Virina Warranty

25 years of free replacements for all deformed balls
Annual savings per mill $100,000 over historical cost
Virina 5g vs Traditional ball 35g per ton of cement produced
SGS rated Virina ASTM 14, 128,000 grains per square mm
Traditional ball rated ASTM 8, 2,048 grains per square mm
Higher the grain counts, longer the wear rate
Through hardness 63 HRC from surface to core
Purchase only one Fresh Charge, forever
Annual top-off 3% of the original weight
Annual wear rate 2mm, a 90mm after one year will be 88mm
Reduce inbound grinding ball freight by 90% over 25 years
No outbound freight for returning reject balls back to the overseas casting plant
No annual sort, less downtime
No ball runs preserve shelves
Extend liner lifespan by 400%
Annual energy savings per mill up to 400 MBTU
Increase cement production up to 10%
Reduced CO2 emission by 85% over Traditional balls

Advantages to Using Spherical Balls for Grinding

Optimal shape: The primary benefit of spherical ball grinding is its high efficiency in grinding materials due to the smooth, rolling motion of the spherical balls, which allows for consistent and effective particle size reduction compared to other shapes, making it the most efficient grinding media shape in most applications.
Optimal impact and abrasion: The spherical shape facilitates multiple points of contact and consistent impact with the material, leading to efficient grinding through both impact and abrasion mechanisms.
Even particle size: Due to the smooth rolling motion, spherical balls tend to produce a more uniform particle size distribution in the ground material.
Reduced wear and tear: The smooth surface of spherical balls minimizes friction and wear on the grinding media, extending its lifespan up to 400%.
Reduce energy consumption: 400 MBTU, up to $125,000 per mill annually
Production increase: up to 10%
Sorting: Eliminate annual inspection and time-consuming sorting

Problems Using Deformed Balls for Grinding

Uneven wear: Deformed balls tend to wear unevenly, creating localized areas of high stress and faster degradation, resulting in a shorter lifespan and inconsistent grinding performance.

Inefficient grinding: Increased wear and tear on the mill liner, uneven particle size distribution, equipment damage, reduced grinding capacity, and ultimately, higher operational costs due to the need for more frequent ball replacement, all stemming from the irregular contact and impact forces caused by the deformed balls within the mill.

Poor quality steel: High copper elements, improper composition, or metallurgical defects can increase deformation susceptibility.

Increased impact forces: Irregular shapes can lead to unpredictable impact forces within the mill, causing excessive stress on the mill liner and other components

Poor material flow: Deformed balls can obstruct the movement of material within the mill, hindering efficient grinding and leading to uneven particle size distribution.

Clogging and jamming: In severe cases, deformed balls can get stuck in the mill, causing blockages and operational disruptions.

Reduced grinding efficiency: The inconsistent contact between deformed balls and the material being ground leads to less effective grinding action

US Patent 13/873,838 filed in 2013 for Nano Technology Steel Formula and Process. Additional Claims filed in 2019.

Virina ASTM 14 has 128,000 grains per square mm

Traditional ball ASTM 8 has 2,048 grains per square mm

Virina grain size is 62X finer than Traditional

Ultra-fine grain size has a larger surface-area-to-volume ratio; the more grain boundaries, the stronger and tougher the grinding ball. A coarse-grain ball will wear much faster than a fine-grain ball.

ASTM 14 is the finest we report. Your grain size was much finer.

Attached is ASTM 10 illustration. We don’t have ASTM 14 illustration

Mike Fec

SGS MSi

Industrial Services

Technical Manager

Sr. Metallurgical Engineer

In steel, nuclei form solid particles when a molten metal cools, and atomic forces pull atoms together. The nuclei in the center of the crystal structure form grains and they grow. The average grain size of a material is directly related to its strength, with smaller grains resulting in a stronger grinding ball. Virina grain size is one Micrometer or .001 mm

Virina is the only grinding ball that has surface to the core at 63 HRC. Virina’s through hardness with a spherical shape will grind evenly and will never deform.

A 90mm ball with 2% annual wear rate will grind for 45 years.

Deformed grinding balls lead to problems in the cement grinding process.

Inefficient grinding, increased wear and tear on the mill liner, uneven particle size distribution for equipment damage.

Reduced grinding capacity and higher operational costs due to the need for more frequent ball replacement.

All stemming from the irregular contact and impact forces caused by the deformed balls within the mill

Traditional balls start the deformation after only 4 months. Plants will continue to grind with the deformed balls as the high cost of grinding balls is prohibitive.

A traditional 90mm can deform to 93mm X 88mm or similar. Grinding efficiency starts to deteriorate and deformation will accelerate after the outer candy shell is worn off – exposing the soft inner core. Grinding with deformed balls not only wastes energy, but also damages the expensive liner.

Virina balls with fine grain and a thorough 63 HRC hardness will not deform. No Sorting except in 10 years when 70mm balls are worn to 50mm, then loaded into the 2nd chamber.No stoppage of the mill except for the annual inspection and adding a 2% top-offNo spritzers to remove and no rejects to dispose

Sorting and handling the ball charge takes days and up to five men, in addition to at least one bobcat loader.

Takes time to run many 55-gal drums of balls through the sorter, a few balls at a time.

The average cement plant has a profit of up to $50 per ton.

This is one of the profit centers grinding with Virina balls.

