are subjected to (See Figure 59):
- A drag force due to the airflow
- A centrifugal force (tangential component)
- Gravity
Figure 59. Principal of Air Separator.
Larger particles are influenced by the centrifugal forces and
gravity to a greater degree and these descend down the inner cone
to the base where they pass to the returns conveying system.
Smaller particles are more strongly influenced by the drag force
of the airflow and these become entrained passing through the
fan and into the annulus between the cones. Separation of
material from the air occurs at the louvres as the air is drawn
sharply back through the louvres.
The 'cut size' (See Section 6) is controlled by the airflow and its
angular (tangential component). Separator efficiency is
discussed in section 6.
Given some of the recognised areas of inefficiency various
attempts were made to improve separator efficiency. One of
these concerned the product/air separation in the annulus of the
cones. Here, the efficiency was low and thus fines were recycled
to the inner cone. The development of the cyclone separator
(often referred to as 2nd generation) effectively carried out this
product/air separation externally in high efficiency cyclones.
(See Figure 60). The separator airflow is generated in a higher
efficiency clean (virtually) fan.
As a result of this development separator efficiency was greatly
improved.
Figure 60. 2nd Generation Separator.
During the early 1980's Onoda developed the O-Sepa separator
which has been termed high efficiency (or 3rd generation). This
is marketed by Onoda, FLS-Fuller and CLE. Following this,
designs emerged from Sturtevant, Polysius, FLS, KHD, O+K, etc.
All of these newer designs feature:-
- A feed dispersion system which ensures that all the
feed material passes through the separating zone.
- Stronger, well defined, separating forces (directly
opposing)
- External fan and high efficiency product/air
separation
- Generally a more compact design
Examples of these are shown in Figures 61-64.
5. CEMENT MILLING SYSTEMS
contents chapter 5 chapter 6
C E M E N T T E C H N O L O G Y N O T E S 2 0 0 5 59
Figure 61. O-Sepa 3rd Generation Separator.
Figure 62. Sturtevant SD 3rd Generation Separator.
Figure 63. Polysius Sepol 3rd Generation Separator.
Figure 64. FLS Sepax 3rd Generation Separator.
The principal design data for the main separators (O-Sepa, SD,
Sepax, Sepol, Sepmaster, O+K, Pfeiffer) is given in figure 65.
Some of the important design differences for each supplier are:
O-Sepa: Top feed inlet
Tangential air inlet
Vertical guide vanes
Rotor cage with blades
Top extraction of air + fines
Sturtevant SD: Top feed inlet
Tangential air inlet
Horizontal guide vanes
Rotor cage with rods
Bottom extraction of air + fines
FLS Sepax: Bottom/Tangential feed inlet
Tangential/bottom air inlet
Vertical guide vanes
Rotor cage with blades
Top extraction of air + fines
Polysius Sepol: Top feed inlet
Tangential air inlet
Vertical guide vanes
Rotor cage with rods
Bottom extraction of air + fines
5. CEMENT MILLING SYSTEMS
contents chapter 5 chapter 6
C E M E N T T E C H N O L O G Y N O T E S 2 0 0 5 60
Figure 65. Principal Separator Dimensions.
O-Sepa
Sturtevant SD
FLS Sepax Polysius Sepol
5. CEMENT MILLING SYSTEMS
Type
Rotor Dimensions
Separator
Airflow
(m
3
/h)
Air Speed
Rotor
(m/s)
Diameter
(m)
Height
