Grinding

Disc Mill
4.1 Experiment # 04:

4.1.1 Objective: Machine study of a Disc Mill and to perform a grinding test on a given sample.

4.2 Apparatus and Materials:

Disc Mill, Pan, Power source, Sample Material.
4.3 Theory:

4.3.1 Introduction to Machine:

These crushers can work as secondary crushers, grinders or even pulverizes. These are
not very high-capacity machines but they are simple to operate and maintain. In industries other
than mining, they are used for grinding cereals, spices, chemicals, herbs and so many other
materials from very soft to extremely hard ones. However, in all these operations the capacity is
very low.
4.4 Construction:
Disc mill consist of two saucer shaped discs with their surface having specially shaped
groves the depth of which reduced towards the circumference. These two-disc mounted either
vertically or horizontally. One of the discs is stationary but has the freedom of fluttering.
Also, it is spring loaded for safety. The moving disc is driven at a high speed. It is also
free to flutter and is attached to a spring loaded ‘set varying mechanism’. The inner surface of
both the disc is grooved. The depth of the groove is maximum at the center.
4.5 Working:
The materials enter at the center and from there it travels outwards towards the periphery
under centrifugal force. Since, the space between the grooves is lesser towards the periphery, the
material undergoes successive grinding as it travels towards the periphery. The important
features of a discs and freedom of the disc to flutter, otherwise due to extremely high friction the
drive mechanism can be damaged.
The interior of the discs must be made of extremely wear resistant material. The material
is fed through hopper and falls into the axial conical between the discs. Due to centripetal force,
the feed is crushed.
4.6 Affecting Parameters:
Following factors effects on disc mill performance.
 Speed of Mill:
Speed of moveable disc directly effects on capacity of mill. As speed of mill increases,
capacity increases.
 Nature of feed:
If hard feed is used, the wear effect damages the disc of mill. So, material which have
silica contents more than 15% can’t be used.
 Size of Disc:
As size of disc increase, the capacity also increases. But by increasing the size of disc,
cost of the machine also increases. That’s the negative end of the parameter.
4.7 Applications:
 Disc mills are used in many foods and chemical industries.
 These are also used in mining industries.
 These mills also have applications in recycling plants, for grinding paper, plasticsand
other re-useable materials.
4.8 Limitations:
 These mills are not suitable for coarse grinding.
 Disc mills are more expensive than other grinding mills.
 Disc mills are high power consumption machines.
4.9 Procedure:
Identify each part of the machine. Draw a sketch and label each part. The product from
rod mill may be taken as feed. After the sieve analysis, examine the feed for its size in the feed
and adjust the set for fine grinding. Feed the material slowly and check the size of take product.
Make adjustments of the set if necessary. Switch off the machine and recover the product.
Transfer the ground material to the set of sieve shaker and continue shaking for 20 minutes.
Switch off sieve shaker and recover the retained weight on each sieve. Calculate the reduction
ratio of the machine for the test performed and plot a graph.

Specifications of machine:
Name of machine Disc mill

Feed size range 2-6 mm

Speed of disc 275 rpm
Motor speed 1800 rpm
Power consumption 5 HP
Capacity 2 pounds/min
Reduction ratio 2.8
Table: 4.4.1
4.10 Observations and Calculations:
Table. 4.1
Mesh no Aperture weight % mass Passing Cumulative Mass
32 Size retained 0.43 mass Passing retained
0.5 2g 5 99.57 0.43
48 0.297 6 1.29 32 98.28 1.72
60 0.250 144 31.11 48 67.17 32.83
100 0.147 57 12.33 60 54.85 45.15
170 0.088 198 42.85 100 11.82 88.18
-170 -0.088 57 11.33 170 0.53 99.48
Total retained mass=462 kg

4.11 Result:
Apperture size vs commulative mass % (passing)
35
commulative mass %(passing)

30

25

20

15

10

0
0.24 0.25 0.26 0.27 0.28 0.29 0.3
Aperture size(mm)

Apperture size vs commulative mass % (retained)

35
commulative mass %(retaind)

30

25

20

15

10

0
0.24 0.25 0.26 0.27 0.28 0.29 0.3
Aperture size(mm)
4.12 Reduction Ratio:
= 13.34
4.699
=2.83
The reduction ratio is 2.83.

4.13 Comments:
It is the mill for getting particles of fine size and it is easy to operate.

Ball Mill
5.1 Experiment # 05
5.1.1 Objective: Machine study of Ball Mill and perform a grinding test with it on a given
sample.

5.2 Apparatus and Materials:

Ball mill, steel balls of different sizes, power supply, sample material.

