Assessment of force factors affecting a particle of ground material during grinding in a rotary mill

This article examines the force factors acting on particles within a rotary mill of proprietary design. The industrial prototype was developed based on the principle of complex dynamic loading of the feed material (including impact combined with abrasion, shear, and other mechanisms), enabling fine and ultra-fine grinding of diverse materials, as well as pneumatic homogenization and mechanical activation. The study seeks to broaden current mathematical models describing two-phase flow dynamics in rotary mills by providing a differentiated numerical analysis of how each force component influences grinding efficiency. It addresses the challenges of modeling grinding processes, proposes simulation approaches for two-phase flows in rotary mills, and presents a refined aerodynamic force model that accounts for particle shape and physical-mechanical properties. Through numerical and simulation-based modeling, the motion behavior of particles with diameters ranging from davg = 10–50 μm was investigated. The findings inform design improvements to the mill’s grinding chamber by enhancing particle collision rates, modifying aerodynamics, and intensifying the overall grinding process. The force values derived from numerical simulations can contribute to the further development of rotary mill designs and grinding technologies for a wide range of materials. The results demonstrate that a comprehensive understanding of particle dynamics within the grinding chamber enables the creation of more effective process models — especially under conditions where grinding kinetics and particle motion can be considered independently.The study was carried out under the grant issued by the Russian Science Foundation No. 23-19-00796 (https://rscf.ru/project/23-19-00796/) using the equipment of the Center for High Technologies based on of the Belgorod State Technological University named after V. G. Shukhov.