Midwest Cement Plant
TWIN MILLS WITH NEW LINERS HEAD-TO-HEAD COMPARISON OF WEAR RATE AND LINER LIFE
VIRINA vs TRADITIONAL BALLS

The plant has two identical, 4500 hp – 2 compartments, 100 TPH ball mill circuits grinding Type II Portland cement.
Both mills have recent shell and division headwear liner replacements and are in similar operating condition.
Both mills have identical 88-ton 1st chamber ball charges and ball size distribution.
Both mills received a fresh ball charge, one with Virina balls and Traditional balls
Virina mill shell temperature at 184 F
Greater grinding with the round surface at the Shearing and Tumbling Layer
Higher efficiency with lower energy consumption
Traditional ball mill shell temperature at 195 F, 11 Degrees higher
Deformed balls will strike the liner above the toe and damage the shelve
Deformed balls have ball runs and a higher percentage of rolling off the shelf without crushing the material
Deformed balls will slide on the liner and hit other deformed balls
The presence of damage shelves in the ball mill circuits can have a significant impact on the lifespan of the liner. This is a critical factor to consider, as it directly affects the operational efficiency and maintenance costs of the mill.

S MILL @ 11 DEEGRE COOLER THAN THE TRADITIONAL BALL MILL RESULTING IN 400 MBTU ANNUAL ENERGY SAVINGS

VIRINA BALLS WILL NOT DEFORM - PROJECTED TO EXTEND THE LINER LIFE BY 4X

Spherical balls follow a predictable parabolic trajectory into the cataracts and impact zone for maximum crushing and grinding efficiency.

Round balls will roll over one another, grinding the material in the shearing and tumbling zone. Round balls will potentially save $125,000 a year in energy.
Deformed balls will have an unpredictable trajectory and will damage the shelf of the liner.
A deformed ball will slide in the liner causing wear and ball runs.
The useful life of the shell liner is dertimned by maintaining the liner surface profile and lifter shelf. Most shell liners are replaced due to this profile wear and not the thickness. Most mills use only a fraction of the liner weight before replacing. Round balls may extend the liner lifespan up to 400%.

HIGH COST TO CONSTANTLY REPLACING DEFORMED TRADITIONAL BALLS

After 2 annual grinding campaigns a significant % of Traditional balls are deformed, decreased production and increased energy consumption. Sorting will stop production output and require labor cost.

After 5 yrs, Virina’s 90mm worn to 81mm.
Grinding life up to 45 years or 20X of a Traditional ball.
A round ball grinding efficiency is much higher than a deformed ball.
The value of the Virina balls can be 30X of the Traditional balls.

The plant has two identical, 4500 hp with 2 compartments and 100 TPH ball mill circuits grinding.
Both mills have identical 88-ton balls in the 1st chamber.
The picture below is from year 5; there is no need to sort the balls.

After 5 years, no noticeable deformation. Surface and core remain at 63 HRC
No sorting is necessary
Annual wear is 1.8%
90 to 81mm
80 to 71mm
70 to 61mm

Decarbonization

Production of each ton of balls generates 1.83 tons of CO2 emissions.
The average cement plant discards 25 tons of traditional balls per mill annually.
Discarded balls generate 46 tons of CO2 emissions annually.
Virina exterior mill is 185 degrees F, and the Traditional ball mill is 196 degrees
Higher temperatures are generated by ball runs, deformed balls hitting the liner wall and shelf, and deforming the balls.
This temperature difference is 400 MBTUs, generating 39 tons of CO2 emissions.
The Traditional balls accounted for 41 tons plus 39 tons, a total of 85 tons of CO2 emissions.
The Virina wear is 3 tons annually, generating 5 tons of CO2 emissions.
Increase the CO2 emissions by 85% at the traditional ball casting plant and use the Traditional grinding balls at the cement plant.

Additional CO2 emissions reduction from:
Increase cement production
Less downtime
Extend the liner lifespan up to 400%
Freight into cement and freight back to the overseas casting plant

Virina Warranty

Virina is the only grinding ball that has surface to the core at 63 HRC. Virina’s through hardness with a spherical shape will grind evenly and will never deform. A 90mm ball with 2% annual wear rate will grind for 45 years.

Midwest Cement Plant TWIN MILLS WITH NEW LINERS HEAD-TO-HEAD COMPARISON OF WEAR RATE AND LINER LIFE VIRINA vs TRADITIONAL BALLS

The plant has two identical, 4500 hp – 2 compartments, 100 TPH ball mill circuits grinding Type II Portland cement.

Both mills have recent shell and division headwear liner replacements and are in similar operating condition.

Both mills have identical 88-ton 1st chamber ball charges and ball size distribution.

Both mills received a fresh ball charge, one with Virina balls and Traditional balls

Virina mill shell temperature at 184 F

Greater grinding with the round surface at the Shearing and Tumbling Layer

Higher efficiency with lower energy consumption

Traditional ball mill shell temperature at 195 F, 11 Degrees higher

Deformed balls will strike the liner above the toe and damage the shelve

Deformed balls have ball runs and a higher percentage of rolling off the shelf without crushing the material

Deformed balls will slide on the liner and hit other deformed balls

The presence of damage shelves in the ball mill circuits can have a significant impact on the lifespan of the liner. This is a critical factor to consider, as it directly affects the operational efficiency and maintenance costs of the mill.