(m)
D/H
Area
(m
2
)
N - 500 1.045 0.58 1.80 1.90 30,000 4.38
N - 750 1.290 0.73 1.77 2.96 45,000 4.23
N - 1000 1.490 0.85 1.75 3.98 60,000 4.19
N - 1500 1.830 1.08 1.69 6.21 90,000 4.03
N - 2000 2.100 1.24 1.69 8.18 120,000 4.07
N - 2500 2.360 1.39 1.70 10.31 150,000 4.04
N - 3000 2.590 1.53 1.69 12.45 180,000 4.02
N - 3500 2.800 1.66 1.69 14.60 210,000 3.99
N - 4000 2.980 1.78 1.67 16.66 240,000 4.00
N - 4500 3.160 1.90 1.66 18.86 270,000 3.98
Type
Rotor Dimensions
Separator
Airflow
(m
3
/h)
Air Speed
Rotor
(m/s)
Diameter
(m)
Height
(m)
D/H
Area
(m
2
)
190 1.270 0.58 2.19 2.31 26,000 3.12
212 1.420 0.73 1.95 3.26 36,000 3.07
236 1.550 0.89 1.74 4.33 48,000 3.08
250 1.640 0.99 1.66 5.10 56,000 3.05
265 1.730 1.10 1.57 5.98 66,000 3.07
280 1.810 1.20 1.51 6.82 76,000 3.09
300 1.940 1.34 1.45 8.17 91,000 3.10
315 2.030 1.45 1.40 9.25 102,000 3.06
335 2.150 1.59 1.35 10.74 118,000 3.05
355 2.270 1.73 1.31 12.34 136,000 3.06
375 2.390 1.88 1.27 14.12 154,000 3.03
400 2.540 2.06 1.23 16.44 179,000 3.02
425 2.690 2.24 1.20 18.93 207,000 3.04
450 2.840 2.42 1.17 21.59 235,000 3.02
475 2.990 2.60 1.15 24.42 266,000 3.03
Type
1.700
Separator
Airflow
(m
3
/h)
Air Speed
Rotor
(m/s)
Diameter
(m)
Height
(m)
D/H
Area
(m
2
)
HS 60 0.600 0.40 1.50 0.75 9,000 3.32
HS 70 0.700 0.47 1.49 1.03 13,000 3.49
HS 80 0.800 0.53 1.51 1.33 17,000 3.55
HS 90 0.900 0.60 1.50 1.70 21,000 3.44
HS 100 1.000 0.67 1.49 2.10 26,000 3.43
HS 110 1.100 0.73 1.51 2.52 32,000 3.52
HS 120 1.200 0.80 1.50 3.02 38,000 3.50
HS 130 1.300 0.87 1.49 3.55 44,000 3.44
HS 140 1.400 0.93 1.51 4.09 51,000 3.46
HS 150 1.500 1.00 1.50 4.71 59,000 3.48
HS 160 1.600 1.07 1.50 5.38 67,000 3.46
HS 170 1.700 1.13 1.50 6.03 76,000 3.50
HS 185 1.850 1.23 1.50 7.15 90,000 3.50
HS 200 2.000 1.33 1.50 8.36 105,000 3.49
HS 215 2.150 1.43 1.50 9.66 121,000 3.48
HS 230 2.300 1.53 1.50 11.06 138,000 3.47
HS 250 2.500 1.67 1.50 13.12 164,000 3.47
HS 270 2.700 1.80 1.50 15.27 191,000 3.47
HS 290 2.900 1.93 1.50 17.58 220,000 3.48
HS 310 3.100 2.07 1.50 20.16 252,000 3.47
HS 330 3.300 2.20 1.50 22.81 285,000 3.47
Type
Rotor Dimensions
Separator
Airflow
(m
3
/h)
Air Speed
Rotor
(m/s)
Diameter
(m)
Height
(m)
D/H
Area
(m
2
)
SD 20 0.400 0.30 1.33 0.38 4,000 2.95
SD 30 0.750 0.45 1.67 1.06 12,000 3.14
SD 40 1.000 0.60 1.67 1.88 22,000 3.24
SD 60 1.500 0.85 1.76 4.01 50,000 3.47
SD 80 2.000 0.95 2.11 5.97 75,000 3.49
SD 100 2.500 1.15 2.17 9.03 115,000 3.54
SD 120 3.000 1.35 2.22 12.72 165,000 3.60
SD 150 3.750 1.65 2.27 19.44 250,000 3.57
SD 150S 3.750 1.90 1.97 22.38 290,000 3.60
SD 180 4.500 1.95 2.31 27.57 380,000 3.83
SD 210 5.250 2.20 2.39 36.29 500,000 3.83
contents chapter 5 chapter 6
C E M E N T T E C H N O L O G Y N O T E S 2 0 0 5 61
KHD Sepmaster SKS Pfeiffer QDK
O & K QS
In most cases closed-circuit systems using these separators
operate with a separate mill venting air fan. The dust from this
is either returned to the product or the separator feed.
In many cases the separator will have an open-circuit airflow
(straight through) which significantly contributes to the mill
circuit cooling. Airflow is often designed to give a solids loading
of around 2kg/m
3
(kg of total separator feed).
The product is usually collected in a high efficiency bag filter,
(See Figure 66), with either pulse jet cleaning or reverse air.
Figure 66. Bag Filter.
