Size Reduction of Solids

• rr

Mr PC Jiyane
1st Semester 2024
Why Carry Out Size Reduction?
Size reduction also known as Comminution –
increases the surface area of solid material
and is carried out to achieve the following:
• To break material into very small particles in
order to separate two constituents.
• To considerably influence the properties of
material, e.g., chemical reactivity.
• To improve the colour and the covering power
(tinting strength) of a pigment.
• To improve or promote intimate mixing of solids.
2
 Some Pros and Cons to NOTE
• In reactions – the rate of reactions is directly
proportional to the area of contact, e.g. in
combustion, the rate of combustion of solid particles
is proportional to the area presented to the gas.

• In fluidized beds – the free flow of gas is impeded

because of higher resistance to flow of a bed of
small particles.

• In leaching – the rate of extraction is increased as the

distance the solvent has to penetrate into the
particles in order to gain access to the more remote
pockets of solute is reduced. The same is applicable
to drying of porous solids.
3
 Mechanism of Size Reduction
Size distribution of particles in product shows 2 modes:
• Transitory mode – corresponds to a relatively coarse size. As
the degree of crushing is increased this mode progressively
decreases and a second mode develops.
• Persistent mode – this mode is characteristic of the material
and starts developing at a particular size.

1.6
Mass per μm (%)

1.2

1150
950
800
650
0.4 500
400
200
0
4 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600
Particle diameter (μm)
 Mechanism of Size Reduction
Size reduction process consists of two parts:
• Opening of any small fissures present, and the
• Formation of new surfaces.

Fine Particles – Their size is closely connected with the

internal structure of the material.
Large Particles – Their size is closely connected with the
process by which the size reduction is effected.
Grind limit – Beyond this limit, no or little change in particle
size as grinding continues. Particles show irreversible
plastic deformation which results in change of shape
rather than size.

5
 Mechanism of Size Reduction
Basic Force Application Patterns:
Impact Compression Shear Attrition

Hammer Nutcracker Scissors File

• Impact – Particle concussion is by a single rigid force.

• Compression – Particle disintegration is by two rigid forces.
• Shear – Particle compressed between 2 hard surfaces
moving tangentially.
• Attrition – Arising from particles scraping against one
another or against a rigid surface.

6
 Energy Requirements
For fracture to occur, the particle must first go through
the condition of plastic deformation. And a much larger
portion of energy is expended to achieve this. This
energy is regarded as waste as it does not result in
fracture.
Although it is impossible to estimate accurately the
energy required to effect size reduction, 3 empirical laws
may be used.

• These laws are based on the basic differential equation:

dE
= −CLp
dL
where: dE is the energy required per unit mass of material
7 dL is the change in the size of material
 Energy Requirements
 1 1
If p = −2, then integration gives: E = C − 
 L2 L1 

when C = K R f c this becomes the Rittinger’s Law:

 1 1
E = K R f c  − 
 L2 L1 
fc is the crushing strength of the material
KR is the Rittinger’s constant

• Energy required is directly proportional to increase in surface.

• Applicable to part of process where new surface is being created.
• Used for Fine Grinding – increase in surface per unit mass of
material is large.

8
 Energy Requirements
L1
If p = −1, then integration gives: E = Cn
L2

when C = K K f c this becomes the Kick’s Law:

L1
E = K K f c n
L2
f c is the crushing strength of the material

KK is the Kick’s constant

L1
• Energy required is directly related to the reduction ratio,
L2
• Relates to the energy required to effect elastic deformation
before fracture occurs.
• For Coarse Crushing – amount of surface produced is
considerably less.
9
 Energy Requirements
 1 1 

If p = −1½, then integration gives: E = 2C  −
 L2 L1 

L1
Substituting q = and C = 5 Ei , this becomes the Bond’s Law:
L2
 100  1 
E = Ei  
 1 −
 q 
 L2 

where Ei is the Bond’s work index expressed as the amount

of energy required to reduce unit mass of material from an
infinite particle size ( ) to a size L2 of 100m i.e., q =  .

