US 12,201,989 B2
Method of and system for operating a vertical grinding mill
Kellson Takenaka Menezes, Minas Gerais (BR); Mario Cesar Castro Arruda, Minas Gerais (BR); Marlon Fábio Marques Lino, Minas Gerais (BR); Mauro Alberto Castheloge Rossi, Minas Gerais (BR); and Ricardo Oliveira Coutinho, Minas Gerais (BR)
Assigned to ANGLO AMERICAN INVESTIMENTOS-MINÉRIO DE FERRO LTDA, Belo Horizonte (BR)
Appl. No. 18/571,818
Filed by Anglo American Minério de Ferro Brasil S/A, Minas Gerais (BR)
PCT Filed Jun. 21, 2022, PCT No. PCT/IB2022/055743
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 19, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/269485, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 29, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2109006 (GB), filed on Jun. 23, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0216922 A1, Jul. 4, 2024
Int. Cl. B02C 17/18 (2006.01); B02C 17/16 (2006.01)
CPC B02C 17/1805 (2013.01) [B02C 17/163 (2013.01); B02C 2210/01 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of predicting a level of wear of a wear component of a vertical mill, whereby the vertical mill is used for grinding feed material, wherein the vertical mill includes a grinding chamber inside which feed material is contained and grinded during operation, wherein the method includes, while the mill is in operation:
capturing/obtaining a thermal profile of the mill from outside the grinding chamber of the mill, while feed material is contained inside the grinding chamber; and
determining an indication as to a level of wear of at least one wear component of the mill which is located inside the grinding chamber, based on the thermal profile of the mill.