Estimation of motor power output for crushing by

screen hammer mills

HIROMU ENDOH
Hokkaido Forest Products Research Institute, 071-01Nishikagura I sen 10 gou, Asahikawa,
Hokkaido, Japan
Receivedfor APT 24 December 1991;accepted 27 July 1992

Abstract-A study was made to correlate electric energy consumption per dry weight (kWh/t) of feed
crushed with mean residencetime of hammer mills. An empiricalequation to estimatemomentary electric
power (kW) required for crushingby screen hammer mills was obtained. An approximate estimation of
the motor electric power output (kW) matching a certain crushing capacity is possible.

NOMENCLATURE

De absolute size constant of the Rosin-Rammler distribution of feed [mm]

dv 50% diameter of the Rosin-Rammler distribution of product [mm]
E cumulative electric energy consumption per dry weight of feed [kWh/t]
F feed rate [t/h]
Pmax
x maximum crushing capacity [t/h]
maximum hold-up in the mill [t]
L length of mill [m]
I width of hammer in the rotational direction [m]
n distribution constant of feed in the Rosin-Rammler distribution diagram
number of hammers [-]
P momentary electric power [kW]
P.,,x motor electric power output matching the feed rate at maximum crushing
capacity [kW]
r distance from the top of the hammer to the center of the rotational axis of
the mill [m]
Sr opening area ratio of screen [%]
t mean residence time through mill [h]
pb bulk density of loosely packed feed [t/m3]
T breakage characteristic time [h]
co rotational speed of hammer [rad/s]

1. INTRODUCTION

A model of the screen mills used in this study is shown schematically in Fig. 1. When
the motor output (kW) of a mill is large compared with the maximum crushing
capacity of a mill, the maximum crushing capacity will be decided by two factors.
The first factor is the maximum hold-up H". max in the mill. The second factor is the
mean residence time t through the mill. Maximum crushing capacity of a mill
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Figure 1. Model of a screen mill.

will be decided by these factors and the relationship can be expressed by the follow-
ing equation:

We have already proposed an experimental relationship between the maximum

hold-up and the size of a hammer mill in a previous paper [1]. The equation takes
the form:

In the same paper we also proposed an experimental relation between the mean
residence time t and the operational conditions of hammer mills. The equation takes
the following form:

From (1), (2) and (3), the maximum crushing capacity of a hammer mill Pmax can be
expressed as follows:

We can estimate the mill scale and the operational conditions necessary to obtain
the maximum crushing capacity by (4); however, we have no knowledge of the
motor power output (kW) required when the feed is charged at the maximum
crushing feed rate.
On the other hand, when the motor output (kW) of a mill is small compared with
the maximum crushing capacity, the mill will not be able to run at the maximum
feed rate, even if the mill is sufficiently large and could be operated at suitable
settings for the maximum crushing capacity. We need a 'comparison' scale by which
we can estimate motor power output matching the maximum crushing capacity.
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Electric energy consumption for crushing depends not only on the material
properties of the feed but also on the size and operational conditions of the mill.
There have been few investigations which enable us to estimate the electric energy
consumption for crushing based on the material properties of feed, and the size and
operational conditions of mills. The purpose of this study is to establish a method
to estimate the electric energy consumption for crushing by hammer mills and to
decide the motor power output required.

2. BASIC CONSIDERATIONS

The relation between energy consumption E (kWh/t) and feed rate F and
momentary motor electric power P (kW) is expressed by the following equation:

When a mill is running at the maximum crushing rate Pmax' the momentary motor
electric power Pmax can be expressed by the following equation:

We can easily obtain the value of E; however, we must know its value in the stage
of determining the specifications of the mill. When we can obtain a relation between
the electric energy consumption for crushing E and factors related to the conditions
of mills, we can estimate the motor power output required when the feed is charged
at the maximum crushing feed rate, according to (6).
In this study, the relationships between the electric energy consumption per dry
weight of feed for crushing and the mean residence time of mills are discussed.

3. EXPERIMENT

Electric energy consumption per dry weight of feed for crushing E can be measured
during batch crushing or steady state crushing. We measured it during batch
crushing. The reason is that we can measure it easily and we can take many measure-
ments in a relative short time. Momentary electric power P during steady state
crushing was measured when continuous feed was achieved by a constant-rate
feeder.
The particles used in this study were coal, sand, charcoal and five species of wood.
Densities and particle size are listed in Table 1. Nine kinds of screen hammer mills
were used in this study. The mills specifications are listed in Table 2.
In batch crushing, feed particles were thrown in the mill at a stretch. The weight
of feed was such that the mill did not stall. In steady state crushing, feed particles
in the hopper were charge constantly into the mill by a continuous screw or vibration
feeder.
The size distribution of particles by weight was measured using the standard sieves
ruled by the Japanese Industrial Standards.
Net energy consumption was measured by a Watt meter. Momentary electric
power P (kW) showed a constant value during steady state crushing but was not con-
stant during batch crushing. The electric energy consumption for crushing per dry
weight E (kWh/t) was obtained from the cumulation of momentary electric power
and the dry weight of products during batch crushing.
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Table 1.
Dimensionsand densities of particles used

'Based on oven-dry weight.

4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Figure 2 shows the relation between the cumulative electric energy consumption per
dry weight E (kWh/t) during batch crushing and the mean residence time t, which
was calculated by (3). The breakage characteristic time T of particles was character-
ized in the same manner in a previous paper [1]. From the curve in Fig. 2, the electric
energy consumption per dry weight E can be expressed as follows:

From (5) and (7), we can calculate the momentary electric power P during steady
state crushing by the following equation:
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Figure 2. Relation betweencumulativeelectricenergyconsumptionper dry weightE and mean residence

time through a mill t.

Figure 3. Relation between momentary electric power measured (Pm)and calculated (P,).
 77

Figure 3 shows the relation between the momentary electric power measured, P.,
at steady state crushing and that calculated by (8), Pc. The cumulative electric energy
consumption per dry weight E (kWh/t) during batch crushing seemed to be larger
than during steady state crushing. Consequently, Fig. 3 shows that the value of
momentary electric power calculated using electric energy consumption per dry
weight E (kWh/t) during batch crushing is bigger than the value measured during
steady state crushing. However, from the curve in Fig. 3, measured monentary
electric power was almost equal to that calculated. We could obtain the momentary
electric power when the feed was charged at the maximum crushing feed rate by
substituting for F in (8). This power is the motor electric power output
matching the feed rate at the maximum crushing capacity. We can calculate the
maximum crushing capacity Fna, by (4).
We previously mentioned Equations (1) and (6), which included maximum
crushing capacity. When is exchanged for in (6), it takes the following
form:

From (1), (6') and (7), the following equations are obtained:

From (7), we can calculate how much energy is consumed by the mill. The weight of
the hold-up in mill consumes momentary electric power P; the weight of the
maximum hold-up consumes P . *

5. CONCLUSIONS
In order to determine the motor electric power output matching a certain crushing
capacity, the relationships between electric energy consumption for crushing and the
mean residence time have been discussed. An approximate estimation of the motor
electric power output matching the feed rate at maximum crushing capacity is
possible.

REFERENCE
1. H. Endoh, Estimation of maximum crushing capacity of hammer mills. Adv. Powder Technol. 3,
235-245, 1992.