5. CEMENT MILLING SYSTEMS
Type
Rotor Dimensions
Separator
Airflow
(m
3
/h)
Air Speed
Rotor
(m/s)
Diameter
(m)
Height
(m)
D/H
Area
(m
2
)
SKS 12 12,000
SKS 18 18,000
SKS 25 25,000
SKS 36 1.180 0.73 1.62 2.71 36,000 3.70
SKS 45 1.310 0.82 1.60 3.37 45,000 3.70
SKS 60 1.590 0.97 1.64 4.85 60,000 3.44
SKS 75 1.700 1.06 1.60 5.66 75,000 3.68
SKS 95 1.910 1.10 1.74 6.60 95,000 4.00
SKS 120 2.150 1.34 1.60 9.05 120,000 3.68
SKS 145 145,000
SKS 175 2.600 1.62 1.60 13.23 175,000 3.67
SKS 210 2.840 1.78 1.60 15.88 210,000 3.67
SKS 250 3.100 1.94 1.60 18.89 250,000 3.68
SKS 290 290,000
Type
Rotor Dimensions
Separator
Airflow
(m
3
/h)
Air Speed
Rotor
(m/s)
Diameter
(m)
Height
(m)
D/H
Area
(m
2
)
QDK 6 0.480 0.32 1.50 0.48 4,000 2.95
QDK 8.5 0.650 0.44 1.48 0.90 12,000 3.14
QDK 11 0.860 0.58 1.48 1.57 22,000 3.24
QDK 12.5 0.960 0.64 1.50 1.93 50,000 3.47
QDK 14.5 1.150 0.77 1.49 2.78 75,000 3.49
QDK 16.5 1.270 0.85 1.49 3.39 115,000 3.54
QDK 19 1.500 1.00 1.50 4.71 165,000 3.60
QDK 22 1.700 1.14 1.49 6.09 250,000 3.57
QDK 25 1.950 1.30 1.50 7.96 290,000 3.60
QDK 29 2.250 1.50 1.50 10.60 380,000 3.83
QDK 31 2.400 1.60 1.50 12.06 500,000 3.83
Type
Rotor Dimensions
Separator
Airflow
(m
3
/h)
Air Speed
Rotor
(m/s)
Diameter
(m)
Height
(m)
D/H
Area
(m
2
)
QS 50/2 0.50 0.50 1.00 0.79 4,000 2.95
QS 63/2 0.63 0.63 1.00 1.25 13,000 2.90
QS 80/2 0.80 0.80 1.00 2.01 20,000 2.76
QS 100/2 1.00 1.00 1.00 3.14 32,000 2.83
QS 125/2 1.25 1.25 1.00 4.91 50,000 2.83
QS 160/2 1.60 1.60 1.00 8.04 80,000 2.76
QS 180/2 1.80 1.80 1.00 10.18 104,000 2.84
QS 200/2 2.00 2.00 1.00 12.57 130,000 2.87
QS 225/2 2.25 2.25 1.00 15.90 164,000 2.86
QS 250/2 2.50 2.50 1.00 19.63 200,000 2.83
QDK 33 2.550 1.70 1.50 13.62 187,000 3.83
QDK 38 2.950 1.97 1.50 18.26 248,000 3.77
contents chapter 5 chapter 6
C E M E N T T E C H N O L O G Y N O T E S 2 0 0 5 62
In some older systems some of the separator air was drawn
through the mill and thus there was only one fan. In these
systems care is required when sampling the separator feed, since
only a proportion will be mechanically conveyed from the mill.
In general, separate mill ventilation systems are preferred.
In some cases the separator product is collected in cyclones and
the air is recycled to the separator (similar to the cyclone
separator air circuit).
The higher separation efficiency of these separators results in
less misplaced material, i.e. less fines are returned to the mill
and less coarse particles are placed into the product. Therefore
the in-mill fineness is lower (lower Blaine of mill exit/separator
feed) and the final product has a lower residue/narrower particle
size distribution.
The reduced level of fines in the separator rejects can clearly be
seen from determination of the Blaine. For OPC production at
around 350m
2
/kg the typical Blaine values for the rejects are:-
Conventional Separator (1st Generation) 150-250 m
2
/kg
Cyclone Separator (2nd Generation) 100-200 m
2
/kg
High Efficiency Separator (3rd Generation) 50-150 m
2
/kg
For simplicity we can assume that a Blaine mass balance can be
made for a closed-circuit system. This assumes, for example,
that if we had 1kg of cement at 400m
2/
kg and 1kg of cement at
300m
2
/kg and we carefully mixed them together, we would
produce 2kg at 350m
2
/kg.
Applying this to a closed-circuit mill we can see the effect of
reducing the separator rejects Blaine on the separator feed Blaine.
Referring to TIS MS013 if we have a closed-circuit mill
producing 50 tonnes/hour with a circulating load of 300%
(rejects of 100 tonnes/hour, total feed of 150 tonnes/hour), then
for a product Blaine of 350 m
2
/kg we find the following:-
Rejects Blaine Mill exit/separator feed Blaine
200 250
150 217
100 183
Thus as we return less fines to the mill the mill exit fineness
reduces. Hence the in-mill fineness also reduces and the grinding
efficiency is increased. This is quantified in Section 6.
