Dynamic Operating Regimes of

Ball and Tube Mill

With Varying Coal Quality- An Analysis

Presented
By
Mr. R.N. Pujari, AGM(MMD)
Mr. G.C. Mohanta, (Sr. Supt, Opn)
NTPC/Talcher Super Thermal Power Station

Outlines of The Presentation

Ball & Tube Mills: Constructional Overview &
Grinding Principle
Variation of coal quality and its effect on
Milling plant operation.
Practices developed due to variations of Coal
quality at Talcher-Kaniha
Conclusion

Ball & Tube Mills: Constructional

Overview & Grinding Principle

Ball and Tube Mill-BBD 4772

Broyer-inventor name,

Heavier in construction.
exclusive lubrication system
for support bearing, Girth Gear
and for Main Reducer.
Separate sealing system,

Boulet-French word for ball and

D-direct firing

47decimetre
diameter

72decimetre length

Higher aux power consumption, but No Reject handling , this is the biggest

advantage.

Faster response to load variation. So better to work in ABT regime

502

50.01

It involves nos. of sequences so operating is complex.

Working Principle Of Ball And Tube Mill

Ball and tube mills are
working in the principle of:
Attrition
Hammering

Grinding Principle In Ball And Tube Mill

The particle will remain against
the wall as long the forces are
balanced i.e. mg Cos +
m2R=mg Sin as shown in fig.
The particle will separate from
the wall at the point where
gravitational force is greater than
centrifugal force. Gravitational
force is more at the top where
=1800. The speed must be
enough at that point to keep the
particle revolving, which is m2R
= mg, and = (g/R), is called
critical speed of the mill.
Ball mills are usually operated
at 60-80% of the critical speed for
better attrition and impact effects.
Change of supply frequency
causes change in grinding. We
can see a more load pick up as
frequency rises and vice versa in
ball mill.

Power Drawn in Ball and Tube Mill

PA flow

PA flow

KW

KW

Noise level

Noise level

PA flow

PA flow

KW

KW

Noise level

Noise level

Power Consumption in Ball and Tube Mill

As charge volume increases
slowly its power drawn will
increase, but after a certain
volume
again
power
required will reduce as it will
act as a solid drum rotating
on the bearing with Jacking
oil. So KW monitoring Is
essential in such type of mill.

Charge amount

Stop a feeder or reduce feed

rate and increase PA flow to
create a balance situation.

Variation of coal quality and its effect

on Milling plant operation.

Variation of coal quality- different cases for operation

The coal Quality varies very fast in Talcher-Kaniha : Intra-day, in different times,
in different seasons. The GCV changes, the moisture content varies and the VM
content varies. The Mills are having different Ball loadings and liner life. The
ingress of overburdens can't be ruled out into the mills. Accordingly, the
operator has to understand the need for a dynamic operating regime based on
the coal quality and physical mill conditions based on the parameters in stead of
a pre-defined operating practices.

Following Variations of coal quality faced in Talcher-Kaniha:

High moisture: Sticky When Wet
Wet and slurry type coal during rainy season
Blended Coal
Low GCV Poor Indigenous coal
Ingress of Foreign materials in particular large stones in Huge
quantity
One end operation due to entry of stones and other overburdens
Low volume loading and seasonal variation in Mill power
Role of Mill Shell Liner Life

Mill Performance During Wet Coal

Variation in Coal Characteristic:
High inherent moisture content of coal (up to 15-20%)
Reduced flowability of coal . The coal sticks to the Mill shell if not
sufficiently dry.

Effects on Mill Operation:

Mill out let temp

Noise level

Mill KW
Main PA flow
Coal flow
Time

Coal lifting is less. Mill capacity drops

Filling of Mill. Mill dp and Noise
misguide
Coal feed reduces
Mill Power fluctuates as lumps are
formed inside the Mill shell which lift
in the form of a huge lump and fall
Rise in Mill outlet temperature
Chances of Mill fire during low feed
rate

Mill Performance During Wet Coal

Developed operating Practice:
Ensure minimum by-pass primary air of
10-15 t/hr for better drying and
maintain velocity through the PC pipe.
Ensure Air inlet temperature as per the
characteristic curve: Higher Moisture -> Higher Inlet air temperature.

Maintaining high classifier temp about

900C slightly higher than normal.
Feeders are started only after reaching
mill outlet temperature of 600C for 2
minutes to avoid coal pipe plugging and
promotes more stable coal ignition.
Classifiers and PC pipe temperatures
are continuously monitored.

Wet and Slurry Type Coal

Rainy Season conditions

Observable Variation in Coal Characteristic:

Moisture content rises up to 25-30%
Slurry type of coal

Effects on Mill Operation:

Mill Power reduces from 1500 KW
to as low as 500 KW as mill is filled
with wet coal.
Mill feed rate reduces as level goes
to high value.
Classifier temperature starts rising
due reduction in feed rate.
Mill power also hunting.
PA flow will reduce.

Wet and Slurry Type Coal

Rainy Season Preparation

Developed operating Practice:

Mill level control is kept in manual.
Feeder speed is adjusted to
maintain Mill Power and mill
outlet temperature.
If mill is filled with coal, one side
feeder is taken out for sometime.
Bypass air flow is maintained as
per given characteristic curve.
Stockyard coal is used during rainy
season.
Ball sieving and increase in volume
loading with higher size (50mm
dia. )ball before rainy season.

