The influence of equipment settings and rock properties on high voltage breakage

• Published in: Minerals engineering 2013-06, Vol.46-47, p.100-111
• Main Authors: van der Wielen, Klaas Peter, Pascoe, Richard, Weh, Alex, Wall, Frances, Rollinson, Gavyn
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Comminution; Electric pulse disaggregation; Electrical comminution; Energy efficiency; High voltage pulse breakage; SELFRAG
• ISSN: 0892-6875; 1872-9444
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mineng.2013.02.008

[Display omitted] ► HV Breakage of 20 different rock types was determined. ► Total energy input is the main variable of influence on product size. ► Larger feed sizes are more amenable to HV breakage. ► Acoustic impedance, tensile strength, quartz content and porosity are related to breakage behaviour of rock types. ► Implications for continuous HV breakage units are discussed. High voltage breakage is a novel comminution method that relies on highly energetic electrical pulses to weaken or fully fragment rocks. The potential of this technology to improve liberation and increase the grindability of ores has been demonstrated previously, but the fragmentation process is not fully understood. In this study a total of 20 rock types were treated in a SELFRAG Lab device to determine the influence of equipment parameters on breakage. Rock mass properties and Bond Work Index were determined for each rock type to identify their relation to breakage behaviour. Results show how, by influencing total applied energy, the number of discharges and voltage are the two major influences on the resultant product size. It has also been shown that coarser feed sizes are more amenable to high voltage breakage. Acoustic impedance, porosity and quartz content were found to relate to breakage but Bond Work Index only correlates loosely.