• The size of the material is the size of a square hole through

which 80% of material pass.
10
 Class Exercise SR1
A material is crushed in a Blake jaw crusher such that the
average size of particle is reduced from 50 mm to 10 mm
with a consumption of energy at the rate of 13 kW/(kg/s).
What will be the consumption of
energy needed to crush the Feed

same material of average size

75 mm to an average size of
25 mm:
a) Assuming Rittinger’s law applies?
b) Assuming Kick’s law applies? Product

Which of these results would be regarded as being

11
more reliable and why?
 Class Exercise SR1: Solution
 
a) Rittinger’s Law: E = K R f c  1 − 1 
 L2 L1 
Given: 𝐿1 = 50 mm; 𝐿2 = 10 mm
𝐸 = 13 kWΤ kgΤs
1 1
13 = 𝐾𝑅 𝑓𝐶 − = 𝐾𝑅 𝑓𝐶 0.08
10 50

13 kW mm
𝐾𝑅 𝑓𝐶 = = 162.5
0.08 kgΤs

Now: 𝐿1 = 75 mm; 𝐿2 = 25 mm; 𝐾𝑅 𝑓𝐶 = 162.5 kW mm Τ kgΤs

1 1 kW mm 1
𝐸 = 162.5 − = 4.33
25 75 kgΤs mm
12
𝑬 = 𝟒. 𝟑𝟑 𝐤𝐖/ 𝐤𝐠/𝐬
 Class Exercise SR1: Solution
L1
b) Kick’s Law: E = K K f c n
L2
Given: 𝐿1 = 50 mm; 𝐿2 = 10 mm
𝐸 = 13 kWΤ kgΤs
50
13 = 𝐾𝐾 𝑓𝐶 ln = 𝐾𝐾 𝑓𝐶 ln 5
10
𝐾𝐾 𝑓𝐶 = 8.08 kW/ kg/s
Now: 𝐿1 = 75 mm; 𝐿2 = 25 mm; 𝐾𝐾 𝑓𝐶 = 8.08 kW/ kg/s
75 Refer to
𝐸 = 8.08 ln = 𝟖. 𝟖𝟖 𝐤𝐖/ 𝐤𝐠/𝐬 Slide 24
25
The size range involved may be classified as coarse crushing.
Kick’s Law therefore applies as it relates to the energy required to
effect elastic deformation before a fracture occurs. Thus:
13
𝑬 = 𝟖. 𝟖𝟖 𝐤𝐖/ 𝐤𝐠/𝐬
 Particle Characterisation
• For coarse particles, the size d80 (Bond’s arbitrarily chosen
size of opening through which 80% of the material will
pass) is a useful rough comparative measure for the size of
material which has been through a crusher.
• Most particulate systems consist of particles of a wide
range of sizes – a quantitative indication of the mean size
and of the spread of sizes is therefore necessary.

• And the expression of the particle size of a powder in

terms of a single linear dimension is often required.

• A mean size will therefore describe only one particular

characteristic of the powder and it is important to decide
what that characteristic is before the mean is
14 calculated.
 Particle Characterisation
It is thus desirable to define the size of the particle such that
its mass or its surface or its length is the mean value for all the
particles in the system.
For unit mass of particles consisting of n1 particles of
characteristic dimension d1, constituting a mass fraction x1; n2
particles of size d2, having a mass fraction x2; and so on, then;

Expression for
Measured Characteristic
Mean Diameter
σ 𝑛1 𝑑14
Mass mean diameter: 𝑑𝑚 𝑑𝑚 =
σ 𝑛1 𝑑13
σ 𝑛1 𝑑13
Surface mean diameter: 𝑑𝑠 𝑑𝑠 =
σ 𝑛1 𝑑12
σ 𝑛1 𝑑12
Length mean diameter: 𝑑𝑙 𝑑𝑙 =
15 σ 𝑛1 𝑑1
 Particle Characterization
Screen Analysis
Test sieves are scientific screening equipment, that utilize woven
wire screens mounted on rigid frames to help generate
reliable particle size distribution curves.
Sieves with varying mesh openings
are typically stacked on top of each
other, working to separate the
particles of a material sample based
on their size.