Blended Coal
Observable Variation in Coal Characteristic:
Indigenous coal blended with High GCV Import coal. Blending up
to 10-15%
High volatile matters 25-30%
Effects on Mill Operation:
Less coal demand for
same load ( 300-320t/hr)
Mill level will reduce
Sudden rise in Mill outlet
temperature
Mill fire

Blended Coal
Developed operating Practice:
Coal blending is ensured by CHP in 10-15%.
Blended high GCV Coal feeding is done in lower mills only i.e. in
Mill-A,B & C only.
Classifier temperature is set at 650C to avoid risks of fire.
Ensure minimum by-pass primary air flow of 10-15 t/hr.
Classifier cleaning is done regularly.
Classifier temperature high alarm is set at 850C and very high at
900C to alert operator.
In case of faster rise, the mill is taken out of service.

Low GCV Indigenous Coal

Observable Variation in Coal Characteristic:
Low GCV coal containing sand, pyrites, quartz, hard coal and ash.
GCV below 2500 kcal/kg.
Effects on Mill Operation:
Coal flow increases to meet same Load
demand.
Rise in Mill Power with hunting.
Poor fineness
Damage of Mill Internals requiring mill
outage for repair.
As the Grindability Index reduces, the mill
throughput comes down.

Low GCV Indigenous Coal

Developed operating Practice:

Additional Mill is taken into service.

Additional Ball charging is done to improve grinding and
lifting of coal.
Feeder speed is adjusted to maintain Mill dp, mill out let
temp and mill power.

Ingress of Foreign materials like stones

in large quantity
Observable Variation in Coal Characteristic:
Large size stones during reclaiming.
Ingress of stones due to breakdown in crusher and VGF.
No significant observable variation in Coal loading.
Only the abrupt rise in Mill Power leads to conclusion regarding
change in Coal Quality
Effects on Mill Operation:
Sudden rise in Mill Power up to 250300 KW without addition of Grinding
Balls for a longer time may be nearly
48 hours
Mill level is high
Increase in Mill noise level
Reduced Mill output despite higher
mill Power and higher air flow

Ingress of Foreign materials like stones

in large quantity
Developed operating Practice:
Maintain mill dp or noise level.
Reduce Feeder speed.
Taking one feeder out of service if required.
Increase ball loading by compromising high power
consumption. This facilitates better pulverization of the
stones and faster evacuation of stones in the form of sand.

One End Operation Due to Entry of

Stones and Other Overburdens

The entry of any large size stone / pebble in the drag link chain
type coal feeder leads to jamming of the feeder and then
tripping.

Then increase the running feeder speed to maximum and

maintain the mill level (3.0rpm).

Reduce the main PA flow so that mill will not empty 20-25t/hr
for both sides.

Reduce mill out let temperature set point by 5-10C so that mill
temp will not rise.

Close the bypass damper of non running side to 0%

immediately.

Observe mill kw, noise & dp level, and mill outlet temperature.
But for blending fed mill , if one feeder tripped mill is being
stopped to avoid fire incident.

Low Volume Loading and Seasonal

Variation in Mill Power
The erosion rate of forged ball is very fast and nearly 1215 MT per mill per month.
In India, the sources of Forged steel Balls are a few only
and consistent supply is not being done due to many
reasons.
Mill capacity reduces as mill ball loading reduces.
Extra mill is to be run to get the desired load.

Role of Mill shell Liner Life

With Poor coal quality Mills with shell liner

life beyond 40000 operating hours are not
able to lift the rated 91t/hr.
With a shell liner life of 60000 hours or,
above and when the ball loading is up to
1800 KW, the mill is loaded up to 80 TPH
in worst coal conditions.
But, with new mill shell liners, even at
1450 KW, the mill is able to take a load of
95-97 TPH despite a poor quality coal
being fed.
As the mill shell liner life increases, the
coal lift reduces and the mill output
reduces for the same Mill Power.
To get the desired output, the volume
loading needs to be increased for
compensating the wearing out of mill shell
liner.

Mill output
1700 KW

1.0
1400 KW
0.95
0.85

15000

30000

45000

Liner operating hours

Practices developed at Talcher-Kaniha

Proper communication level developed between Operation and
CHP personnel regarding the coal being fed into any bunker.
Extra vigilant and added alarms about the mill parameters.
Monsoon preparation at CHP end to maintain the chutes, feeders
and conveyors.
Maintaining Mill Power up to 1700 KW by ball charging.
Forged Steel Balls replaced with Hichrome Balls for consistency in
Mill Power. (This has been done in seven Mills and another three
Mills shall be converted in 2013-14).
Whenever any Raw Coal Feeder of a Mill with blended coal feeding
trips, the mill is taken out of service to minimize the risk of fire and
explosion.

Practices developed at Talcher-Kaniha

In case of any reduction in Main PA flow of any Mill, classifier is
inspected and cleaned.
In case of sudden rise of Power, the mill is emptied by reducing the
Feeder speed and increasing the air-coal ratio.
During taking any Mill into service, the temperature rise of PC Pipes
and classifier is monitored.
Mill outlet temperature High alarm and Very high alarm has been
provided at 850C and 900C to alert the operator.
Fast rise in mill out let temperature may be due to fire, so operator
has been advised to stop the Mill and carry out steam inerting
before again taking the Mill into service.

Conclusion
The coal quality in India is deteriorating and getting a consistent coal is
difficult.
For smooth mill operation, it is required to have a well established
communication between the Coal Handling and main plant operation
engineers.
The Mill operator should be vigilant and follow established operating
practices.
Efforts should be made to carry out a perfect blending of imported coal.
Monsoon preparation and use of less water in Coal Handling Plant will
reduce operational problems of the Mills.
For improved performance of Tube Mills, the Volume loading of Balls need
to be maintained and efforts should be made to ensure Mill Power above
1500 KW in any case.
One end operation of Tube Mills may be avoided as far as Possible.
Minimum bypass flow of 10-15t/hrs must be maintained.
The Mill Liners if replaced within 30000 to 40000 hours reduces the
problem of coal quality variation as coal lifting from Mill shell is assisted by
liners with higher lift.

Thank You