SIZE REDUCTION

Size reduction is the process of reducing large solid units or substance into smaller unit

mass, coarse or fine particles. It is also known as comminution, diminution or pulverization. It can

be achieved by precipitation and mechanical processes. In precipitation, large unit of mases is

dissection in appropriate solvent but in mechanical size reduction, mechanical force using different

equipment is used.

The purpose of size reduction includes the following

a. To increase surface area

b. To achieve breaking a material into very small particles to separate the valuable amongst

the two constituents i.e. size reduction is carried out to achieve in some solid, the separation

of various ingredients found in them, a process known as beneficiation.

c. To achieve intimate mining

d. To aid easy disposal of solid wastes

e. To improve handling characteristics of some solids.

Generally, the terms crushing and grinding are used to signify the subdividing of large solid

particles into smaller particles. Solid may be reduced in size by a number of methods (or

mechanisms).

• Impact: This implies particle concussion by a single rigid force (hammer) to give coarse,

medium or fine sizes

• Compression (or crushing): This is particle disintegration by two rigid forces often applied

for reduction of hard solids to coarse sizes.

hard surfaces moving tangentially.

• Attrition: This arises when particles scrape against one another or against a rigid surface.

• Cutting: this s used to give definite sizes.

Equipment for Size reduction

Size reduction equipment may be classified according to the way forces are applied on the feed for

the reduction intended, which is as follows:

a) Between two surfaces such as in crushing and shearing;

b) At one surface such as in impact;

c) By action of surrounding medium, such as in colloid mills

A more practical classification is to divide the equipment into crushers, grinders, fine grinders and

cutters.

Crushers are slow-speed machines for coarse reduction of large amounts of solids. There are

several types of crushers in use. They include the jaw crushers: dodge crushers (Figure 1a), Blake

crushers (Figure 1b), Gyratory crushers (Figure 2a) and Roll crushers (Figure 2b) as indicated in

the Figures below. For cases of desiring to achieve reduction of intermediate-sized materials to

small sizes or powder Hammer mill grinders or revolving grinding mills can be used.
Figure 1: Types of Jaw Crushers (a) Dodge type (b) Blake type

Figure 2: Crushers (a) Gyratory crushers (b) roll crushers

Applications of Sizes Reduction

In the food processing Industry

1. Roller mills are used to grind wheat and rye to flour and grind corn.

2. Hammer mills are often used to produce potato flour, tapioca, and other flours.

3. Soya beans are rolled, pressed and ground to produce oil and flour.
 4. Sugar is ground to produce a finer product.

Ore Processing and Cement industries

5. Copper ores, nickel and cobalt ores, and iron ores, for example, are ground before chemical

processing.

6. Limestone, Marble, gypsum and dolomite are ground to be used as fillers in paper, paint

and rubber.

Laws of Comminution

In size reduction of solids, the materials are fractured. The particles of the feed are first

distorted and strained by the action of the size reduction machines. This work (i.e. energy) to strain

the particles is first stored temporarily in the solid as strain energy. As additional force is added to

the stressed particles, the strain energy exceeds a certain level and the material fractures into

smaller pieces.

The energy required for fracture is a complicated function of the type of material, size,

hardness and other factors.

The magnitude of the mechanical force applied, the duration, the type of force (such as

compression, shear, and impact); and other factors affect the extent and efficiency of the size

reduction process. The important factors in the size reduction process are the amount of energy or

power used and the particles size and new surface formed.

The various theories or laws proposed for predicting power requirements for size reduction

of solids do not apply well in practice due to some shortcomings which include inability to estimate

the theoretical amount of energy required to fracture and create new surface area.
 Some of the acceptable theories derived depend upon the assumption that the energy E

required to produce a change dX in a particle of size X is a power function of X. Hence, the laws

of comminution are laws produced to determine energy required in comminution.

𝑑𝐸 𝐶
= − 𝑋 𝑛 𝑜𝑟 − 𝐶𝑋 𝑚 (1)
𝑑𝑋

Where
X is the size or diameter of particle in mm, and n (or m) & C are constants depending upon

type and size of material and type of machine.

i. Rittinger proposed a law which states that the work in crushing is proportional to the

new surface created. This leads to a value of n = 2 or m = -2, integrating equation (i)

gives

C  1 1 
E=  n −1 − n −1  (2)
n −1  X2 X1 
 1 1 
E = CR  −  (3)
 X 2 X1 

Where X1 & X2 are mean diameter of feed and product respectively.

E = work to reduce a unit mass of feed from X1 to X2

And CR = Constant = KRfc

fc = Crushing strength of material

The Rittinger’s law implies that the same amount of energy is required or needed to reduce a

material from 100 mm to 50 mm as is needed to reduce the same material from 50mm to 33.3mm.

ii. Kick assumed that the energy required to reduce a material in size was directly

proportional to the size reduction ratio. This is implies in equation 1.

Where KK = a constant

This implies that the same amount of energy is required to reduce a material from 100 mm to 50

mm as is needed to reduce the same material from 50 mm to 25 mm.

iii. Bond suggests from his experimental data that the work required using a large size feed

is proportional to the square root of the surface to volume ratio of the product. Thus

corresponds to n = 1.5 equation (i) giving

1
𝐸 = 𝐾𝐵 𝑓𝑐 (5)
√𝑋2

Where KB = a constant

To use equation (5), Bond proposed a work index Ei as the work ( kW  h ton ) required to reduce a

unit weight from a very large size to 80% passing a 100  m screen. Then the work E is the gross

work required to reduce a unit weight of feed with 80% passing a diameter X F  m to a product

with 80% passing X P  m .

Bond’s final equation in terms of

a. English units is

P  1 1 
= 1.46 Ei  −  where P  = hp; T  =  tons / min; Dp , DF  =  ft (6a)
T  D DF 
 P

P  1 1 
b. = 0.3162 Ei  −  where P  = kW ; T  =  tons / hr ; D p , DF  =  mm (6b)
T  D DF 
 P
NB: The work index includes the friction in the crusher, and the power given by equation (6) is

gross power. Values of typical work indices for some common materials do exist in literature. The

data n literature do not vary greatly among different machines of the same general type and apply

to dry crushing or to wet grinding. For dry grinding, the power calculated from equation (6) is

4
multiplied by .
3

Example: In crushing a certain ore, the feed is such that 80% is less than 50.8mm in size and the

product size is such that 80% is less than 6.35 mm. The power required is 89.5 kW. What will be

the power required using the same feed so that 80% is less than 3.18 mm? (Use the Bond Equation).

Solution:

Given: initial experimental data : DF = 50.8 mm; DPi = 6.35 m; Pi = 89.5 kW

Using Bond’s law

89.5  1 1 
= 1.46 Ei  − 
T  6.35 50.8 
89.5
Ei T = = 238.99  239
1.46  0.2565
239
T =
Ei
For the econd scenario : for the same feed of material with D p = 3.18mm
P  1 1 
= 1.46 Ei  − 
T  3.18 50.8 
P
= 1.46 Ei ( 0.4205 )
T
 E 
P  i  = 0.61388 Ei
 239 
P = 146.72 kW