This higher grinding efficiency means that an increase in output
is achieved.
The narrower psd results in an enhanced strength development, as
discussed in Section 3, and this can often result in a reduction in the
Blaine target with additional associated increases in mill output.
In general, the application of high efficiency separators onto
existing mills with conventional separators (or even open-
circuit) can be expected to result in:-
- a reduced SSA (by 20-50m
2/
kg)
- a narrower psd (lower residues, e.g. 45 microns of
0-5% compared to 5-15%)
- poorer packing behaviour of the cement product
- marginally lower bulk density (2-5%)
- higher paste water demand (28-34%, compared to
24-28%)
- longer setting times (higher paste water demand,
poorer packing and effective larger spacing)
- a reduced early strength (lower Blaine related)
- a lower milling temperature and hence less gypsum
dehydration
- some change in concrete slump behaviour, depending
on:-
- change in SSA
- clinker chemistry (C
3
A, alkalis, SO
3
)
- change in milling temperature
- gypsum source, cement SO
3
, clinker SO
3
- existing degree of optimised slump properties
The main advantages of these separators are:-
- the ability to increase existing mill capacity by
around 10-30%
- a reduction in kWh/t of 5-20%
- the ability to produce cool cement (60oC and below)
- increased product fineness flexibility (e.g. super fine
cements of 500-1000 m
2
/kg)
In some closed-circuit systems, particularly where there is a high
mill airflow, a static separator is used in the mill air circuit to
remove the dust. These separators have no moving rotor and
only static guide vanes (See Figure 67). However, the principle
of operation is similar to that shown in Figure 59.
5. CEMENT MILLING SYSTEMS
Figure 67. Static Separator.
contents chapter 5 chapter 6
C E M E N T T E C H N O L O G Y N O T E S 2 0 0 5 63
5.3.3 CIRCUIT CONTROL
To ensure optimum mill operation and efficiency it is important
to have a suitable means of control.
The most usual control system is called "total feed control". In
this the objective is to maintain a constant total tonnes/hour
through the mill (and thus separator).
The signal for the total feed can be:-
- elevator amps
- rejects and feed mass flow signals (e.g. impact or belt weigher)
- mill power
The first two are most commonly used.
The principle involves a total feed set-point, which can be
derived by experimental trials during commissioning. During
controlled operation the signal of total feed is matched against
the set-point and the fresh feed is periodically altered. An
increase in fresh feed rate will result in more rejects and a
reduction in less rejects. However 1 tonne/hour of rejects DOES
NOT equate to 1 tonne/hour of fresh feed. A ratio of between
3:1 and 10:1 is used i.e. at 10:1 if the rejects increases by 10
tonnes/hour, the feed is reduced by 1 tonne/hour.
The same total feed set-point is used for all products, the
product fineness being adjusted by the separator settings only
(usually rotor speed or airflow change - a higher speed giving a
finer product and a higher airflow giving a coarser product).
These settings are also found during commissioning.
As an example we can consider the following mill:-
1. OPC production, 350m2/kg, 100 tonnes/hour, set-point of
280 tonnes/hour, separator setting A.
i.e. A/F = 280 = 280%
100
2. To change to RHC, 450m
2
/kg, the new separator setting (B)
is made (i.e. increased rotor speed and/or reduced airflow).
The higher separator setting will cause an increase in the
rejects rate and thus the total feed will be above the set-
point of 280. Therefore the automatic control will reduce
the feed rate until the mill is once again in steady-state, e.g.
RHC production, 450m
2
/kg, 65 tonnes/hour, set-point of
280, separator setting B.
i.e. A/F = 280 = 431%
65
As you can see, with such a control system, higher circulating
loads will result for higher product fineness levels.
The principle of total feed rate control means that the loading
to the separator (e.g. kg/m3) is constant for all products and
that the influence on powder filling in the mill is also constant
(See Section 6).
In a situation where the feed grindability becomes more difficult
the rejects rate would increase and this would result in an
automatic correction (reduction) in the feed rate.
One problem of such a system is the situation if the
intermediate diaphragm becomes blocked or the first chamber
starts to overfill. In this case the rejects rate would reduce and
the total feed control system would automatically increase the
fresh feed rate, i.e. further exacerbating the problem. To
overcome this eventuality it is common to have noise detection
("ears") for the 1st chamber. This can detect a filling of the
chamber and then override the total feed control system.
It is also important to control the mill to a desired temperature.
Typically this will usually involve:-
- 100-105C at intermediate diaphragm
- 105-125C at mill exit
In systems with high efficiency, open-circuit separators the mill
will often be at around 100-110C whilst the product can be
below 70C.