5.3 Theory:
5.3.1 Introduction to Machine:
Ball mill is one of the tumbling uses to obtain fine product. The final stages of
comminution are performed in ball mills which use steel balls as grinding medium and so
designated “ball mill”. The ball is not directly applicable in dry grinding, if there is enough
moisture in feed to induce the coating of balls. Drying must be resorted to in such a case. Here,
length to diameter ratio is 1.5:1 or less. Ball mills in which length to diameter ratio is 3 to 5 are
called tubing mills. They are used in grinding to grind cement clunkers etc.
5.3.2 Types:
Ball mills are classified by the nature of the discharge.
 Grate discharge mills:
It is filled with discharged grates between the cylindrical mill body and the discharge
trunnion. The pulp can flow freely through the openings in the grate and is then lifted up
to the level of the discharge trunnion.
 Simple Closed-Grinding mill:
 These mills have a lower level than overflow mills. Very little overgrinding takes place
and the product contains a large fraction of coarse material, which is returned to the mill
by some of classifying device.

5.4 Concentration:
In ball mills, grinding medium consists of solid balls of different diameter. Grinding balls
are usually made of forged or rolled high-carbon or alloy steel or cast alloy steel (sailon, 1989)
and consumption varies between 0.1 and as much as 1kg/ton of ore, depending on hardness of
ore, fineness of grind and medium quality.

5.5 Working:
The charge volume is about 40-50% of the internal volume of the mill, about 40% of this
being void space.
Feed and grinding medium is entered to the cylinder of the mill. As the cylinder will
rotate, then due to the cascading and contracting, feed material will grind and mills are driven in
practice, at speed of 50-90% of critical speed. Very low speeds are sometimes used when full
mill capacity cannot be attained. High speed are used for high speed coarse grinding.

5.6 Affecting Parameters:

Factors influence the efficiency of Ball Mill grinding are:
 Pulp Density:
The pulp density of the feed should be as high as possible, consistent to ease the flow
through the mill.
 Size of Balls:
Diameter of the grinding medium is one of the factor that affects, with the grinding
medium in different diameters can fully grind ores that in different sizes, and this way
can working efficiency of ball mill be risen.
 Charge Volume:
The charge volume is about 40-50% of the internal volume of mill. If volume is increased
further the efficiency is decreased because after grinding particles expands, so material
occupies more space. Overall volume, should not be greater than 85%.
 Mill Speed:
Speed of mill is 70-80% of the critical speed. If speed is further increased, the balls will
strike to the wall of the cylinder that damages the mill.\

5.7 Application:
 These are widely used in quarrying industry because of improved product size and shape.
 These are very useful in attaining high reduction ratio.
 Ball mills are often used to dry grinding of cement clinker, gypsum, phosphate etc.
 These are used in mining industries except in metal mixing.
5.8 Drawbacks:
 They are not used for crushing the materials containing silica more than 15%.
 It has greater single operating cost.
 Very hard media may lead to lower grinding efficiencies due to slippage.

5.9 Procedure:
Take the weighted sample in the pan. It is entered to the drum of mill and then the
grinding balls were entered to the drum. Then power was supplied to the mill. After 30 minutes,
product was taken from bottom of the mill. Then sieve analysis was done and reduction ratio and
efficiency of the machine was calculated.

5.10 Specifications of the Machine:

Name of the machine Ball mill

Motor power 1/4 HP
Motor speed 1425 rpm
Mill speed 42 rpm
Mill capacity 2-4 kg/h
Sieving time 20 min
Table no: 5.1

5.11 Observation:

Aperture size(mm) Individual mass (mm) Cumulative mass %

Passing(mm) Retained(mm) Average(mm) Measured(g) %age passing retained

5.5 4.69 5.07 1047 81.0 19.00 81.0

4.69 2.38 3.34 41 3.17 15.83 84.17

2.38 0.71 1.29 16 1.23 14.60 85.4

 0.71 0.247 0.42 2.5 0.19 14.41 85.59

0.247 0.177 0.20 24 1.85 12.56 87.44

0.177 0.088 0.015 52 4.02 8.54 91.46

0.088 0.000 0.000 109 8.43 0.11 99.89

Table no: 5.2

5.12 Results:
Reduction ratio is obtained as 15:1 as found by given formula R.R= feed80/product80

5.12.1 Graphs:

Apperture size vs commulative mass % (passing)

90
Commulative mass %s (passing)

88

86

84

82

80

78

76
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Aperture size (mm)

Graph no: 5.1a

 Apperture size vs commulative mass % (retained)
90

Commulative mass % (retained)

88

86

84

82

80

78

76
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Aperture size(mm)

Graph no: 5.1b

5.13 Comments:
As it has high reduction ratio, high capacity and low power consumption so it is beneficial than
other grinding mills.

