Investigation of axial non-uniform wear of the liner in a SAG mill using the DEM-VOF method

Liner wear is a major operating problem for semi-autogenous grinding (SAG) mills, Severe liner wear not only shortens effective operating time but also leads to high maintenance costs. Observations of worn liners reveal significant spatial variations in surface wear morphology, directly indicating an uneven axial distribution of liner wear. Therefore, it is important to understand the axial distribution characteristics of liner wear and identify its dominant influencing factors for liner design optimization and cost reduction. In this paper, the wear behavior of SAG mill liners is investigated using the discrete element method (DEM) combined with a relative wear model. The motion characteristics and mass distribution of charge in different axial regions are analyzed to elucidate the spatial distribution of liner wear. The influence of the rock-to-ball mass ratio on localized wear is assessed. The results show that liner wear exhibits significant axial non-uniformity, which arises from the combined effects of charge motion and mass distribution during the grinding process. Variations in the rock-to-ball mass ratio mainly affect the intensity of particle sliding and shearing on the liner, while its influence on the intensity of particle impact on the liner is relatively limited.