Where cement product temperatures are too high cement coolers
(heat exchangers) can be used.
5. CEMENT MILLING SYSTEMS
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C E M E N T T E C H N O L O G Y N O T E S 2 0 0 5 64
5.4 ROLL PRESS
5.4.1 INTRODUCTION
As discussed in Section 3.4, Rittinger's theory concerned the
relationship between kWh/tonne and new surface produced. If
the only energy involved in size reduction was associated with
the material surface energy, then grinding efficiency could be
termed to be 100% efficient. With this level of efficiency cement
production to 300m
2
/kg would only involve around 0.1
kWh/tonne! (desirable, but unattainable). (See Figure 68 and
Section 6).
However in practice there is an associated amount of energy
required to maintain crack propagation and this reduces
efficiency, compared to the surface energy, to about 10%.
In order to bring about the application of just the correct
amount of energy for breakage, it has long been recognised that
slow compression of individual particles is the most efficient
method. However this involves a further loss of efficiency as a
result of internal friction losses. Efficiency would be reduced to
around 1% of the surface energy. The kWh/tonne for 300m
2
/kg
would have increased to around 8.
Figure 68. Efficiency of Grinding Equipment.
Cm
2
/j Efficiency Approx. kWh/t to
300m
2
/kg Cement
10
4
100% Surface Energy of Solid <0.1
10
3
10% Energy Required for Crack Propagation 0.8
10
2
1% Slow Compression - Single Particles 8
Slow Compression - Material Bed 13
Vertical Roller Mill 25
Ball Mill 35
10
1
0.1% Surface Energy of Solid
In reality, size reduction by this means is somewhat impractical,
and the next best solution is compression of a material bed.
Hence the development of the Roll Press.
Compared to single particle breakage there are further losses
due to friction within the bed of material and efficiency now
reduces to around 0.5%-1.0%.
This compares to the random action of a ball mill where
efficiency is some 2.5 times lower, at around only 0.2-0.3%!!
It is on this basis that grinding efficiency is often quoted to be
less than 1% efficient. This is a somewhat alarming figure,
when one considers that more than 100 million MWhs are used
in grinding in the cement industry throughout the world. Even
more alarming is that size reduction processes for all industries
are reported to consume some 5% of the world's energy needs.
5.4.2 BASIC OPERATION
A roll press essentially attempts to bring about size reduction by
slow compression of material in a bed.
A column of feed material is introduced between the gap of two
rotating rolls (See Figure 69) and the material becomes
continuously compacted as a result of a force applied to the
rolls. One roll is fixed, the other is moveable.
With low pressures between the rolls the energy consumption
remains at around less than 2kWh/t and in effect only crushing
takes place (roll crushing). Above this level, between 2 and 5
kWh/t, crushing, grinding and agglomeration takes place.
Above5kWh/t the energy is increasingly only used for
agglomeration (briquetting). See Figure 70.
Figure 69. Roll Press Interparticle Comminution.
Figure 70. Roll Press Operating Range.
Under typical operation a roll press will produce a compacted
slab or cake of comminuted material. Compared to crushed
product, the cake will contain a high proportion of fines (e.g. 90
micron). A typical psd of roll pressed clinker is shown in Figure
71, where the product (from a single pass) can be around 70-
100m
2
/kg.
5. CEMENT MILLING SYSTEMS
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C E M E N T T E C H N O L O G Y N O T E S 2 0 0 5 65
Figure 71. Roll Press Product Particle Size Distribution. 5.4.3 ROLL PRESS TERMINOLOGY
The actual equipment is usually referred to as:-
Roll Press
Roller Press
Press
Terms such as "crushing rolls", "roller mill", "pre-stressing
rolls" should be avoided.
Below is some of the terminology associated with the roll press
and the milling circuits involving them.
Cake: Compacted product from the press
Slabs: As for cake
Pre-Grinding: System where the roll press is used in front
of a milling system (open or closed circuit)
Cake re-circulation: Operation of a press with recycle of its
own product, often collected from the
sides of the material leaving the gap
Edge material: Material passing the roll press gap at the
edges which is subjected to a lower
pressure
Gap: Distance between the rolls
Cake thickness: Thickness of the roll press product. This
is typically 2% of the roll diameter, e.g.
10mm to 40mm. Thickness reduces for
higher pressures
Roll Speed: This is usually the peripheral speed of the
rolls, typically 1-2m/sec. Lower speeds are
needed for stable operation when the
Blaine is higher or there is a greater
proportion of material re-circulation (e.g.
cake or separator rejects)
Operating pressure: Measure of the force applied, e.g. between
5000-8000 kN/m
2
, or up to 300 MPa
Roll diameter: Diameters of the rolls can be up to 2m
Roll width: Width or length of roll. Typical
Width:Diameter are between 1:1 and 0.5:1
Cake density: Bulk density of the press product.
