‘Chemical Engineering Science, 1965, Vol. 20, pp. 953-963. Pergamon Press Ltd., Oxford. Printed in Great Brit A solution to the batch grinding equation K. J. Rep Division of Chemical Engineering, C.S.LR.O., Melbourne (Received 25 January 1965; in revised form 10 March 1965) Abstract—A practical approximation to the fundamental integro-differential equation for batch grinding. is presented and a solution developed. The solution is written in terms of two experimentally deter- mined basic parameters of the system, (1) rates of breakage and (2) breakage function, and is in a form suitable for simple extension to describe continuous grinding systems. TxTRODUCTION Size reduction, or comminution, is a unit operation of primary importance in modern industry and, although it has been used for many centuries, it still has no broad theoretical foundation In recent years there has been a wealth of litera- ture on crushing and grinding [1], but this has been essentially of an empirical or descriptive nature, with only a few papers contributing to the theoretical background. The limited number of related publica- tions in the chemical engineering journals is not a true reflection of the importance of this unit opera- tion in the chemical industries and it is expected that chemical engineers will show an increasing interest in all aspects of solids processing in the near future. In 1948 Epstetw [2] established the statistical approach to the breakage of solids and, in particu- lar, introduced the two basic comminution func- ns (a) the probability of breakage of material of a given size and, (b), the size distribution of the pro- ducts of a breakage event. For particular cases of these probability and distribution functions he was able to show that the products of a multiple break- ‘ge process would tend to a log-normal size distri- bution as is frequently observed in practice. Gaupin et al. [3] used radioactive albite as a tracer to follow the breakage of single screen sizes in a normal feed of albite but reported results at one grinding time only. Although this paper showed a practical way of observing the behaviour of material originally contained in a single screen interval, there was no attempt to explore a mathematical repre- sentation of the system. A different approach was reported in 1953 by SepcaTscHrK and Bass [4]. They proposed a set of differential equations to describe the batch grinding process and a series of experiments to yield the unknown coefficients. These experiments were done using aluminium oxide, and the technique was shown to be applicable to a system divided into four size intervals. Their approach has been criticized [5] since their experimental technique necessitates the dubious assumption that the probability of breakage is independent of the proportions of any other sizes present, and the unknown coefficients have to ‘be obtained by the simultancous solution of the differential equations. The following year Bass [6] presented a mathema- tical theory for the milling process and was the first to derive the fundamental mass balance for batch grinding as an integro-differential equation. Under certain restrictions he showed that the formal solu- tion to the basic equation yields an expression equivalent to that of the previously semi-empirical Rosin-Rammler size distribution. This theory was a formal derivation of the practical solution given in the earlier paper and presented no method of overcoming the limitations already discussed. A matrix representation of breakage, using the concepts of Epstrin, was published in 1956 by Broapsent and Caticorr [7]. This approach is of great value for describing the breakage process, but the assumptions introduced by the authors to relate their mathematical representation to experimental work are open to serious criticism [5]. In 1962 two computer solutions to the integro- differential equation for batch grinding were pre- 953K. J. Rew sented. GARDNER and Austin [8], using a radio- active tracer technique, measured the basic com- minution functions for three coals in a Hardgrove grindability machine. An iterative solution to the integro-differential equation for batch grinding was used to calculate product size distributions, using the known feed size distribution and the experi- mentally determined comminution functions, and the calculated results were in agreement with their experiments. This work established the feasibility of measuring the fundamental properties of the system and using them to predict experimental results, and also confirmed that the basic batch grinding equation is a valid representation of the physical system. Gauprw and Mrtoy [9] in a purely theoretical paper used the matrix notation for the solution to the batch grinding equation and presented caleu- lated results for several theoretical batch grinds involving different probabilities of breakage and breakage distribution functions. Their calculated size distributions showed the same general form as experimental results reported in the litera~ ture. This work was extended by MeLoy and BrRc- strom [10] in 1964, who used the matrix representa- tion for several hypothetical grinding circuits and showed the relative importance of each of the con- tributing parameters. All of the papers described have been directed towards obtaining a fuller understanding, and an accurate mathematical representation, of the batch grinding system and any attempt to extend this approach to a continuous grinding system has in- volved the stated (or implicit) assumption of plug flow. An experimental study of breakage in a continu- ous grinding system was reported by KELSALL [11] in 1964 and