6 openings per inch 12 openings per inch

• Openings in test sieves are square.

• Screens are identified by Mesh No. (Mesh Number).
16
• Mesh No. is the number of openings per linear inch.
 Class Exercise SR2
A crusher was used to crush a material whose compressive strength
was 22.5 MN/m2. The size of the feed was minus 50 mm, plus 40 mm,
and the energy required was 13.0 kJ/kg. The screen analysis of the
product was as follows:

Size of aperture (mm) Percent of product

Through 6.00 100

On 4.00 26
On 2.00 18
On 0.75 23
On 0.50 8
On 0.25 17
On 0.125 3
Through 0.125 5

What would be the power required to crush 1 kg/s of a material of

compressive strength 45 MN/m2 from a feed minus 45 mm,
17 plus 40 mm to a product of average size 0.50 mm?
 Class Exercise SR2: Solution
Product particle size will be determined from the screen
analysis data. And mass mean diameter is of relevance
since the power consumption is per unit mass:
Size of σ 𝑛1 𝑑14
Aperture Mean 𝒅𝟏 𝒏𝟏 𝒏𝟏 𝒅𝟑𝟏 𝒏𝟏 𝒅𝟒𝟏 𝑑𝑚 =
σ 𝑛1 𝑑13
(mm) (mm)
6.00 5.00 0.26 32.5 162.5 𝟏𝟕𝟕. 𝟗𝟏𝟖
𝑑𝑚 =
4.00 3.00 0.18 4.86 14.58 𝟑𝟕. 𝟗𝟖𝟕
2.00 1.375 0.23 0.5979 0.8221
𝑑𝑚 = 4.684 mm
0.75 0.625 0.08 0.0195 0.0122
0.50 0.375 0.17 0.00896 0.00336 ∴ the average
0.25 0.1875 0.03 0.000198 0.000037 particle size of
0.125 0.125 0.05 0.000098 0.000012 the product, 𝑳𝟐

෍ 37.987 177.918
𝑳𝟐 = 𝟒. 𝟔𝟖𝟒 𝐦𝐦
෍ 𝟑𝟕. 𝟗𝟖𝟕 𝟏𝟕𝟕. 𝟗𝟏𝟖

18
 Class Exercise SR2: Solution Refer to
Slide 24

Obviously this is coarse crushing and Kick’s Law applies.

Case 1: 𝑓𝐶 = 22.5 MN/m2; 𝐸 = 13 kJ/kg; 𝐿1 = 45 mm; 𝐿2 = 4.684 mm
𝐿1 𝐸 13 kJ/kg
𝐸 = 𝐾𝐾 𝑓𝐶 ln  𝐾𝐾 = 𝐿 = MN 45
𝐿2 𝑓𝐶 ln 1 22.5 2 ln
𝐿2 m 4.684
Function of
machine & material kJ/kg
𝐾𝐾 = 0.255
MN/m2
kJ/kg
Case 2: 𝑓𝐶 = 45 MN/m2; 𝐿1 = 42.5 mm; 𝐿2 = 0.5 mm; 𝐾𝐾 = 0.255
MN/m2

𝐿1 kJ/kg MN 42.5
𝐸 = 𝐾𝐾 𝑓𝐶 ln = 0.255 45 ln
𝐿2 MN/m2 m2 0.5
𝑘𝐽
𝑃 = 50.98 × 1 kg/s
𝑘𝑔
19
𝑷 = 𝟓𝟎. 𝟗𝟖 𝐤𝐖
 Energy Utilization
It can be concluded (from investigations) that the distribution
of energy fed into a crusher is utilized as follows:

✓ In producing elastic deformation before fracture occurs.