This is typically 2.2-2.5, from a feed of
1.6-1.8 tonnes/m
3
Installed Power: Total power installed can be as high as
2500 kW. Drawn power will often only
be 70-80% of this
Specific Power The roll press operates at between 2 and 4
Consumption: kWh/tonne, depending on the operating
pressure, e.g.
350-450 MPa 4 kWh/t
320 MPa 3.2 kWh/t
200-220 MPa 2.7 kWh/t
Fixed Roll: Rotates, but does not move in towards gap
Moveable Roll: Rotates and moves under the hydraulic
pressure
Wear: The roll surface is wear-protected, either
by welded surface or sometimes segmented
plates. The wear is caused by the relative
movement between the material and the
roll, as material is drawn into the gap
Roll damage: Damage, as opposed to wear, for example
by a foreign body, can result in surface
cracking. Higher pressures increase the risk
of damage
Coefficient of This refers to the equivalent kWh/t in a
Substitution: ball mill replaced by the press, e.g.
Mill only, 2500 kW 100 t/hr 25 kWh/t
Mill+Press, 2500 kW 150t/hr 16.7 kWh/t
Press, 450 kW 150t/hr 3.0 kWh/t
Coefficient = 25-16.7 = 2.8
3
Coefficients are typically:-
Clinker = 2-2.8
Slag = 2.5-3.5
Limestone = 1.7-2.0
5. CEMENT MILLING SYSTEMS
Particle Size % Finer
Range Average
10000 99 100 90
5000 95 99 90
2000 78 93 80
1000 65 82 72
500 54 73 63
250 45 65 55
125 37 55 45
90 34 49 41
63 28 40 34
45 23 33 28
30 18 24 21
20 12 17 14
15 10 14 12
10 8 11 9
5 3 5 4
2 1 2 2
SSA 70 100 85
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C E M E N T T E C H N O L O G Y N O T E S 2 0 0 5 66
Reaction angle or Angle from the horizontal at which the
Force angle: maximum pressure occurs (1). This is
typically 2 to 3. (See Figure 69a)
Nip angle: Angle from the horizontal where the
material begins to move at the roll speed.
This is 7-9. (See Figure 69a)
Pressure profile: Refers to the pressure applied to the
material as it passes through the rolls.
Pressure gradually increases from the nip
angle to a maximum at the force angle and
is then rapidly reduced. (See Figure 69a)
Stable operation: For press stability there needs to be:-
- Friction between material and rolls
- Drawing in of material, nipping
- Formation of a column of material
- Smooth pressure profile
Note (1) The maximum pressure occurs above the horizontal, i.e.
not at the minimum gap. This is because the material in the gap
shows some plasticity. The downwards velocity near the minimum
gap can be up to 4x the roll speed, hence the pressure is reduced.
Instability: Instability can arise as a result of the
following sequence:-
- escaping air
- some fluidisation
- loss of grip
- pressure profile concentrated over a
smaller angle, reaction angle is lower
- material re-gripped with a higher
reaction angle
- cycling then occurs (10-20Hz) with
reaction angles of between 3x and -1 of
normal levels
- in the extreme escaping air can cause
fluidisation in the material column.
High levels of recirculation of fines (e.g. separator rejects) can
be the most significant cause of entrapped air and instability.
Figure 69a. Roll Press Pressure Profile.
5.4.4 MILLING CIRCUITS WITH ROLL PRESSES
5.4.4.1 PRE-GRINDING
In this circuit (See Figure 72) the roll press is only utilised in
front of the ball milling system. It can be operated with single
pass of feed or more often with recirculation of cake. The mill
can be open or closed-circuit. There is not normally a
disagglomerator.
The press kW will be typically up to 25% of the mill power.
Production can be increased by approximately 20-50%,
depending on the level of cake recirculation.
Figure 72. Pre-Grinding Circuit.
5.4.4.2 HYBRID GRINDING
In this circuit (See Figure 73) the press is operated with some
recirculation of separator rejects. However, to avoid instability it
is increasingly often that cake re-circulation is used in
preference.
Material is fed to the press and all of the product passes to the
ball mill. The ball mill product then passes to a separator and
the rejects are split between the roll press and the ball mill.
The degree of recirculation to the press dictates the size of press
for a given mill and thus the ratio of kWh/tonne in the press to
that in the mill.
The press kW can typically be 25-75% of the mill kW.
Production can be increased by up to 100%. Sometimes
referred to as "mixed" or "split" circuit.
