An energy-based model for swing hammer mills Fengnian Shi a, * , Toni Kojovic b,1 , Joan S. Esterle c , Dean David a a The University of Queensland, Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre, Isles Road, Indooroopilly, Queensland 4068, Australia b Teck Cominco Alaska Incorporated, Red Dog Operations, Alaska, USA c CSIRO Exploration and Mining, Queensland Centre for Advanced Technologies (QCAT), PO Box 883, Kenmore, Queensland 4069, Australia Received 21 April 2002; received in revised form 24 February 2003; accepted 20 March 2003 Abstract An energy-based swing hammer mill model has been developed for coke oven feed preparation. It comprises a mechanistic power model to determine the dynamic internal recirculation and a perfect mixing mill model with a dual-classification function to mimic the operations of crusher and screen. The model parameters were calibrated using a pilot-scale swing hammer mill at various operating conditions. The effects of the underscreen configurations and the feed sizes on hammer mill operations were demonstrated through the fitted model parameters. Relationships between the model parameters and the machine configurations were established. The model was validated using the independent experimental data of single lithotype coal tests with the same BJD pilot-scale hammer mill and full operation audit data of an industrial hammer mill. The outcome of the energy-based swing hammer mill model is the capability to simulate the impact of changing blends of coal or mill configurations and operating conditions on product size distribution. Alternatively, the model can be used to select the machine settings required to achieve a desired product. D 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: swing hammer mill; model; coal; comminution; crushing 1. Introduction Swing hammer mills have been used for a long time in the Australian coal industry to prepare coke oven feed. Coke quality is controlled by coal properties, bulk material 0301-7516/03/$ - see front matter D 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/S0301-7516(03)00035-8 * Corresponding author. Fax: +61-7-3365-5999. E-mail address: f.shi@mailbox.uq.edu.au (F. Shi). 1 Formerly from the Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre. www.elsevier.com/locate/ijminpro Int. J. Miner. Process. 71 (2003) 147– 166