Powder Technology, 69 (1992) 133-137 133

Batch grinding kinetics

L. S. Gurevitch, Ye. B. Kremer and A. Ya. Fidlin

Mekhanobr Institute, YO., 21 Linia 8-a, St. Petersburg (Russia)

(Received October 22, 1990; in revised form June 6, 1991)

Abstract

A general solution has been found for an equation describing batch grinding kinetics, based on the assumption
that in disintegrating a single particle the size distribution of fragments can be described by the
Goden-Schuhmann-Andreev equation. The asymptotes of this solution have been studied for long residence
times and shown to be of a self-similar and universal nature. Some practical implications of these results are
examined.

Introduction Equation (1) can be transformed into the following

form:
The integro-differential equation of grinding kinetics
can be traced back to the work of Kolmogorov [l].
Some aspects of the solution to this equation have
been studied by Melzak [2], Loveday [3] and Reid [4].
aR(x, t)
-zz

at s
-

x
P(x,)S(x,, x) y
1
&,

Further major contributions to studying the discrete where:

version of the equation were made by Austin [S, 61, m
Lynch [7] and others. This attention to the discrete
R(x, t)= WI, t) &I
model is explained by the possibility of its numerical sx
solution. At the same time, consideration of the integro-
differential continuity equation describing grinding ki- and
netics allows its general analytical solution to be derived.
This solution can be used for further numerical analysis,
and is also valuable for studying the general mechanism %, X) ] 4x1, x,) du,
of the process. 0

The function R(x, t) is interpreted as the volumetric

concentration of particles larger than x.
Let us assume that the size distribution of fragments
Grinding kinetics equation and its solution in disintegrating a single particle can be described by
the Goden-Schuhmann-Andreev equation:

0s
The integro-differential equation of grinding has the
following form: a(x,x)= y ;

qx, 0
~ = - C(x, t)(fyx) + j: C(x, t)P(x)a(x, x) dx or
at x
s+1

w&4= i (3)
(1) 0
where: C(x, t) is the volumetric concentration of particles To solve eqn. (2) it is necessary to assume the initial
in the size range from x to (x + do); at time t, P(x) is condition:
the specific breakage rate which Lynch [7] termed the
solution function, and a(~, x) is the breakage function R(x, 0) =%(x) (4)
which can be interpreted as the size distribution of It should be stressed that eqn. (2) does not require
fragments resulting from breakage of a single particle. any boundary conditions.

0032-5910/92/$5.00 0 1992 - Elsevier Sequoia. All rights resewed

134

Let us apply the Laplace transformation to eqn. (2): Asymptotic behaviour of the broken particle
distribution

x&[s&x,s) -R,(x)] = $ P(_q) y (x+) Let us assume that x0 is a certain characteristic size
x
in the initial size distribution. Now let us switch to
where dimensionless variables:
m u =xIx,, r=Bxh (9)
@x,
s) = s R(x, t) exp( - ts) dt (5) and introduce the notations:
0
R(x, t) =ar(u, ?), R, =ar,(u) (10)
By differentiating eqn. (5) with respect to x, we obtain
a linear differential equation giving E as a function of where a is the normalization factor and ro(l) = 1. Then,
x. Taking into account condition (4), eqn. (5) can be using the method of integration by parts, expression
reduced to the form: (8) can be reduced to the form:

R(x, S) = & t) = exp( - r){ro(u) + (v-- l)r+(u, r)] (11)

where
m x,s+1 exp]-&, x1, s)] $ [~o(x,VxIs+l
% m
- 1

s s+%) 4(u, r)= - s (l+x),F,(2- v, 2; -7~)r~[u(l+x)~] dx

x
0

(6)

where v= -a+1

**
(12)
A

P(& x1, s) =
s (6f 1)s dK
* x[s +P(x)]
Consider now the behaviour of the function R at
high values of t, with corresponding values of r and u
as defined in eqn. (9). It should be noted that r,[u(l +x)]
In general, reverse Laplace transformation to obtain is a continuous monotonic decreasing function. We use
R(x, t) presents considerable difficulty. However, in the the theorem of passing to the limit for improper integrals
majority of cases of any practical importance, the se- [9]. Noting that ro(l)= 1, we obtain the asymptotic
lection function has the form: expression:
P(x) = Bx* (7)
r(u, r)l,-0 =r,(r)= exp(-r)[ I-(v-I)7 J (1+x)
The parameter A depends on the nature of the
0
comminution process. Where disintegration occurs pri-

