1.

BALL MILL

AIM:

To determine the energy required for crushing the given feed

and thus obtain the work index for the same. Also determine the
reduction ration and critical speed of the mill.

THEORY:

The ball mill is classified as an intermediate and fine grinder

where the action of the grinding is based on impact and attrition.
The ball mill consists of a cylindrical shell slowly turning about
a horizontal axis and filled to about half its volume with a solid
grinding medium. The shell is usually steel lined with silica rock
and rubber. When the mill is rotated the balls are picked by the
mill wall and carried nearly to the top where they break contact
with the wall and fall to the bottom to be picked up again.
Centrifugal force keeps the ball in contact with the wall and with
each other during the upward movement.
At low speeds of rotation the balls simply roll over one another
and little crushing action is obtained. At slightly higher speeds,
they are projected short distances across the mill, and at still higher
speeds balls are thrown greater distance and considerable wear of
the lining of the mill takes place. At very high speeds the balls are
carried right round in contact with the sides of the mill and little
grinding takes place, the mill is then said to be centrifuging. The
speed of the mill at which centrifuging occurs is called Critical
speed. For efficient operation of the mill, it should always be run
at a speed less than the critical speed and hence determination of
critical mill speed becomes important.

APPARATUS REQUIRED:

Ball mill experimental setup, sample and sieves.

PROCEDURE:
1. The grinding elements are placed in the mill and the mill is
allowed to run under no load condition.
2. Time takes for 1 revolution of the disc in the energy meter
is noted for
the operation of ball mill under no load condition.
3. Mill is stopped and about 250 grams of the sample is charge
In to the ball mill along with the balls. Before feeding the
sample into the mill feed size (Df) is measured either by
volume displacement method or Ferets method.
4. The ball mill is started and allowed to run for 15 minutes.
5. Time taken for 1 revolution of the disc in the energy
 meter is noted for the operation of ball mill under on load
condition.
6. The sample after crushing is transferred to the sieves and
mechanically agitated for 10 minutes.
7. The quantity of sample retained on each sieve is weighed
and tabulated as shown in the table. The screen analysis
data is used to determine the mass mean diameter of the
product (Dp).
OBSERVATION:
Quantity
Feed size,ofDfeed
f sample = Ton
m
=
Time taken for 1 complete = m
Total time the mill is put = hr
hr
to operation Energyfrom
(To be observed meterthe =
Experimental Setup)
TABULATION:

S Me Size of Average Mass Mass Dp=

L. sh Aperture Particle size in fracti xi
N No. Da in each each on xi Dpi

FORMULAE REQUIRED:

1) Energy required for crushing

 E=[n1-n] [m x EMC] kW hr/Tones
2) Work Index
Wi=[E][1/Dp-1Df]

3) Reduction ration = Feed size % Product size

4) Critical speed of ball mill
nc=1/2[gR-r]
Where
n1 is the no. of revolutions of the energy meter disc during the mill
operation under on load condition.
n is the no. of revolution of the energy meter disc during the mill
operation under no load condition.
m is mass of sample in tones.
EMC is Energy meter constant.
Dp is mass mean diameter of the product sample in mm
Df is the diameter of the feed sample in mm

g is acceleration due to gravity in m/sec2

R is radius of the Ball mill in m (25 x 10-2m)

r is the radius of the ball in m (4.125 x 10-2m)

RESULT:

Using the Ball mill experimental setup the following were

determined
 1) Energy required for crushing = k W hr/Ton
2) Work index= kW hr mm/Ton
3) Reduction ratio =
Critical speed of the ball mill=