- Stirred media mills are commonly used process units for wet fine grinding and dispersing. During operation the grinding media and the feed material can cause wear to the process units of the stirred media mill. One typical representative of horizontal stirred media mills is the IsaMillTM, in which an internal classifier diverts the grinding media away from the discharge and implies a counteracting current force to the drag forces caused by the suspension flow. In this work, the disc wear of a pilot scale horizontal mill was investigated with regard to the axial grinding media distribution and other process parameters. In order to create quickly and well visible disc wear patterns, manufactured aluminum discs instead of the original polyurethane discs were specially used. For each set of operating parameters, a separate new pair of discs was installed. A radiometric densitometer was installed to measure the axial grinding media filling degree lengthwise to the M4 IsaMillTM. This method allows the determination of the local fillingStirred media mills are commonly used process units for wet fine grinding and dispersing. During operation the grinding media and the feed material can cause wear to the process units of the stirred media mill. One typical representative of horizontal stirred media mills is the IsaMillTM, in which an internal classifier diverts the grinding media away from the discharge and implies a counteracting current force to the drag forces caused by the suspension flow. In this work, the disc wear of a pilot scale horizontal mill was investigated with regard to the axial grinding media distribution and other process parameters. In order to create quickly and well visible disc wear patterns, manufactured aluminum discs instead of the original polyurethane discs were specially used. For each set of operating parameters, a separate new pair of discs was installed. A radiometric densitometer was installed to measure the axial grinding media filling degree lengthwise to the M4 IsaMillTM. This method allows the determination of the local filling degree by correlation of the attenuation of gamma radiation from a Cs137 nuclide. The experiments showed that the disc wear per energy input increases with rising stress energy. With respect to the axial grinding media distribution, higher wear rates were observed in areas of increased grinding media filling ratios. As a result, it can be stated that the wear is a function of the local grinding media distribution and of the stress energy. In zones with a higher local grinding media filling degree, an increased disc wear is evident. Consequently, mills on a production scale could theoretically realize longer plant operating times and lower maintenance costs by securing a more homogeneous grinding media distribution.…

