Improving Wear Resistance of Liner Castings Used in Ball Mills
Principal Investigator (PI): David Poirier, Materials Science and Engineering
Mining ball mills are huge tumblers with balls inside. As the tumbler turns, the balls grind and crush material to separate ore from rock and other materials. To protect the tumbler from damage caused by the heavy balls, castings of a cast-iron alloy line the inside. The widely used WS-306 alloy for liner castings is abrasion resistant, but improving its wear-life would be beneficial.
Creating a liner casting that lasts longer will save the cost of idle time for installation of replacements and reduces the safety risk to maintenance personnel.
The project continues UArizona’s investigation into finding ways to toughen the alloy for longer life without compromising much of its hardness that provides wear-resistance. Based on previous university research, the project will take the next step and subject the alloy to different heat treatments to see how each alters the microstructure of the material. Understanding this dynamic will help identify manufacturing methods to improve WS-306 both in toughness and hardness.
Funding will support the work of undergraduate and graduate students who will do the research, as well as pay for some lab supplies.
For more information on this project, please contact: David Poirier