Patent EA-001279-B1 (EA)
Title: Grinding mill
Inventor: KELSEY CHRISTOPHER GEOGE
IPC: B02C17/04
Filed: 1998-08-28
Abstract: 1. A grinding mill for particulate material, including a rotary container having an inner surface, feed means for feeding the particulate material to the container, means rotating the container at a sufficiently high speed that the particulate material forms a layer retained against the inner surface throughout its rotation, and shear inducing means contacting said layer so as to induce shearing in said layer. 2. A grinding mill according to claim 1 wherein the shearing means is mounted inside and rotates relative to the container. 3. A grinding mill according to claim 2 wherein the shearing means rotates in a direction of rotation of the container. 4. A grinding mill according to claim 2 wherein the shearing means counterrotates relative to the container. 5. A grinding mill according to claim 1 wherein the container rotates at least three times the minimum speed at which the particulate material forms a layer retained against the container inner surface throughout its rotation. 6. A grinding mill according to claim 1 wherein the container rotates at least ten times the minimum speed at which the particulate material forms a layer retained against the container inner surface throughout its rotation. 7. A grinding mill according to claim 1 wherein the container rotates at sufficient speed to induce a force of at least 100 times gravity on the particulate material layer. 8. A grinding mill according to claim 1 wherein the container rotates at sufficient speed to cause one or more substantially solidified zones in the particulate material layer. 9. A grinding mill according to claim 8 wherein the shearing means creates one or more stirred zones in the particulate material layer, said stirred zones being located between the shearing means and the solidified zones. 10. A grinding mill according to claim 9 including a plurality of shearing means spaced axially along said container so as to create alternate solidified and stirred zones. 11. A grinding mill according to claim 10 wherein the shearing means include radial shearing discs extending into the particulate material layer. 12. A grinding mill according to claim 11 wherein the discs are nonrotational. 13. A grinding mill according to claim 1 wherein said shearing means includes one or more radial members extending into the particulate material layer. 14. A grinding mill according to claim 13 wherein said shearing means is nonrotational. 15. A grinding mill according to claim 13 wherein said shearing means includes one or more radial discs mounted inside the container. 16. A grinding mill according to claim 15 wherein the discs include apertures therethrough allowing axial passage of ground material along the container. 17. A grinding mill according to claim 15 wherein the shearing means includes a plurality of said radial discs. 18. A method of grinding particulate material, including feeding the particulate material to a container which has an inner surface, rotating the container at a sufficiently high speed that the particulate material forms a layer retained against the inner surface throughout its rotation, and contacting the layer with shear inducing means to induce shear in said layer.