1.4.

2 Crush
Produced by: Francisco Ramirez Roman
The crushing and grinding process
Mineral crushing is a process that reduces the size of minerals from 1m to 10cm
(primary crushing) and from 10cm to 1cm (secondary crushing). The crushing
process, in this way, converts minerals into powder and particles of homogeneous
size or, in other words, into bulk material. This reduction in mineral size is a common
stage in any mineral treatment process. However, this reduction will have, depending
on the process we are facing, one or the other objectives.
WHAT IS A CRUSHING EQUIPMENT?
A crushing equipment, also known as a crusher or crusher, is an industrial machinery
of great power and capacity that processes different materials with the aim of leaving
them with a much smaller size than the original. This reduction will be different
depending on the minerals we are working with and the requirements of the project
itself, but the fundamental objective of the crushing process is to adapt the size of
the ore to that required by the next stage of the process. In addition, in those cases
in which the size of the material is a fundamental characteristic for the final product
being sold, as is the case with concrete, the process is further delayed. In the case
of concrete, the size of the ore must be less than 25mm, so it will be necessary to
use a jaw crusher that reduces it to those dimensions, leaving it ready for the final
phase of screening.
MILLING
Grinding is the last step of industrial fragmentation, follows crushing normally, and
is characterized by the output size of the products that can be between a few mm
and a few μm. Normally, the release of some mineralogical species with others is
pursued up to that size that allows a differentiated concentration or to reach the grain
size required by the subsequent method of use of the product obtained. It is done by
means of equipment called mills and these can work dry or wet. The difference
between both media is usually characterized by a humidity of around 8% (this value
produces in the products a certain adhesion and marks a limit in the trend of behavior
within the grinding equipment). Below it is considered surface humidity and the work
of the equipment is dry, being desirable that this humidity does not exceed 3%-4%.
Wet work is characterized by high humidity ranges, from 40% to 70% water by
volume, which represents for most minerals Sp values (ratio of solids by weight)
between 55% and 80%.
For this last process among the most used mills is the Drying Mill, Cyclone Mill,
Ultracentrifuge Mill, Grinding Rotor Mill, Hammer Stirrer Mill, Cutting Mill, Disc Mill,
Mortar Mill, Oscillating Mill and Ball Mil

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Ask the following questions or activities
1. How much moisture must the material have to be treated dry?

2. What percentage of moisture must the material have for it to be considered

wet?

3. What type of crusher is used to decrease the size of the concrete?

4. Is milling the last step in industrial fragmentation?

5. Should the size of the concrete be greater than 25 mm?

6. Mention all types of mills and crushers mentioned in the previous text and
draw

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 1.4.3 Sieve
Produced by: Francisco Ramirez Roman
SIEVING
Sieving (or screening) is a simple method that allows particles of different sizes to
be separated by passing them through a sieve (a filter with wire mesh) or fine
strainer. During this process, small particles pass through the holes of the strainer
and the larger ones are retained. The same solid element, combined solids or solids
combined with a liquid can be sieved, but it is not possible to use a sieve to separate
different liquid substances.
Sieving was practiced in ancient times, for
example, to separate flour from the remains
of straw, insects, corn husks or seeds.
Commercial flour is currently refined, so it is
not necessary to separate it from impurities
or unwanted substances. However, it is
sieved to eliminate lumps or mascots
produced by the humidity of the
environment.
The main types of sieves can be:
• For home use. Its main use is to sift flours and starches to achieve masses
of softer, aerated and homogeneous consistency, without lumps, a clear
example is the filter fabric.
• For industrial use. It can be granulometry (for grains), vibratory (they use
a vibratory movement to shake the sieves, thus producing the desired
product) or sample divider (continuously separates the solids that are
suspended in a liquid).
The sieves can be of different shapes and can be made with very different materials.
For example, they can be metal cylinders with a wire fabric at their base, round and
wooden with a weave of rods or fabric at the bottom, wooden in the form of a frame
with a mesh fabric, bowl-shaped made of plastic or silicone, among others. The
interlacing of the mesh or wire weaving consists of a weft (set of crossed and
interlaced threads) and the light of the mesh (the useful opening through which the
smallest particles of the substance to be sieved pass). In the professional field, such
as laboratories or the chemical industry, the sieving process is very important to
define the quality of the final products. In the field of construction, the sieving process
is also carried out to separate the sand from larger particles (such as stones),
especially to prepare the mixture of the plaster of the walls

