A Mechatronic Solution Design and Experience with Large Gearless Mill Drives

In the mineral processing industry the use of large gearless cycloconverter drive systems for SAG-Mills has become more and more common in the recent years. Very high power ratings with excellent dynamic performance and high efficiency over a wide speed range allow advanced optimization of the process. The design of such large mill drive systems requires modern simulation tools to verify the system behavior. An optimized design must take into account the mechatronic interaction between all individual mechanical and electrical components. Calculation methods and related design targets must be defined in a very early stage of the project to allow simultaneous engineering.