INSTRUCTION MANUAL.

BALL MILL
SET UP
DESCRIPTION
SPECIFICATIONS
INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS
INSTALLATION AND CONNECTIONS
PRECAUTIONS
TROUBLE SHOOTING

EXPREMENTATION
THEORY
OPERATING PROCEDURE
SYSTEM CONSTANTS
OBSERVATION TABLE
CALCULATIONS

AIM :
To plot the various type of size distribution curves for the product sample
obtained from a laboratory Ball mill.

THEORY:
Ball mill is an example of a typical revolving mill. A cylindrical shell slowly Turing
about a horizontal axis and filled to about half its volume with solids and
grinding medium, which are metal balls and samples. For intermediate and fine
reduction of abrasive material ball mills are used. This type of mills can be
continuous or batch operated. In a batch type machine a measured quantity of
solids to be ground is loaded into the mill through a opening. The opening is
closed and mill turned for required time and product discharge. The grinding
element i.e. the metal balls are carried up the side in the shell nearly to the top
from where they fail on the particles under which to be ground. The energy
expended in lifting the balls is utilized in reduction of the particles. In a ball
mill most of the reduction is done by impact as the balls are pebbles drop from
near the top of the shell.

ACTION IN BALL MILL :

The speed at which the outer most ball lose contact with the wall of the mill
depends

on

the

balance

between

gravitational

and

centrifugal

force.

Considering the ball at a on the periphery of the mill. Let the radit of he ball
be R and re respectively. The centre of the ball is then, R r from the axis of
the mill. Let the radius A0 from the angle with the vertical. Two forces act on
the ball. The first is the force of gravity mg/gc where m is the mass of the
mass of the ball. The amount is the centrifugal force mu/(r r)gc where the u
is the peripheral speed of the centre of the ball. The centripetal component of

the force of gravity is (mg/gc) cos , and this force opposes the centrifugal
force.

As long s the centrifugal force exceeds the centrifugal force, the

particle will not break the contact of wall. As the angle decreases however, the
centripetal force increases and unless the speed exceeds the critical a point is
reached where the opposite forces are equal and the particles is ready to fall
away. The angle at which this occurs is found by equating the two forces giving
mg cos

gc

mu
( R r) gc

.. Cos = u / ( R r) gc
The speed u is related to the speed of rotation is given by equation
u = 2 n ( R r)
Eq. (i) becomes

Cos = 4 n ( R r)
gc

At critical speed = 0 cos = 1 and n becomes the critical speed

nc

1
2

9c
R r

If the critical speed in r.p.m. and R.r is feet , g is numerically 32.2 X 60 and
he critical speed is given by nc = 54.2 1
Rr

PROCEDURE :
1. About 5 kg of sample is taken and transfer into the mill from the
opening provided.
2. About 100 no. metal balls are also placed inside the mill and the opening
is covered with the lid.
3. The mill is started by switching on the main switch and revolutions
adjusted for suitable speed.