Use of temperature for diagnosing mixing in the IsaMill

• Temperature measurements can be used for assessing IsaMill alternative designs.
• IsaMill operational control can be done by use of temperature measurements.
• The net flow of slurry in the IsaMill is plug flow with superimposed axial mixing.

This paper describes a methodology to monitor axial mixing in an IsaMill as a function of mill feed flow rate, mill tip speed and media load. Steady state temperature measurements (profiles) along the mill length were used to quantify the degree of mixing during the comminution process. Combined mass and energy balances across the mill length were done to develop a predictive model for slurry mixing in the mill. The temperature measurements can be used for IsaMill control and optimisation.