✓ In producing inelastic deformation
resulting in size reduction.
 In elastic distortion of equipment.
 In particle-particle and particle-
machine friction.
 In noise, heat and vibration.
 In friction losses in the machine
itself.

For the above reasons, only 10% of the total power is

20 usefully employed.
 Energy Utilization
For a given energy input, the new surface formed is
independent of:
• The velocity of impact
• The mass and arrangement of the material
• The initial particle size, and
• The moisture content of the material.
 The apparent efficiency
✓
of size reduction
operation depends on
Nail Hammer

Jaw Crusher
the type of equipment
chosen to handle
specific properties of
21 the material.
 Crusher Feeding Methods
Free Crushing: feeding material at comparatively low
rates.
• Product can escape readily
• Residence time of material in machine is
short
• Production of large quantities of undersize
material is avoided.

Choke Feeding: the machine is kept full of material at

all times and reduction is completed in one operation.
• Product discharge is impeded
• Residence time of material is much longer
• High degree of crushing is achieved
• Capacity of the machine is reduced
22 • Energy consumption is high.
 Grinding Systems
• Open Circuit Grinding: the material passes through the
machine only once, as in choke feeding.

• Closed Circuit Grinding: the product is collected and the

insufficiently crushed material (containing oversize) is
separated and returned to the machine for second crushing.
Preferred when particle size is to be considerably reduced
using a number of units. Oversize
Oversize

Feed Coarse Intermediate

Crusher Crusher

Undersize
Separator
Undersize
Flow Diagram for
Oversize
Closed Circuit Grinding System

Fine
23 Product Crusher
 Equipment Classification
Generally, it is not economical to effect large reduction ratio in
a single unit.
When a number of units are used, the equipment is usually
divided into the following classes according to the size of feed
and the product.

Feed Size Product Size

Coarse Crushers 1500 – 40 mm 50 – 5 mm

Intermediate Crushers 50 – 5 mm 5 – 0.1 mm

Fine Crushers 5 – 2 mm 0.1 mm

Colloid Mills 0.2 mm Down to 0.01 μm

Greater size reduction ratio can be obtained in fine crushers

24
than in coarse crushers.
 Advantages of Wet Grinding
Grinding may be carried out either dry or wet. Wet grinding
though, is generally applicable only with low speed mills.
Dry grinding uses particle-on-particle contact to reduce the
size of the material, whereas
Wet grinding typically involves dispersing the material in a
liquid and using solid grinding elements to reduce size. In
wet grinding;
• Power consumption is reduced by ± 20 – 30%
• Capacity of plant is increased
• Removal of product is facilitated and amount of fines is reduced
• Dust formation is eliminated, and
• Solids are easily handled.
But besides all this, the wear on the grinding medium is
25 ± 20% greater and it may be necessary to dry the
product before packing or use.
 Nature of Material Crushed
The choice of machine is influenced by:
• Nature of product required, and the
• Quantity and size of material to be handled.

Material properties that influence grinding are:

• Hardness: Affects power consumption and machine wear.
• Structure: Granular material like coal and ores – crushed
using compression, impact, etc. Fibrous material – tearing
action is required.
• Moisture content: Difficult to grind material with between 5
and 50% moisture content.
• Crushing strength: Power is directly proportional to the
crushing strength of the material.
26
 Nature of Material Crushed
• Friability: This is described as the tendency of the material
to fracture during handling.
• Stickiness: Sticky material tends to clog grinding equipment
and can lead to difficulty in cleaning.
• Soapiness: This is described as the measure of the
coefficient of friction of the surface of material. Low
coefficient of friction results in difficult crushing.

