FLSmidth has launched the PulpMax Composite Mill Liners, high-performance SAG and ball mill liners for all minerals processing applications. PulpMax Mill Liners are high-performance, lightweight mill liners uniquely constructed with a rubber-ceramic matrix, and reinforced with carefully selected high-hardness steel inserts. They are customisable to fit the specifications of any SAG or ball mill. These advances allow for improved throughput, safer maintenance, and additional uptime which ultimately creates enhanced productivity for customers.
With lighter-weight PulpMax Composite Mill Liners, installation is faster and safer, as each liner is easier to manipulate. There are also fewer parts, and hence fewer movements are required to perform a reline. This results in a significant decrease in scheduled downtime. The composite nature of the liner also reduces its weight by almost 50%, allowing the plant to increase its ball charge level without increasing the total weight of the mill. This higher ball charge further contributes to the higher throughput.
Additionally, the lighter weight of these liners has an important impact on size, design and installation time. Each liner can now be larger – subject to the size of the mill opening – and the mill can be lined with fewer of them, reducing the downtime required to conduct replacement. A lighter liner also means fewer bolts to hold it in place – a factor that further reduces installation time. The shorter downtime means less time spent by contractors inside the mills, leading to a faster and safer liner changeout experience.
Another important benefit of the composite material used in many of FLSmidth’s redesigned liners is that, unlike worn steel liners, composite liners can be removed without torching. This torching process in the mill is best avoided, as it is dangerous, often time-consuming and can cause costly damage to the mill shell.
“As mines increasingly recognise the positive financial impact derived from just a few more percentage points in throughput improvement, many are looking beyond conventional steel cast liners for their mills. FLSmidth’s innovations, based on optimized geometry and improved wear characteristics, allow the liners to be more efficient at discharging slurry, by reducing restrictions and recirculation, in addition to extending wear life,” commented Jack Meegan, Global Product Line Manager, Mill Liners and Wear Parts at FLSmidth.
“Responding to the continuous assessment of customer needs, FLSmidth has launched a mill liner solution based on extensive data on mill operations, shutdowns, wear profiles and other factors. These have been used to develop a high-end technical and financial solution. Following installation, an ongoing measurement of actual wear, tonnage processed and estimated wear life is conducted so that further recommendations can be made to improve performance,” Meegan said.
The depth of technical and operational expertise within FLSmidth allows a high level of process support for customers, offering assistance in mill operation and metallurgy. This is vital to the company’s strategic mission of helping customers achieve higher production and recovery rates. FLSmidth is also on hand with technical advisory services to assist with installation, so that scheduled downtime is minimised.