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Complete and illustrate the following definitions with what I read in the
previous text

Granulometric tamizer Vibrating sieve Filter cloth Sample divider

1. He _________________________________________ se mostly used in the

industrial field for grain separation.

2. It is very useful for separating suspended solids into liquids, it is used in

industry, to be more correct in the food industry, I talk about
__________________________

3. It is for home use and has several uses, from sifting flour and starches to
filtering liquids, it is a kind of cloth, I speak of ________________________

4. It is necessary that this equipment vibrates because it is the basis of its

operation since this helps to separate and obtain the desired product, I mean
_____________________________________________

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 1.4.4 Disperse, Homogenize
Produced by: Francisco Ramirez Roman
DISPERSION AND HOMOGENIZATION
Homogenizers and dispersers are part of the homogenization system in a production
process. As their names suggest, their function is homogenizer and dispersion to
obtain a final product. The industries in which Homogenizers and dispersers are
used are chemical, food, pharmaceutical, paints, cosmetics among others. In these
industries, agitators and dispersers have very important roles during processes such
as suspension, dissolution, dispersion, emulsion, mixing, homogenization,
circulation, dilution, pasting, particle breaking, among others. In order for the
production process to be carried out evenly, it is necessary to shake the mixture.
This means that the mixture must be set in motion to homogenize it. Homogenization
by means of stirring allows to mix two liquids, disperse a powder in a liquid, maintain
in suspension a dust-powder dispersion, dilute a catalyst or a dye within its base or
dissolve solids within a solvent. In other words, agitation systems allow the
integration of components or ingredients into a preparation.
Turbine types of a agitation system
In agitation and dispersion systems there are three different types of turbines, which
are the ones that drive the agitation process. These turbines are:
• Disperser disk. It is used for the dispersion of solids or powders within
liquids. This turbine is characterized by high cutting, strong turbulence and
high mixing efficiency.
• Propel. It is used to suspend, homogenize, mix and dilute. This turbine is
characterized by its weak cut, medium turbulence and a very good flow.
• Heads with rotor/stator. It is used for the manufacture of fine liquid-liquid
emulsions, for the dispersion of inflatable products (gels) and for the
refinement and dispersion of pigments. Composed of a rotor that rotates at
high speed around a fixed stator. The rotor is provided with a group of four
blades that pass through the stator openings (different types of opening
according to the product) spraying particles and droplets and expelling the
material at high speed, promoting continuous flow and rapid mixing.
• Ultrasonic homogenizer. The ultrasonic generator transforms the electric
current of 220V 50 Hz into ultrasonic energy of 20 KHz, to feed the ultrasonic
transducer. The transducer produces an elastic deformation following the
alternating tension, which results in a longitudinal mechanical vibration that
produces a cavitation effect in the titanium alloy probe immersed in the
solution. This generates a multitude of microbubbles that release
considerable energy at the end of the probe, which allows intense agitation
and vibration of the sample

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Perform the following crossword puzzle with the definitions in the text

HORIZONTAL VERTICAL
1. Longitudinal mechanical vibration 1. Allow the integration of
that produces a cavitation effect in components or ingredients
the titanium alloy probe immersed into a preparation.
in the solution. 2. Crumbles or dissolves
2. Composed of a rotor that rotates at solid particles in a liquid.
high speed around a fixed stator.
3. It is used for the dispersion of
solids or powders within liquids
4. Emulsion equipment that is
installed in a tank and its job is to
achieve a reduction or dispersion
of the size of the particles
5. It IIs weak cut, medium turbulence
and a very good flow.

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