Development of an advanced experimental crushing facility

The Australian sugar industry has identified a need to increase crushing rates through existing plant and to reduce significantly whole-of-life milling costs. To achieve this outcome, a substantial investment has been made during recent years into theoretical models of crushing based on computational porous media mechanics. Although these models have resulted in substantial insight into the crushing process, they need careful validation before results are transferred into a factory environment. This paper reports on the establishment of a flexible experimental milling facility at James Cook University (JCU). The facility will be used by researchers to gain a more in-depth understanding of crushing mechanisms and for proof of computational models.