It should also be noted that:

• Explosive material must be ground wet or in the presence
of inert atmosphere.
• Materials yielding harmful dusts must be ground under
conditions that do not allow dust to escape.
27
 Classification of Crushing
Equipment
Intermediate
Coarse Crushers Fine Crushers
Crushers
• Stag Jaw Crusher • Crushing Rolls • Buhrstone Mill
• Dodge Jaw Crusher • Disc Crusher • Roller Mill
• Gyratory Crusher • Edge Runner Mill • NEI Pendulum Mill
• Rotary Coal Breaker • Hammer Mill • Griffin Mill
• Single Roll Crusher • Ring Roller Mill (Lopulco)
• Pin Mill • Ball Mill
• Symons Disc Crusher • Tube Mill
• Hardinge Mill
• Babcock Mill
Primary Secondary Tertiary
Position in the Plant

Many types of crushing equipment are used to achieve different

results but focus will be given to the operation of the following
equipment:
28 • Crushing Rolls, and the
• Ball Mills / Hardinge Mills
 Comparison of the Crushing
B
Principle
Compressive Force Compressive Force Impact & Shearing Force

Cone Crusher Jaw Crusher Impact Crusher

29
 Coarse Crushers
u Cross-section of Stag Jaw Crusher

30
 Intermediate Crushers
u Swing Claw Hammer Mill

31
 Fine Crushers
u View of an NEI
Sectional
Pendulum 5-Roller Mill

32
 Typical SR Plant Layout
u

33 Typical Air Classification for a Lopulco or Pendulum Mill

 Types of Crushing Equipment
Feed
Crushing Rolls

Spring Loaded Roll

Product
34
 Crushing Rolls
• Two rolls, one in adjustable bearings, rotate in opposite
directions. Feed

• Clearance between rolls can be adjusted

according to the feed and product size Spring loaded roll

requirements.
• Capacity is between 10 and 30% of that
calculated on the assumption that a
continuous ribbon of material forms
between the rolls. Product

• Extensively used for crushing oil seeds and in gunpowder

industry.
• Suitable also for abrasive materials.
• Simple in construction and do not give large
35
percentage of fines.
 Crushing Rolls
Consider an idealized system where a spherical or
cylindrical particle is being fed to the crushing rolls.

r2 the radius of particle

Particle
r1 the radius of crushing roll
2α the angle of nip (angle between
two common tangents to the
α α particle and each of the rolls)
α α
Crushing Roll b b Crushing Roll 2b the distance between the rolls

For steel rolls, the angle of nip ≤ 320

Particle fed to the Crushing Rolls

(r1 + b )
Thus the angle of nip is given by: cos =
(r2 + r1 )
36 and the coefficient of friction, μ = tan α
 Class Exercise SR3
If crushing rolls 1 m in diameter are set so that
the crushing surfaces are 12.5 mm apart and the
angle of nip is 310, what is the maximum size of
particle which should be fed to the rolls?

If the actual capacity of the machine is 15% of

the theoretical, calculate the throughput in kg/s
when running at 2.0 Hz if the working face of the
rolls is 0.4 m long and the density of the feed is
2500 kg/m3.

37
 Class Exercise SR3: Solution
?
Given: 𝑟1 = 𝑑Τ2 = 1.0Τ2 = 0.5 m ; 2𝛼 = 310 ; 𝑟2 = ? Particle

0
𝛼 = 31 ൗ2 = 15.50 → 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛼 = 0.9636
α α
2𝑏 = 12.5 mm → 𝑏 = 12.5Τ = 6.25 mm α α
2 Crushing Roll b b Crushing Roll

