BUNDELKHAND UNIVERSITY JHANSI
INSTITUTE OF FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
ASSIGNMENT ON SIZE REDUCTION
FOOD PROCESSING OPERATION
SUBMITTED BY:
SUBMITTED TO ROHIT AGRAWAL
[Link] KUMAR KATIYAR [Link] 1st Semester
Roll no. 221155081019
Size reduction
Size reduction is a process of reducing large solid unit masses - vegetables or chemical substances into
small unit masses, coarse particles or fine particles. Size reduction is commonly employed in
pharmaceutical industries. Size reduction process is also referred to as Comminution and Grinding.
When the particle size of solids is reduced by mechanical means it is known as Milling. The size reduction
operation can be divided into two major categories depending on whether the material is a solid or a
liquid. If the material is solid, the process is called grinding and cutting, if it is liquid, emulsification or
atomization.
Objectives of size reduction
Size reduction leads to increase of surface area.
Pharmaceutical capsules, insufflations (i.e. powders inhaled directly into the lungs),
suppositories and ointments require particles size to be below 60 mm size.
To increase the therapeutic effectiveness of certain drugs by reducing the particle size.
Size reduction produces particles in narrow size range. Mixing of powders with narrow
size range is easier and uniform .
Pharmaceutical suspensions require finer particle size. It reduces rate of sedimentation.
Mechanism of size reduction
Impact – this involve hammer or bar at high speed (hammer mill).
Compression- particle crushed b/w rollers by the application of force (roller mill).
Cutting – the material cut by a sharp blade (cutter mill)
Attrition - arising from particles scraping against one another or rubbing action (fluid
energy mill).
Laws governing size reduction
Griffith theory -The amount of force to be applied depends on the crack length.
Kick's law- Work required to reduce the size of a given quantity of material is constant
for the same reduction ratio regardless of the original size.
Rittinger's law -Worked use for particulate size reduction is directly proportional to the
new surface produced.
Bond's law -Worked used to reduce particle size is proportional to the square root of
the diameter of the particle produced.
Factors affecting Size Reduction
Selection of mill - It is related to feed, milled product, safety and economics
Factors related to nature of raw materials affecting size reduction
Hardness - It is easier to break soft material than hard materials. Ex: For iodine hammer
mill is used.
Fibrous - These are tough in nature. A soft, tough material has more difficulty than a hard,
brittle substance. Ex: Raowulfia, Ginger. Here cutters can be used.
Elastic / Sticky - Become soft during milling. Ex: synthetic gums, waxes, resins. Low
melting substances should be chilled before milling. These are milled using hammer,
colloid or fluid energy mill.
Melting point - Waxy substances, fats and oils are softened during size reduction due
to heat generated. This is avoided by cooling the mill and the substance.
Hygroscopic - Certain substances absorb moisture content rapidly. This wet mass
hampers the milling process. Ex: Potassium carbonate. Closed system such as porcelain
ball mill is used.
Hammer Mill
Principle
It operates on the principle of impact between rapidly moving hammers mounted on
rotor and the stationary powder material.
Parts
Consists of a metal casing, enclosing a central shaft, to which 4 or more swinging
hammers are attached. Lower part of casing consists of a screen, through which
material can pass and collected in a suitable receiver.
Construction & Working
A hammer mill is essentially a steel drum containing a vertical or horizontal rotating
shaft or drum on which hammers are mounted.
The hammers swings on the ends or fixed to the central rotor.
The rotor is rotates at a high speed inside the drum while material is fed into a feed
hopper.
The material is put into the hopper which is connected with the drum.
The material is powdered to the desired size due to fast rotation of hammers and is
collected under the screen
This are mainly operated at 1000 to 2500 rpm for the reduction of the large sized
particles. High speed rotor uses 10000 rpm speed.
Uses
Brittle material is best fractured by impact from blunt hammers.
Fibrous material is best reduced by cutting edges
Advantages
It is rapid in action, and is capable of grinding many different types of materials.
They are easy to install and operate, the operation is continuous.
There is little contamination of the product with metal abraded from the mill as surface
move against each other.
The particle size of the material to be reduced can be easily controlled by changing the
speed of the rotor, hammer type, shape and size of the screen.
Disadvantages
Heat build up during milling is more, therefore, product degradation is possible.
Hammer mills cannot be employed to mill sticky, fibrous and hard materials.
The screens may get clogged.
Ball Mill
Principle
It operates on the principle of impact and attrition between the rapidly moving balls and
the powder material, both enclosed in a hollow cylinder.
Parts
Consists of a hollow cylinder mounted on a metallic frame such that it can be rotated
along its longitudinal axis. Cylinder contains balls occupying 30–50 % of mill volume.
Weight of ball is constant; Size depends on the feed quantity and diameter of mill.
Working:
At low speeds, the ball roll over each other and attrition (rubbing action) will be the predominate
mode of action.
Thus, in the ball mill, impact or attrition or both are responsible for the size reduction.
Advantages:
It can produce very fine powder.
Ball mill is used for both wet and dry grinding processes.
Toxic substances can be ground, as the cylinder is closed system.
installation, operation and labour costs are low.
Disadvantages:
The ball mill is a very noisy machine.
Ball mill is a slow process.
Soft, fibrous material cannot be milled by ball mill.
USES –
Stainless steel are preferred in the production of ophthalmic & parentral products.
ball mill at low speed is used for milling dyes , pigments & insecticides.
EDGE RUNNER MILL
Principle
The size reduction is done by crushing due to heavy weight of stone.
Construction
It consist of two heavy rollers and may weigh several tons.
The roller move on a bed which is made up of granite or stone.
Each roller has a central shaft and revolve on its axis.
The rollers are mounted on horizontal shaft and move around the bed
Working:
The material to be ground is placed on the bed with the help of the scrapper in such a
way that it comes in the path of the stone wheel.
These stones revolve on its own axis and at the same time travel around the shallow
stone bed.
The material is ground for definite period.
The powder is collected and passed through a sieve to get powder of required size.
Advantages
Does not require attention during operation.
Disadvantages
More space than other mill, Contamination, Time consuming, Not use for sticky
materials.
Uses
Grinding tough material to fine powder.
fig. of edge runner mill-
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