1
marily by impact, A is N 1. When attrition and crushing
take place as a result of balls rolling and slipping, A xx,F,(2 - V; 2, - 7x) dx (13)
is -0.5.
By using (7) we invert the Laplace transformation (see The function rrn(7) may be represented in more simple
Appendix) and obtain the analytical solution of eqn. form as:
(2) for an arbitrary initial size distribution R,(x):
r_(r) = r(u, 7)/r(v), r(~, r) = j xy- exp( -x) du
~(x, t>= -~+l exp(-Bx?) 1: r+] 7
x
(14)
a+1 It is easy to show by direct substitution that the function
-IF1 - h; 1; B(x"--xlA)t dx, (8) T(v, 7)/r(~) is a solution of eqn. (2) with the same
1
initial condition (ro(u) = 1) as the right-hand side of
where lFl(~, p, z) is the confluent hypergeometric (13). The equivalence of these two representations
Kummer function, defined by the formula [8]: follows directly from the solution theorem for linear
evolutional, eqn. (2) with initial condition (4).
lFl(a, p, z)= rO
r(a)
r(a+k)
2 T(P+k)
k-0
Z
k! The existence of self-similar solutions to the kinetics
equation has been discussed earlier by Kapur and
in which r(a) is the gamma-function. Fuerstenau [lo]. The relationship between eqns. (11)
 135

and (13) shows the self-similar solution to be a universal

asymptote; i.e. the asymptote to which the solutions (19)
corresponding to arbitrary initial size distributions tend.
Let us determine the size distribution of particles
It should be stressed that the parameters 6, A, B,
as represented by the general moments:
Ai and qi included in eqn. (19) are defined by several
different groups of factors. The parameter 6 depends
on the comminuted material only and may be defined
J dx
by means of single particle crushing experiments [16].
lL= O_ (15)
The parameter A, as we have noted before, is defined
by the nature of the comminution process. The pa-
J iI.x rameter B is directly proportional to the mill drive
0
power, with the coefficient of proportionality depending
By limiting the scope of consideration to the self-similar on the material [lo]. The magnitudes of Ai and qi
asymptote from eqn. (14), it is easy to obtain an characterize only the initial size distribution.
expression for the first moment, i.e. the mean particle Three groups of experimental data were used to
size: verify the theoretical description of kinetics. The first
of these [14], shown in Fig. 1, refers to ball mill wet
(16) grinding of quartz of 3-O mm from one of the USSR
deposits, and the second [15] to rod mill wet grinding
Hence follows an expression for the elementary work of Brazil quartz with limestone (Fig. 2). The third group
&4 to be performed in order to reduce the average
particle size by Spl ,:

where N is the power of the mill drive.

This expression is similar to that derived by Kapur
[ll] and conforms to well-known grinding laws. For
A= 0.5, 1 and zero, the respective relationships are
known as the laws of Bond, Rittinger and Kirpitchev-
Kick [12]. 0 X, ry1 1.50

It must be stressed that the expression (17) is solely
an asymptote. Therefore, the kinetic laws describing
the grinding process [13] are related fundamentally to
the form of the self-similar universal asymptotic solution.
Fig. 1. Comparison between experimental data and theoretical
description (quartz, ball mill, wet grinding). 6=0.9, A=OS;
B=0.57;n=4,A,=0.90,q,=4.7;A,=0.032,q~=4.67;A,=0.0075,
q,=5.33; Aq=0.063, q,=40.78.