Figure 73. Hybrid Grinding Circuit.
5.4.4.3 SEMI-FINISH GRINDING
This circuit (See Figure 74) differs to hybrid in that the product
from the press passes to the separator, and not the mill, after a
disagglomeration stage. Sometimes referred to as "partial
finish" grinding, since some of the product will not have passed
the ball mill.
5. CEMENT MILLING SYSTEMS
Air
Dust
Filter
Fan
Feed
Product
Mill
Roll Press
Returns
R (r)
"Cake"
Recycle
Separator
Fines
F (f)
Product
A(a) Separator
Feed
Mill Outlet
Air
Dust
Filter
Fan
Feed
Product
Mill
Roll Press
"Cake"
Recycle
Returns
R (r)
Separator
Fines
F (f)
Product
A(a) Separator
Feed
Mill Outlet
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C E M E N T T E C H N O L O G Y N O T E S 2 0 0 5 67
The separator rejects are split between the ball mill and the
press.
Disagglomeration can be achieved in a number of ways, e.g.:-
- integral in separator
- separate unit, e.g. hammer mill, Barmac type
- part of a ball mill, e.g. chamber of a double rotator
mill
- single chamber ball mill (low volume loading)
Press sizes, and increases in capacity are similar to those of
hybrid systems.
One advantage of this system is that the material transport
through the mill is substantially lower than that in a hybrid
system, where all of the material leaving the press passes the
mill. Total mill throughputs in excess of 30 tonnes/hour/m
2
could be required for hybrid operation.
Figure 74. Semi-Finish Grinding Circuit.
5.4.4.4 FINISH (OR INTEGRAL) GRINDING
In this circuit (See Figure 75) there is no ball mill. The press
operates in closed-circuit with a disagglomerator and a
separator. A high circulating load is required. (See Section
5.4.4.6).
This circuit produces a narrow psd and usually involves low
milling temperatures. To date, there has been a conservative
reaction to such systems, especially where clinker reactivity is
deemed to be high.
Figure 75. Finish Grinding Circuit.
5.4.4.5 SEMI INTEGRAL OR COMBI GRINDING
This system (See Figure 76) combines the advantages of the
energy efficiency of the finish system with the product
characteristics of a ball milling circuit.
Material is fed to a closed-circuit roll press. The separator
rejects all pass back to the press. The separator product, which
will typically have a Blaine of 180-220 m
2
/kg, is then finished in
a ball mill (open or closed-circuit). At least 120-150m
2
/kg of the
final product SSA is achieved in the ball mill.
The finishing ball mill can be open-circuit with only small media
since the feed does not contain any large sized particles.
A relatively recent development concerns the use of the Cascade
or V-separator in the press part of the circuit. This is a
combination of a crossflow and upstream classifier and has no
moving parts. (See Figure 76a.).
Figure 76. Semi Integral or Combi Grinding Circuit.
Figure 76a. Cascade Separator, V-Separator.
5. CEMENT MILLING SYSTEMS
Feed
Roll Press
"Cake"
Recycle
Returns
R (r)
Separator
Fines
F (f)
Product
A(a) Separator
Feed
Disagglomerator
Feed
Roll Press
"Cake"
Recycle
Returns
Separator
Fines
Separator
Feed
Disagglomerator
Dust
Filter
Fan
Product
Mill
Returns
Separator
Fines
Product
Separator
Feed
Air
Dust
Filter
Fan
Feed
Mill
Roll Press
"Cake"
Recycle
Returns
R (r)
Separator
Fines
F (f)
Product
A(a) Separator
Feed
Mill
Outlet
Disagglomerator
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C E M E N T T E C H N O L O G Y N O T E S 2 0 0 5 68
5.4.4.6 CIRCUIT EXAMPLES
CCB: This is the world's largest cement mill installation
(1992).
Roll Press: 2m dia x 1m 2500 kW
Ball Mill: 5.8 x 17.0m 8700 kW
Separators: 4 Sepol
For 300-310 m
2
/kg, production exceeds 450
tonnes/hour
470 m
2
/kg production around 180-200 tonnes/hour
Only press cake is recycled, since instability is a
problem with separator rejects. Total throughput has
been as high as 1000 tonnes/hour (equivalent to 38
tonnes/hour/m
2
). Thus, whilst the system is termed
hybrid, in practice it is pre-grinding with cake
recirculation.
Cormeilles: This was the first finish system for cement
(1991). (See Figure 77).
CPA was produced at relatively low Blaine at around
40 tonnes/hour. Total feed rate was around 240-
300tph (A/F = 600-700%). Disagglomeration is in the
top part of the separator. Hot secondary air is used to
raise the temperature in the separator air circuit to
achieve some dehydration of the gypsum. Temperatures
of 80C are achieved.
