DEM simulation of an impact crusher using the fast-cutting breakage model

The impact crusher that exploits impact rather than pressure to break down materials has been widely used in the mineral industry. To further improve its performance in material crushing, numerical simulation capable of providing a deeper insight into the complicated dynamics of feed materials than experimental study has emerged as a promising tool. However, the field of the accurate prediction of product quality and explicit simulation of breakage events inside an industrial-scale crusher remains underexplored on account of the absence of a robust breakage model and heavy computational cost. In this study, a numerical investigation of an industrial-scale crusher using the fast-cutting breakage model is conducted within the DEM (Discrete Element Method) framework. The accuracy of the breakage simulation is quantitatively validated by comparing the predicted results with the measurements from actual production. Furthermore, the influence of operating conditions including the rotation speed of the rotor and the feeding rate on the interested parameters, i.e., the power consumption of the equipment, the size distribution of the products, and the impact-induced wear is investigated comprehensively. The results illustrate that (i) the size of the product increases with the rotor speed until a critical value, after which a further increase in rotor speed will exert no significant influence on the size distribution; (ii) The feeding rate is not a critical operating condition that largely determines the fineness of the product and the efficiency of the equipment almost remain stable under a certain range of feeding rates; (iii) The wear of the devices concentrates on the rotor and the impact plates, and the distribution of the wear exhibits different characteristics in different parts, caused by the complex collision between the particles and the devices. [Display omitted] •The breakage process in an industrial-scale impact crusher is simulated.•The fast-cutting breakage model is devised to simulate particle breakage.•The breakage model is validated by comparing the simulation to the actual production.•The effect of rotor speed and feeding rate are investigated.