𝑏 = 0.00625 m

cos =
(r1 + b ) 0.5+0.00625 0.50625
↔ 0.9636 = =
(r2 + r1 ) 𝑟2 +0.5 𝑟2 +0.5

𝒓𝟐 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟐𝟓𝟒 𝐦 𝒐𝒓 𝟐𝟓. 𝟒 𝐦𝐦

kg
Now: 𝑙 = 0.4 m ; 𝜌 = 2500 ൗm3 ; 𝑣 = 2 m/𝑠

Vol. flowrate 𝑄 = 𝐴 × 𝑣 = 2𝑏 × 𝑙 𝑣 = 0.0125 × 0.4 × 2 = 0.010 m3Τ

𝑠

ሶ
Mass flowrate m = 15% × 𝑄 × 𝜌 = 0.15 × 0.010 × 2500
38
𝐦 = 𝟑. 𝟕𝟓 𝐤𝐠/𝐬
 Types of Crushing Equipment
Ball Mill Abrasive Balls
Product
Rotation

39
 The Ball Mill
• Used for grinding a wide range of materials, including
coal, pigments and felspar for pottery.
• Can take on feed with particle size up to 50 mm.
• In compound mills, the cylinder is divided into a number
of compartments by vertical perforated plates.
• Compartments have different size balls – large balls at the
entry end and small balls grind material before discharge.
• Material flows axially along the mill and passes from one
compartment to the next through perforations in the plate.
• Efficiency increases with the hold-up in the mill, until the
voids between the balls are filled. Any further increase in
the quantity, lowers the efficiency.
40
 The Ball Mill
Grinding Material (Balls):

• The balls, usually made of flint or steel, occupy

between 30 and 50% of the volume of the mill.
• Diameter of the balls varies in size between 12 and 125
mm, with the optimum approximately proportional to
the square root of the size of the feed. The proportional
constant is the function of the nature of material.
• Larger balls deal effectively with the feed and the small
ones are responsible for giving a fine product.
• Maximum wear rate of steel balls, using very abrasive
materials, is about 0.30 kg/Mg of material for dry
41 grinding, and 1 – 1.50 kg/Mg for wet grinding.
 The Ball Mill
In wet grinding:

• Power consumption is about 30% lower than that used for

dry grinding.
• The continuous removal of product as it is formed is
facilitated.
• Because of rheological properties of the slurry, the mill
performance improves as the apparent viscosity
increases.
• Optimum viscosity of slurry is at about 0.20 Pa.s.
• At high volumetric concentrations (± 50 volume%), the fluid
exhibits shear-thickening behavior or have a yield stress.

42
 The Ball Mill
u

43 Cut-away View of a Hardinge Conical Ball Mill

 The Ball Mill
Factors influencing the size of the product
The rate of feed Discharge freedom
High feed rates result in less size reduction. Increasing the freedom of discharge of the
Material is in the mill for a shorter time. product increases the capacity of the plant.

The property of the feed material The level of material in the mill
The larger the feed, the larger is the product Power consumption is reduced by
under given operating conditions. A smaller maintaining a low level of material in the mill.
size reduction is obtained with hard material.
The speed of rotation
Weight of balls
• Low speeds – Balls simply roll over one
Heavy charge of balls produces a fine
another and little crushing occurs.
product.
• Slightly higher speeds – Balls are
Diameter of balls projected short distances across the mill.
Small balls facilitate the production of fine
• High speeds – Balls are thrown greater
material, although they do not deal effectively
distances and wear on the lining of the
with larger particles in the feed.
mill takes place.
The slope of the mill • Very high speeds – Balls are carried right
An increase in the slope of the mill increases round in contact with the sides of the mill
the and little relative movement or grinding
44 capacity of the plant – retention time is
reduced but coarser product is produced. takes place.
 The Ball Mill
Factors influencing the size of the product
• The rate of feed • The slope of the mill
• The properties of the feed material • Discharge freedom
• Weight of balls • The level of material in the mill
• The diameter of the balls • The speed of rotation of the mill

Thus when the mill is rotating at the critical angular velocity, 𝝎𝒄 then:
𝑔
𝜔𝑐 =
𝑅−𝑟
The critical rotational speed, 𝑵𝒄 in revolutions/unit time, is given by:
𝜔𝑐 1 𝑔
𝑁𝑐 = =
2𝜋 2𝜋 𝑅 − 𝑟

