Comparing three DEM charge motion models

In comminution research, recent trends have been made to describe internal dynamics of mills using the discrete element method (DEM). In this work, three modelling approaches to DEM implementation to charge motion modelling are compared these being single ball trajectories, system of individual balls describing the mill charge and charge balls grouped together using an arbitrary discretization scheme. After presenting some charge motion fundamentals as well as a presentation of the three approaches to DEM implementation, charge profile results are presented for a 12 m mill. Further power predictions for a number of ball mills are presented along with a brief internal charge dynamics comparison. A discussion focuses on the needed future research to improving these approaches.