Ball feeder

Optimizing grinding mill performance

Metso's Select™ ball feeder utilizes a simple and robust design for continuous and automatic grinding media consumption for optimized horizontal grinding mill performance. The ball feeder is designed for all applications using steel ball grinding media.

Continuous and safe discharge of grinding media

Automatic grinding media consumption calculation and optimized mill efficiency

Maximum grinding mill productivity from efficient grinding media feeding

Optimizing grinding mill performance

Metso's ball feeding technology utilizes a simple and robust design to continously and efficiently feed the grinding mill. With this in place, the grinding mill can operate at maximum productivity levels compared to those mills without a grinding media feeding system.

Select™ ball feeders are designed for all applications using steel ball grinding media.

Simple and robust

The hopper outlet discharges onto a cleated belt conveyor to feed the grinding media. The mining duty conveyor is the only moving part of the feeder. This consists of a heavy duty cleated belt, high efficiency motorized pulley with an integral helical gearbox and heavy duty idler pullies.

The conveyor is of a standard design, with spare parts that are interchangeable between all Select™ Ball Feeder sizes.

Easy to operate and accurate

Changes in the mill process parameters require variations to the media feed rate. The Select™ Ball Feeder is easily adjustable and can be changed from the operator control desk.

Feeder design

The hopper is a welded steel bin that rests on three load cells. The load cells sit on a welded steel structure that is bolted to the plant floor. The hopper is lined with bolt on Trellex PP steel reinforced rubber lining sheets to reduce wear, vibrations, and noise.

A conveyor is mounted below the hopper and is equipped with a motorized pulley belt conveyor drive, support/return rollers, and a reinforced rubber belt with cleats. The cleats deliver a volume of balls according to the control system set points.

When in Run mode, the motorized pulley belt conveyor drive is started via a user adjusted timer. A rotation sensor detects rotation of the return pully and provides pulses to confirm belt movement. The conveyor stops when a user defined set number of pulses are received.

The Select™ Ball Feeder is provided with a local junction box to connected to the plant PCS/DCS.

Select™ horizontal grinding mills

Metso's Select™ horizontal grinding mills utilizes the ball feeder to increase efficiency and productivity. Learn more about the Select mills pre engineered range of mills and which one fits for your process.

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