led to a search for a workable mathem- atical representation for continuous grinding. ‘The batch grinding solution presented here is ina form which enables the results for a continuous mill, in which there is a distribution of residence time, to be calculated relatively easily. There are also certain advantages in using this solution for batch grinding calculations since neither an iterative solution nor matrix multiplication, both of which rely on the use of digital computers, are used. Tne Basic Equation The fundamental equation of comminution may be written #F,1) 4 OF (st) ten ~~ O +f a a 1) ie In this equation F(x, ¢) gives the weight fraction of ‘material finer than size x after grinding a given feed material with size distribution F(x, 0) and maximum, size xo, for a time 1, and B(x, a) is the breakage function, giving the fraction of material finer than size x obtained by primary breakage of material of size a. Primary breakage refers to conditions under which the products of any breakage event undergo no further fracture. The remaining term, k(x), is, the fractional rate of breakage of material of size x and has been referred to by previous workers as either the probability function or the selection function. This approach leads to the assumption of a time independent rate of breakage which implicitly defines a first-order reaction, since if M(x, 1) = OF (x, H/éx. dx gives the weight fraction of material in the size range xto.x + dx, then the fractional rate of breakage is _ aM(x, 9) MG, Dae (x) and by integration M(x, t) = M(x, 0) exp[—k@)¢] Q Equation (1) is an integro-differential equation and results from a mass balance on the weight frac- tion of material M(x, 1) in the differential size range from x to x + dx. The equation states that the net rate of production of material of any size x equals the rate of production of that size from breakage of all material initially larger than size x minus the rate of breakage of material of size x. Equation (1) as it stands has no simple analytical solution but under certain conditions may degener- ate to an equation with known solution. If we consider the largest size of any feed, or start with feed of one size only, the decay of the largest size is given by equation (2). A second degenerate case 954| | A solution to the batch grinding equation arises when the kernel k(x) [0B(x, 0)/@x] vanishes, ie, when k(@) or OB(x, )/0x = 0. If k(x) = O there is no breakage at any size and consequently the weight at any size remains constant at its initial value. If @B(x, a)/éx = 0 then B (x, 2) is constant and this corresponds to a system in which a particle ‘on breakage crumbles completely to a very fine powder. Under such conditions equation (2) again holds and all the feed material would decay with its ‘own rate constant, A more interesting analytical solution exists for the special case when the kernel K(2)[@B(x, #)/2x] takes on a constant value K, e.g. when k(@)=Ka and B(x, a! @Q) a under which condition the equation degenerates to 2 a 0 PF), OD x{ IFO) ay (4) or éxat ox This equation has the solution [9] 2(x, 1) = 2(x, 0) exp(—Kxt) 6). where 2(x, 1) is the fraction of material larger than size x at time ¢, ie. z(x,1) = 1— F(x, 1). Com- parison of equations (5) and (2) shows that under the special conditions of equation (3) the weight of material above size x decays as if it were all exactly of size x. In the absence of an analytical solution to equa- tion (1) a finite difference approximation must be used in which either or both of the size and time variables are divided into small increments. The accuracy of the approximate solution depends on the size of the increments used. The use of the finite difference representation requires careful redefini- tion of the contributing functions in terms of the increments selected and the resulting solution must be examined as a function of the increment size since the exact solution results only in the limiting, case of the differential increment. ‘These precau- tions have not always been observed by previous workers. ‘Tue PRacticaL EQUATION The term “practical equation” is used here to describe an equation based on the practical para~ meters which are defined below and which can be directly determined by experiment. The term is ‘used in this sense to differentiate the resulting equa- tion from the purely theoretical form of equation @. Since size distributions are usually determined by sieving techniques using a constant screen ratio, and a solution continuous in time has advantages when extended to describe continuous grinding systems, a finite difference approximation to equation (1) is sought which uses a geometric size interval and maintains a continuous time scale. Consider a set of m screens numbered from the coarsest downwards, with a screen ratio f. The general screen with number i, has an aperture of size x, and the size of the next coarser screen is, Xj-1 = Px; Material which is retained on screen / after passing through sereen / — I has a size range from x, to x,y, and has a fractional weight w(t) at time 1. For brevity this material, which contains a single size fraction, will be referred to as being of size Xj, ie. the size of the screen on which it is retained. If w,,,(1) represents the fractional weight passing the finest screen then mal +S f= 1 © since the sum of all fractional weights is unity. Material originally of size x, (i. in the range x, to {Bx,) is defined as being unbroken if itis retained on the original screen i after exposure to any breakage system. Events which result in the breakage of the larger particles in the range in such a way that some part of the product is retained