31-Aug-15

Size Reduction (Comminution)

(i) Theory of size reduction
(ii) Ways/Methods of comminution
(iii) Laws of comminution
(iv) Size reduction equipment & selection

• Size reduction:
All the ways in which particles of solids are converted in
smaller pieces
• Why size reduction ???
# Chunks of crude ore  crushed to workable size
# Synthetic chemicals  grounded into powder
# Sheets of plastic  cut in tiny cubes (or, in other shape)
# In process industry where solid materials are processed with
fluids  For example, paint industry where pigments must be fine
# Commercial products  like drugs must meet stringent
specification regarding the size and sometimes shape
# Waste disposal of solid materials (e.g., convert materials in small
pieces before Incineration)
# In heterogeneous reaction: Solid catalyst in appropriate sizes and
shape

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Objectives
 Purpose of size reduction is not only to make “smaller particles
from big ones”, BUT also to produce a product of the desired
size or size range (and sometimes desire shape)
 Size requirements for various products varies. A size range for
one purpose may be highly undesirable for another, even when
the same material is involved.
 In many cases, products with narrow limits in size variation
required
 Usually difficult to achieve by size reduction only.
 Size separation using screening required to secure the
desired limitations in size range.
 Size reduction & size separation are closely associated
 Lab screen analysis are necessary to evaluate the
effectiveness of a size reduction operation as well as to
furnish data for estimating the energy required

Metal Ore Separation

• Ore consist : Valuable minerals + Undesired gangue
minerals
• Break up the ore mass mechanically
 thus freeing the valuable materials from gangue
• Minerals then separated  gravity or flotation methods

Thus purpose/benefits of the size reduction is two folds:

(1) produce solids with desired size ranges (or, specific surfaces)
(2) break apart minerals or crystals of chemical compounds which
are intimately associated in the solid state and thus permits
separation of undesired ingredients

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• Forces  Compression or Shear or Both

• Ways of size reduction
(i) Compression: for coarse reduction of hard particles
(example, chunk of crude ore)
(ii) Impact: gives coarse, medium, or fine products
(iii) Attrition or Rubbing: yields very fine products
from soft, near non-abrasive materials
(example, synthetic chemicals grounded into powder)
(iv) Cutting: gives a definite particle size &
sometimes a definite shape, with few or no fine
(example, sheet of plastics cut into tiny cubes)

Principle of Comminution
• Criteria of reduction:
An ideal crusher would
(1) have a large capacity
(2) require a small power input per unit of product
(3) yield a product of the single size distribution desired

• Energy and power requirements in size reduction

The cost of power is a major expense in crushing and
grinding, so the factors that control this cost are
important

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Characteristics of comminuted products in reality

• Unlike an ideal process, an actual unit does not yield a

uniform product (irrespective of the feed is uniformly sized or
not)

 Product always consist  mixture of particles varying in sizes

(ratio of largest diameter to smallest particles ≈ order of 104)

 Fine particles (if undesired) can be minimized but cannot

eliminated)

• Feed (if uniform in shape, chemical & physical structures):

shape of the individual units may be quite uniform
OTHERWISE: grains in various size of a single product may
differ significantly in shape

• Efficiency of crushing
Ratio of the surface energy created by crushing to the
energy absorbed by solid is the crushing efficiency.

Size reduction is one of the least energy-efficient of all

the unit operations.

• Laws of comminution
Rittinger’s Law
Kick’s Law
Bond’s Law