Comparison with experimental results

In practical calculations it may be convenient to

approximate the initial size distribution by superposition
of functions

[()I
A

R,(x) = 5 AJ,
i-1
4id (18)
0.75
0 XI VW

Fig. 2. Comparison between experimental data and theoretical

where Aj, qi and rr are constants to be determined to description (Brazilian quartz, rod mill). 6 = 0.9, A = 0.5; B = 0.946;
give the best approximation to an experimental size n=4, A,=0.13, q,=4.92; Az=0.17, q2=1.21; A,-0.69, q3=0.72;
distribution. Here we obtain: Ad=0.00072, q,=2.51.
136
of data relates to ball mill dry grinding of the same
quartz used in the first group [14] (Fig. 3).
For all three cases we have assumed S=O.9 in ac-
cordance with [15]. For the parameter A two hypotheses
have been investigated: A=05 and A= 1, which cor-
respond to Bonds and Rittingers laws. The parameters
Ai, qi (i = 1,...,4) have been defined by the least squares
technique from the initial size distribution curves for
x,=1 mm.
The original sources [14, 151 give no data for the
size distribution when t =O. Therefore, we have taken
the size distributions for the minimum grinding time
(t= 3 min in the first and third cases, f= 1 min in the
second) as the initial size distributions. The parameter
B has been evaluated from the size analysis for maximum
grinding time. All the other curves have been plotted
using these values.
One can see from the figures that the accuracy of
prediction is quite satisfactory when h=0.5 for both
wet (Figs. 1, 2) and dry grinding (Fig. 3). On the
contrarywhen A= 1 the description cannot be considered
satisfactory (Fig. 4, curves for t = 5 and t = 10 min).
0 X,
Fig. 3. Comparison between experimental data and theoretical
description (quartz, ball mill, dry grinding). 6=0.9, A =0.5;
B=0.217; n=l,A,=l.O, q,=5.43.
0 XI rwl
Fig. 4. Comparison between experimental data and theoretical
description (quartz, ball mill, wet grinding). 6=0.9, A= 1.0;
B=1.136; n=4, A,=0.78, q1=2.21; Az=0.21,
A,=4.33xlO-, q3=0.07; A,=4.45~10-~, q.,=9.87.
0 c 12.0
Fig. 5. Grinding kinetics in dimensionless variables.
Figure 5 shows the kinetic curves for the first data
group in terms of the dimensionless variables u and r
(Fig. 5). This figure illustrates the rapid approach of
the solution to the self-similar asymptote, when u-0.
Conclusions
The general solution of the integro-differential equa-
tion describing batch grinding kinetics (2) in the case
of a power law breakage function (3) is complex (eqn.
(8)). However, this solution is a starting point for further
analysis, leading to some general conclusions and rec-
ommendations:
(1) A self-similar solution (eqn. (4)) exists, to which
the solutions corresponding to arbitrary initial size
distributions tend; i.e. the self-similar asymptote is
universal.
(2) Well-known grinding laws have an asymptotic
kinetic nature, related to the universal character of the
self-similar asymptote.
1.50
(3) A special approximation, to the initial size dis-
tribution (eqn. (18)) allows the solution to be reduced
to rather simple form (eqn. (19)), which is very con-
venient for practical calculations. There is good agree-
ment between calculated and experimental data on
kinetics for both ball and rod mills, as well as for wet
and dry grinding. This confirms the adequacy of the
model with a power law breakage function and dem-
onstrates the practical applicability of the method.
It should be stressed that, although batch milling is
rarely used under industrial conditions, its kinetic de-
scription is nevertheless of substantial interest. It pro-
vides a means of obtaining a description of continuous
operation by the following formula [17]:
1.50 L&)= J &&h(X~ t)E(t) d (20)
0
q,=17.38; where R,,,(x) and R&&x, t)are the size distributions
for continuous and batch processes respectively, and
 137

E(t) is the residence time distribution for the mill [17,

181. (A41

References where a =P(xl) -P(X).