The press draws around 700kW. Operates with total
feed rate control. Clinker is not considered reactive -
1.5% SO
3
, <0.20%. Eq.Na
2
O.
Figure 77. Typical Operating Data for the Cormeilles (Lafarge)
Finish System.
Lagerdorf: This is an example (one of the first) of semi integral
operation.
1600 kW Roll press
2250 kW Open-circuit ball mill, max ball size of
25mm - average 20mm
Aim to produce 150m
2
/kg in the ball mill.
Has intermediate storage capacity (i.e. between press and
ball mill). When balanced, production to 370m
2
/kg is
around 120 tonnes/hour.
5. CEMENT MILLING SYSTEMS
Feed
Roll Press
Elevator
Separator
Feed
Filter
Fan
Product
40 t/hr
Separator
60,000 m
3
/hr
Secondary hot air - 175C
Disagglomerator
80C
20,000 m
3
/hr
80,000 m
3
/hr
By-Pass
40 t/hr
700 kW
20,000 m
3
/hr
240 - 300 t/hr
By-Pass
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C E M E N T T E C H N O L O G Y N O T E S 2 0 0 5 69
5.5 ROLLER MILL
The roller mill, or vertical spindle mill, is commonly used for
the grinding of raw materials (See Section 2, Figure 27) but has
not been so widely applied to the grinding of cement.
Initially the application of roller mills for cement was
considered inappropriate, on account of:-
- high wear rate (clinker more abrasive than limestone)
- excessive vibration
- poor product characteristics (narrow psd, poor
workability)
However there are advantages of lower kWh/tonne and, in some
cases, the inherent drying capability.
Recent years have seen improved metallurgy (to overcome wear
problems), improved operating experience (improved
understanding of vibration) and a better understanding of
cement characteristics as influenced by psd and temperature (as
a result of the experience gained from high efficiency separators
and roll presses).
The grinding of slag and slag cements in roller mills is relatively
common, particularly in the Far East.
Teutonia (Germany) has a 70 tonnes/hour roller mill which has
operated successfully since the 1980s.
Figure 27. Roller Mill Figure 27a. Roller Mill for Cement
5. CEMENT MILLING SYSTEMS
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C E M E N T T E C H N O L O G Y N O T E S 2 0 0 5 70
5.6 PRE-CRUSHING
With the introduction of the roll press there was a re-emergence
of the interest in pre-crushing (as opposed to pre-grinding). Pre-
crushing devices operate at similar or lower kWh/tonne to the
roll press and produce a crushed product, similar in the coarser
sizes but absent of fines when compared to that of the press.
They are used in circuits similar to those of the roll press.
The pre-crushers can be:-
- simple crushers (e.g. hammer)
- vertical shaft impactor (e.g. Barmac)
- roller mill
The vertical shaft impactor (See Figure 78) concerns passing
feed material into a closed rotor assembly which accelerates
material out of the rotor where it impacts either impact plates
or a bed of rock (e.g. Barmac). Some fines generation exists but
mainly as a result of the natural breakage of material.
Throughput increases for ball mill circuits are sometimes
claimed to be similar to that achieved by roll presses, but are
likely to be lower, due to the absence of fines. Increases in
output of 25% have been achieved, but are more typically 10-
15%. The crushers have a significantly lower capital cost and
are less prone to problems of damage when compared to the
roll press.
In recent years, the roller mill is also finding applications as a
pre-grinding device in front of a ball mill circuit.
Figure 78. Vertical Shaft Impactor.
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C E M E N T T E C H N O L O G Y N O T E S 2 0 0 5 71
5.7 HOROMILL
The Horomill was developed in the early 1990s. It aims to
combine all the benefits of a roll press with all the reliability of
a ball mill. In effect it is a combination of roll press, roller mill
and ball mill. (See Figure 79).
The HOROMILL consists of a horizontal cylindrical shell. The
shell is relatively short, with a length to diameter ratio of less
than 1. The shell is only lined in the grinding zone. Inside the
cylinder there is a roller which is horizontally supported and
hydraulically loaded. The roll is only driven by the frictional
action of the compressed material bed in the stressing gap
between the two surfaces.
A patented system allows the material to be scraped off the mill
shell and to be moved forward towards the mill outlet. The
grinding action is exerted through a varying number of passages
from 4 to 6 between the roller and mill shell.
FLS worked for a time in the development of the CEMAX mill,
but this never reached full commercialisation.
Figure 79. HOROMILL Horizontal Roller Mill.
5. CEMENT MILLING SYSTEMS
contents chapter 5 chapter 6