in the same screen, interval cannot be measured experimentally, and all, particles which remain on the original screen are considered unbroken, as defined above. The breakage function modified to incorporate the screen ratio f is written B(B, x, 2) and gives the size distribution of the products of primary breakage of material originally in the size range « to iz, Since any practical method aimed at determining the breakage function must involve the definition of breakage and its consequences discussed above, it, follows that the breakage function will vary with the screen ratio employed. The breakage function can also be represented by the fractional weights retained on screens below the B 955K. J. Rew initial size and these will be denoted by b. If material of original size x;, ic. retained on sereen j, undergoes primary breakage, then ;, gives the weight fraction of the broken material (i.e. finer than x), which is retained on screen i where x; < x and consequently i > j. The fractional rate of breakage dwt) wit) di oars also incorporates the above definition of breakage and is assumed to be independent of time. This assumption will be fully discussed later. To obtain a mass balance for size xj consider a small increment of time dt during which the amount broken from size x; is k,w{(¢)dt. ‘The amount pro- duced from size x), 1. SOLUTION TO THE PRACTICAL EQUATION The solution w(¢) to equation (7) may be obtained by writing the equation in the form Flesrtsoom(O = etka) Skin. @) and integrating wi() = w,(0) exp(— ky) (9a) wa() = w2(0) exp(— kat) + x Lexp(—kyt) = exp(—k30)] (9b) w(t) = wy) exp(— Kk + & Lexp(— kat) — exp(— ksi] + ea Cexp(—h) ~ exp(—h3 0] + + Faksbaabsam(O)[q PO — _ (=), exp(—kst) | = kaka — BD) * Tes kW Fe) (9c) etc, The significance of each term in the equations (9) can be clearly seen e.g. in (9¢). (a) The first term represents the breakage of material originally of size 3. (b) The second term represents material formed by breakage of material originally size 2 to size 3, (©) The third term represents material formed by direct breakage of material from size 1 to size 3. (@) The fourth term represents material broken from size 1 to size 2 and then rebroken from size 2 to size 3. The number of terms involved in the ith size is 2"-) and the algebra involved in writing solu- tions for 7 >4 becomes cumbersome. To over- come this problem terms in exp (—K,f)arecollected and the solution written in the form : wi) = ¥ a, exp(—kyt) (10) ot with the coefficients a, , to be determined. Substitute equation (10) into (8) and rearrange to obtain & texptk win) ie FE Mba, erplths— ko a ap Titegrating w(@) exp(ket) — w(0) ‘Sf Mbustet fexpitk,— kel — 1} Siar = he 956A solution to the batch grinding equation Hence w(t) = (0) exp(—Kt) + +E SPetey pexp(—h) — ex0(— hi] ) Equating coefficients in equations (12) and (10) @fonsi 1S bits Re es = key (note that the summation runs from n to i — since a, = Oforall j k for k,€k n#i ‘Then w(t) nar Ri Consideration of equation (19) leads to the conclu- sion that in general the fractional rate of breakage of material in a finite size range is not independent of time and consequently the assumption of time independence is, in general, theoretically invalid. Under certain circumstances the assumption is justified but the probability of an experimental system exactly satisfying the restraining conditions is small. There is a wide range of possible rates of breakage and breakage functions, and the extent of the time dependence of the rate of breakage of a single screen size will depend on the combined effects of both parameters. Experimental work on aluminium oxide [4], coal [8] and quartz [11], in ball mills has shown that, the decay of a single size is closely represented by a straight line on semilogarithmic paper, and con- sequently the time dependence of the rates of break- ‘age of these materials is negligible under the circum stances of the particular experimental system and over the time range investigated. The validity of the assumption for these three widely different materials suggests that it may be valid in general for ball mills. However, in any particular system the question can only be resolved by experiment. ‘The breakage function used in the practical solu- tion is defined in terms of experimental measure- ments and contains only the inherent assumptions that the size distribution within a single screen 960‘A solution to the batch grinding equation interval remains constant. A standard method of presenting size distribution is the log-log plot of fraction passing against size, and a “natural” system is characterized by a smooth continuous curve. If is small (./2 or less), natural size distributions can be well approximated by straight lines over single sereen intervals, and the assumption of constant size distribution within the interval is valid. For larger screen ratios or systems with highly artificial feed size distributions, the assumption may break down with the possibility of invalidating the analy- sis. As a result of these considerations screen ratios greater than ,/2 are not recommended for practical work in the field and due care should be taken to preserve the natural size distribution during the pre- paration of material in a single screen interval. Discussion Of the three previously proposed methods of cal- culating batch grind results, only that of BASS uses a continuous time scale. His solution can be written in the form of equation (10) and his proposed method for evaluating the coeflicients g,,, involves the assumption that the experimental system is des- cribed by the equations and then, using the experi- mental results, solving