Rod Mill
6.1 Experiments # 04
6.1.1 Objective: Machine study of Rod Mill and to perform a grinding sample on it.
6.2 Apparatus:
Rod mill, carbon steel rod, power source, dolomite material.
6.3 Theory:
6.3.1 Introduction to machine:
Rod mill may be considered as either fine crusher or coarse grinding machine. rod mill is
the type of tumbling mill. these machines are capable of taking feed as large as 50mm and
making product of as 300 μm, reduction ratio normally being in the range 15 to 20. the distinctive
feature of a rod mill is that length of cylinder shell is 1.5 and 2.5 time its diameter .it is often
preferred to fine crushing machines when the ore is clay or damp. Thus, tending to choke crusher
6.3.2 Types discharge
Rod mills are classified into two types on the basis of nature of discharge. These are
described as follows:
  Central Peripheral Discharge:
In this type of machine, material is feed at ends through trunnion and discharge the
ground product through circumferential ports at the center of shell. The short path and
steep passing give a coarse product but reduction ratio is limited. this mill is used for wet
or dry grinding
 End peripheral discharge:
In this type, feed is fed through one end, discharging the ground product from another
end. This type of mill is mainly used for dry or damp grinding
 Trunnion overflow mill:
It is the most widely used mill in which the feed is introduced through one trunnion and
discharge through other. This type of mill is used only for wet grinding and its principle
is to convert crushing plant in to ball mill as feed
6.4 Construction:
Rod mill has the following main components:
6.4.1 Shells:
Mill shell are designed to sustain impact and heavy loading and are constructed from
rolled milled steel.
6.4.2 Mill Ends:
Mill ends are made up of grey cast iron for diameters less than 1m, larger are constructed
from cast steel. These are shaped conical for the overflow of materials.
6.4.3 Trunnion and Bearings:
Trunnion and Bearing are made from cast iron steel and are spigot and bolted to the end
plates. They are highly polished to reduce friction.
6.4.4 Drives
Tumbling mills are rotated by a pinion shaft, driven from a prime mover through V-belts
in small mills, of less than about 180kW.
6.4.5 Liners:
The internal working faces of mills consists of renewable liners, which withstand impact
and are near resistant and promote the most favorable motion of the charge. Rod mill ends at
plain flat liners. They are made from manganese or chrome-molybdenum alloy having high
impact strength.
6.5 Working:
Rod mills are charged initially with a selection of rods associated diameter; the
proportion of each size being calculated to provide maximum grinding surface. A seasonal
charge will contain the rods of various diameter ranging from fresh replacement to those which
are worn down Hard Carbon Steel rods are used as they are hard and break rather than wrap
when worn. Optimum grinding rates are obtained with new rods when the volume is 35% of that
of shell. Rod mills are normally to run at between 50-65% of the critical speed, so that the rods
cascade, rather than contracting which lends to entangle the rods. They are nearly always run-in
open circuit because of this controlled size reduction.
6.6 Affecting Parameters
Following are the parameters that effects on rod mill performance.
  Size of Rods:
In rod mills, rods used are usually in range 25-150mm in diameter. The smaller the rod,
the larger is the surface area and hence greater is efficiency. The largest diameter should
be no greater than that, required to break the largest particle in the feed.
 Speed of mill:
For rod mill, it operates at optimum speed known as critical speed. At this speed rods
reaches at maximum height. Mills are driven in practice, at speed 50-60% of critical
speed.
 Volume of rods:
Optimum grinding rates are obtained with new rods, when the volume is 35%as that of
the shell. It occupies 35%, so overcharging results in inefficient grinding.
 Wear of Rods:
The rod reduces to 20-30% with wear and replaced by new rods. Otherwise, inefficient
grinding occurs.
6.7 Application:
 Rod mills are used for coarse grinding. This grinding gives a product of relatively narrow
size range, with little oversize.
 These are suitable for preparation of feed of gravity concentration.
 They are used in mining, cement and chemical industries.
6.8 Drawbacks:
 They are not suitable for metal mining industries.
 These are much expensive and greater cost process.
6.9 Procedure:
The product from hammer mill after sieve analysis is taken as feed. Switch on the
machine. Before it, we study the each part of machine. Examine the feed size and record the
average size of largest lump in the feed. Note the total weight of feed. Load the mill cylinder
with its feed sample and its rod load. Switch on and run machine for almost 30 minutes. Then
recover the ground product. Transfer the ground material to the set of sieve for 20 minutes.
Switch off the sieve shaker and recover the retained weight on each sieve. Calculate the
reduction ratio of the machine for test performed. Then, plot a graph.
6.10 Specifications of industrial model:
6.11 Result:
6.11.1 Observations and Calculations:
Mass of feed: 1840g

Aperture Average Individual %

Aperture size %Cumulative %Cumulative
size Aperture mass Individual
retained(mm) mass passing mass retained
passing(mm) size(mm) measured(g) mass
57.13
18.84 6.66 11.20 1010 57.13 42.87
66.35
6.66 3.36 4.73 163 9.22 33.65
73.53
3.36 1.00 1.83 127 7.18 26.47
80.03
1.00 0.25 0.5 115 6.50 19.97
85.29
0.25 0.105 0.162 93 5.26 14.71
88.86
0.105 0.074 0.088 63 3.56 11.14
100.0
0.074 0.0 0.0 197 11.14 0.0

Table 6.2

Graph 1:

Graph between aperture size and % cumulative mass passing.

 50
45
40

%cumulative mass passing

35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Aperture size(mm)

Series2 Series4

Graph 2:

Graph between aperture size and % cumulative mass retained.

120

100
%cumulative mass retained

80

60

40

20

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Aperture size(mm)

F 80
Reduction ratio ¿ =12.25
P80

The reduction ratio was calculated and equal to 12.25.

6.12 Comments:
Rod mill is a very good selection where intermediately fine (or relatively coarser)
product is required.