This partial calculator evaluates the gravitational potential-energy decrease and ideal vacuum free-fall speed associated with a selected weight and vertical drop, plus an ideal average energy rate at a selected drop frequency. It does not predict impact force, ore breakage, cam loads or machine performance.
Stamp Mill Cam Motion - Selected Drop-Energy Ledger
Explore selected gravitational drop energy, ideal vacuum free-fall speed and ideal average energy rate.
Equation Used
- W is an entered weight in pound-force.
- h is an entered vertical drop distance.
- The speed output assumes ideal vacuum free fall from rest.
- The power output is an ideal average energy rate with no losses.
- Impact, cam loads, crushing, structure and safety are excluded.
The secondary figure shows a selected vertical interval and ideal free-fall reference only; it is not a validated cam or collision model.
Selected drop-energy ledger
For weight W in pound-force and drop h in feet, the gravitational potential-energy decrease is W h in foot-pound-force. Ideal vacuum free-fall speed is sqrt(2gh). Multiplying energy per drop by selected drops per minute gives an ideal rate.
What the calculator determines
Use it to inspect ideal drop energy, ideal vacuum free-fall speed and average energy-rate arithmetic. It cannot determine impact force, delivered breakage energy, motor size or cam geometry.
Selected relationships
Delta PE=W h/12; ideal rate=Delta PE N; ideal average power=(Delta PE N)/33,000 hp; ideal vacuum free-fall speed=sqrt(2 x 32.174 x h/12).
Selected-input example
At W=1,000 lbf, h=7 in and N=95 drops/min, the ideal potential-energy decrease is 583.3 ft lbf/drop, the ideal rate is 55,416.7 ft lbf/min, ideal average power is 1.679 hp and ideal vacuum free-fall speed is about 6.13 ft/s. The source's 24,500 ft-lb headline is not consistent with W h.
Not an impact or cam-load model
Guide friction, cam profile, lift dynamics, dwell, release, air drag, rebound, impact duration, contact stiffness, ore properties, crushing efficiency, drivetrain losses, structure and safety are excluded.
Questions
Is potential-energy decrease the same as delivered breakage energy?
No. Losses and impact dynamics determine how energy is partitioned.
Is the free-fall speed a measured impact speed?
No. It is the ideal vacuum result from the selected vertical distance.
Does this size the cam or drive?
No. Cam contact forces and drive torque require time-dependent geometry and losses.
References & Further Reading
- Wikipedia contributors. Stamp mill. Wikipedia
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