<p>The hammer mill is widely employed in various industrial sectors for crushing processes; however, its performance is often hindered by low grinding efficiency and high energy consumption. In this study, the discrete element method was used to investigate the crushing process of maize kernels within a hammer mill system. A comprehensive investigation was conducted to examine the influence of varying ruminant structures on particle circulation patterns. Quantitative assessment of crushing efficiency was performed through particle mass throughput and median particle size (D50), while screening efficiency was evaluated using damage degree index, collision frequency, and collision intensity under different ruminant structures. The findings reveal that the circulation motion of maize particles within the hammer mill significantly hinders both crushing and screening efficiency. Comparative analysis indicates that both conventional rumination troughs and the newly proposed rumination arch effectively disrupt the particle circulation motion. Quantitative analysis reveals that both the ruminant trough and the ruminant arch improve the crushing efficiency of the hammer mill. Specifically, the ruminant arch enhances crushing efficiency by 13.26% and the average particle size distribution by 5.78% compared to the ruminant trough. Moreover, both the ruminant trough and the ruminant arch contribute to improved screening efficiency in the hammer mill. When compared to the ruminant trough, the ruminant arch increases the damage degree to the particle circulation layer by 21.29%, the collision frequency by 24.62%, and the collision intensity by 18.97%. This study provides a novel approach for improving both the crushing and screening performance of hammer mills, offering insights for future optimization in industrial milling applications.</p>