Using Laplace transformation tables (for example [19])
A. N. Kolmogorov, DAN USSR, 31 (1941) 99. we find:
Z. A. Melzak, Trun.r. Amer. Math. Sot., 85 (1957) 547.
B. K. Loveday, J. S. Afr. Inst. Min. Met&?, 68 (1967) 11. f(t) = ,F1(v, 1; at) = ,F,( - V; 1; -at) exp(at) (A3
J. K. Reid, Chem. Eng. Sci., 20 (1965) 953.
L. G. Austin, Powder Technol., 5 (1971) 1. Hence:
L. G. Austin, Ind. Eng. Chem. Process Des. Dev., 12 (1973)
P(x)
7
121.
A. J. Lynch, Mineral Crushing and Grinding Circuits. Their
Simulation, Optimization, Design and Control, Vol. 1, Elsevier,
J(t)
= P(xl)
-
( 1exp[
- WWI
Amsterdam, 1977. x {( - v, 1; V(4 -q~I)l~ OW
8 M. Abramowitz and I. Stegun (eds.), Handbook of Mathe-
matical Functions with Formulae, Graphs and Mathematical and eqn. (8) follows.
Tables, NBS, AMS 55, 1964.
9 G. M. Fikhtengoits, Course in Differential and Integral Calculus,
Vol. 2, (in Russian), Nauka, Moscow, 1969. List of symbols
10 P. C. Kapur and D. W. Fuerstenau, Znt. J. Miner. Process.,
20 (1987) 45. gamma-function
r(4
11 P. C. Kapur, Min. Met. Process., 5 (1988) 133.
7 r) incomplete gamma-function
12 Handbook on Ore Enrichment: Preparatoty Processes (in Rus-
sian), Nedra, Moscow, 1982. exponent in Goden-Schuhmann-Andreev
13 L. G. Austin and P. T. Luckie, Trans. AIME, 252 (1972) 259. equation
14 L. F. Bilenko, Laws of Grinding in TumblingMills (in Russian), h exponent in selection function
Nedra, Moscow, 1984. kth moment of r(u, t)
pk
15 D. W. Fuerstenau and P. Somasundaran, Proc. 6th Miner.
first moment of r,(7)
Process. Congress, Cannes, 1963, paper 3B.
16 A. Hiifler and J. A. Herbst, in Proc. 7th Eur. Symp. Com- $i, -9 breakage function
minution, Lubljana, 1990, Part 1, p. 381. dimensionless time
17 L. S. Gurevich and E. B. Kremer, Obogashch. Rud, 3 (1983) li factor in approximation to initial distri-
34. bution
18 J. E. Nesset, CZM Bull, 81 (1988) 919 75.
&4 elementary work
19 V. A. Ditkin and A. P. Prudnikov, Integral Transforms and
Operational Calculus (in Russian), Nauka, Moscow, 1974. normalization factor
; factor in selection function
W, 0 volumetric concentration of particles of size
Appendix: inversion of the Laplace transformation
range from x to x+ dr (size distribution)
for I& s) 1F1(~, p, z) confluent hypergeometric Kmnmer func-
Transition from eqn. (6) to eqn. (8) can be reduced tion
to the inversion of the following Laplace transformation: N power of the mill drive
n number of functions in initial distribution
approximation
(Al) P(x) selection function
4i coefficient in approximation to initial dis-
tribution
ax, t) volumetric concentration of particles bigger
than x (cumulative size distribution)
ROW initial cumulative size distribution
R(x,0 Laplace transformation of R(x, t)
44 4 normalized cumulative size distribution
r&) initial normalized size distribution
Taking into consideration that: r- (4 self-similar asymptote
Wl, 4 cumulative breakage function
= ~hd
fis +JJWl --~Wlf(t)~ t time
U dimensionless size
m = wfm> X size of particles
one can reduce the problem to the following inversion: x0 reference size in the initial size distribution