MM320 Tutorial - 5

In a batch grinding example, part of material in any size is disappearing due to breakage, while additional material is
entering the size fraction as a result of breakage of particles in larger size fractions.
Thus, for the top size fraction:
.......................................(1) ...... K1 is breakage rate in min-1
for the second size fraction :
......................(2) ......b1 is the breakage rate of size 1
for the third size fraction :
.....(3)
and in general:
............(4)
That is, accumulation = breakage out + appearance in size 'i' by fracture of particles in size 'j'
Problem:
Use the following data which provides size wise breakage rates (ki) as well as breakage functions (bi-j) to calculate the
mass of breakage products. See sample calculations. The ball mill being used for this grinding example has diameter
as well as length of 3.35m. Assume batch grinding, 800 t/hr feed through, 45% charge filling and s=3145kg/m3.
(Assumption: (1) Plug flow through the mill (2) all minerals in the ball mill have same breakage parameters/rates (2)
Charge has 32% porosity, (3) feed is 50% solids by volume).

i
1
2
3
4
5
6
----

Size(m)
-2360
-1700
-1180
-850
-600
-----

+2360
+1700
+1180
+850
+600
+425
-----

Ii (%)
2.4
3.1
4.0
5.0
6.6
9.1
---100.0

bi-j
0.41
0.20
0.114
0.081
0.057
0.040
---1.000

ki
9.6
6.8
4.8
3.4
2.4
1.7
----

Mi,t
t=1
2.0160

t=2
1.6934

t=3

t=4

Partial solution:
Material holdup is defined as the total amount of mineral(or charge) present in the mill
Pulp density is defined as the percentage solids (by volume) in the pulp.
One may also calculate some important parameters in batch grinding:
1. Hold up = volume x charge filling x charge porosity x pulp density x mineral density
= x ((3.35)2 /4) x 3.35 x 0.45 x 0.32 x 0.5 x 3.145 = 6.69 t
2. Residence time = =
= [6.69(t) / 800 (t/hr)] x 60(conversion factor) = 0.50 min.
Equation 4 above can be re-written in the form of difference equation, ....................................................................(5)
where mi can be replaced by (mi, t+1 - mi, t) if t is small enough.

t=5

Therefore,

............................(6)

In this example, one may take t = 1 second, and Ii may be used in place of mi.
Sample calculations:
For top size fraction, (i=1), and after 1 sec:
..........(Based on eqn. 6)
After 1 sec, (since b1-1 = 0),

and after 2 Sec,

AND SO ON....
For the second size fraction (i=2), and after 1sec :
......................(Based on eqn. 6) ........ (m2,0=3.1)
(students to calculate m2,1........................... )
and after 2 seconds....................
(students to calculate m2,2............................)
For the third size fraction (i=3), and after 1sec :
and after 2 seconds- ,

..........(Based on eqn. 6)
.................... (students to calculate...........................)

and after 3 seconds- ,

.................... (students to calculate...........................)

Create an excel sheet to obtain the grinding results after several grinding cycles. Some sample results are tabulated
below for your reference.

Mi,t
t=1
2.0160
2.9061
3.9008
4.9618
6.5873
9.0939

t=2
1.6934
2.7090
3.7883
4.9113
6.5653
9.0811

t=3
1.4225
2.5131
3.6653
4.8496

t=4
1.1949
2.3216
3.5344

t=5
1.0037
2.1368

t=30
0.0128
0.1573
0.7465
2.0343
4.1144
7.0661