• where 𝑹 is the radius of the mill, 𝒓 is the radius of the particle, and
𝒈 is the acceleration due to gravity = 9.81 m/s 2
45 Optimum speed is bt ½ and ¾ of the critical speed.
 Class Exercise SR4
A ball mill, 1.20 m in diameter, is run at 0.80 Hz
and it is found the mill is not working properly.
Should any modification in the condition of
operation be suggested?
Rotating Direction of Mill

f = 0.80 Hz

Feed Material
d = 1.20 m

Steel Balls

46
 Class Exercise SR4: Solution
Given: 𝑅 = 𝑑Τ2 = 1.20Τ2 = 0.60 m ; 𝑓 = 0.80 𝐻𝑧
For small particles: 𝑅 − 𝑟 ≈ 0.60 ;

𝑔 9.81
𝜔𝑐 = ↔ 𝜔𝑐 = = 4.04 rad/s
𝑅−𝑟 0.60

But the Actual speed, 𝜔𝐴 = 2𝜋𝑓 = 2𝜋 × 0.80 = 5.03 rad/s

∴ The speed of rotation is too high; and this is the

contributing factor to the poor performance of the mill.
𝟎. 𝟓𝟎𝝎𝒄 ≤ 𝐎𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐦 𝐑𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐝, 𝝎𝒐 ≤ 𝟎. 𝟕𝟓𝝎𝒄
Taking 𝜔𝑜 = 0.60𝜔𝑐 → 𝜔𝑜 = 0.60 × 4.04 = 2.42 rad/s
𝜔𝑜 2.42
Thus: 𝑓 = = → 𝒇 = 𝟎. 𝟑𝟗 ≈ 𝟎. 𝟒𝟎 𝑯𝒛
2𝜋 2𝜋
47
The rotational speed must therefore be halved
 Class Exercise SR5
You are conducting a plant
trial in which you want to
evaluate the effectiveness of
running a 2400 mm diameter
Ball Mill with different size
balls. As a first step, you are
planning to replace the
original 80 mm diameter steel
balls with smaller diameter balls. When 80 mm diameter
steel balls were used, the mill was run at 19.15 rpm.

Now, with the new 35 mm steel balls, what should the

speed of the mill be when all other conditions remain
unchanged?
48
 Class Exercise SR5
𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧: 𝑅 = 𝑑ൗ2 = 2400ൗ2 = 1200 mm = 1.2 m; 𝑁 = 19.15 rpm
𝑑1ൗ 80ൗ = 40 mm = 0.04 m; 𝑑2ൗ = 35ൗ = 17.5 mm = 0.0175 m
2 = 2 2 2
The critical speed of the mill:

1 𝑔 1 9.81
𝑁𝑐 = = = 0.463 rps
2𝜋 𝑅 − 𝑟1 2𝜋 1.2 − 0.04

0.463 rev 60 s
𝑁𝑐 = ×
s 1 min
𝑁𝑐 = 27.78 rpm

The mill is thus operated at:

𝑁 19.15
= = 0.689
𝑁𝑐 27.78
49
𝑁 = 0.689 𝑁𝑐
 Class Exercise SR5
𝑑2ൗ 35
Now, the size of the new balls is: 𝑟2 = 2 = ൗ2 = 17.5 mm = 0.0175 m
The new critical speed of the mill:

1 𝑔 1 9.81
𝑁𝑐 = = = 0.458 rps
2𝜋 𝑅 − 𝑟2 2𝜋 1.2 − 0.0175

0.458 rev 60 s
𝑁𝑐 = ×
s 1 min
𝑁𝑐 = 27.48 rpm

The new speed therefore is:

𝑁 = 0.689 𝑁𝑐 = 0.689 × 27.48
50
𝑵 = 𝟏𝟖. 𝟗𝟑 𝐫𝐩𝐦