for the coefficients. However, the accuracy of any method which solves a set of equations from experimental data must depend on unavoidable experimental scatter and consequently the results are of doubtful value without further direct experimental justification, Ina system where the coefficients are not specified in terms of the fundamental properties of the material and equipment, it is difficult to visualise any method for measuring these coefficients directly, Furthermore, they do not provide a sound basis for the correlation of different materials, especially since they are dependent on the feed size distribu- tion. There are essentially two approaches to the solu- tion of the basic equation, The first accepts the definitions of the rate of breakage and breakage function based on a differential increment and uses, standard mathematical procedures to handle an arbitrary finite difference approximation to the basic integro-differential equation. However, the use of a finite time interval eliminates the advan- tages of the time-continuous solution. The compu- ter solutions of GARDNER and AUusTIN and of Gavpmy and Metoy both use this approach, which neglects the important factor that the basic fune- tions must be determined experimentally, and as a consequence experimental results have to be cor rected back to the differential size increment. Cor- rections of this nature, which are neither simple to to use nor easy to justify, were used by GARDNER etal. [5], and have been fully discussed by them. The second approach is that adopted in this paper and involves the re-definition of rate of breakage and breakage function in terms of the experimental methods used for their determination. This ap- proach removes the necessity to correct the experi- mentally determined functions and avoids any dis- cussion of the validity of the corrections employed, Comparison with previous work has also shown that the present solution produces equivalent results although requiring a less involved mathematical procedure. Some workers have postulated [2, 7], and others have shown experimentally for the systems studied [5, 12], that the breakage function, expres- sed on a relative size basis, is independent of initial size. Under this condition the present solution can be used, in principle, to compute rates of breakage and breakage function given size distributions after batch grinding for two different times. A general purpose iterative computer programme was written to do this, and although the correct functions could be obtained from computed results, the presence of very small experimental errors resulted in unrealistic values for rates of breakage or breakage function. As a result of the high sensitivity to minor experimental errors it is considered that this approach is of little practical value, However the less ambitious approach of solving for either rate of breakage or breakage function, having determined the other by a tracer technique, and, given one grinding result, proved successful even in the more complicated case of a continuous grinding system [12]. This approach should be of considerable value in comminution studies since the painstaking experimental work required to measure both of the basic parameters can be considerably reduced. 961KI The advantage of a time-continuous system can be seen by considering the expression for the steady state product from a continuous mill. The flow characteristics of a continuous mill are given by the residence time distribution function (1), where (0dr gives the fraction of material entering at time 1 = 0 which leaves in the time interval ¢ to ¢ + dt, Material with residence time ¢ has.a fraction retained above size x; of =(1) hence 2(1)(0)dt gives the frac- tion of material coarser than size x; with residence time ¢. The total fraction coarser than x, is the sum of these terms over all residence time: 2(e) mo at 20) j where Z(0o) is the steady state fraction retained above size x, in the product from a continuous grinding system. Substituting for =(¢), equation (20) can be written Z(o) = ¥ 6 | exp(—kod() dt 21) mi ty For many systems (¢) can be represented by a simple exponential function [13] and under these circumstances the value 7, of the integral Jé exp (—K,f)(0) dt can be obtained analytically, Jeading to the algebraic solution : 222) = ¥ enals @ st Even if the integral can only be calculated using a digital computer, equation (20) is more rapidly evaluated when z(0) is available in the form of equation (17) rather than being generated from an iterative or matrix solution. Equation (21), and the corresponding form for the dynamic response to a step change in feed pro- erties, have been used to calculate results in a small scale continuous ball mill [12]. Close agree- ment was obtained between experimental and calcu- REPEREN' Rew lated data, both for steady state and transient results, and established the validity of this approach when applied to the particular system and conditions studied, Acknowledgement—The author would like to thank Dr. J. A. Baxker for his valuable comments and discussion of the problem. NOTATION Gn¢ Coefficient of exp-(knt) in equation (10) for fractional weight on screen Theoretical breakage function for differential size increment, giving weight fraction passing size x from primary breakage of material of exact size x Practical breakage function for a single sereen size increment, giving weight fraction passing size x from primary breakage of material in size range to Be yg Practical breakage function as weight fraction retained on screen / from primary breakage of ‘material on screenj ‘Coefficient of expt) in equation (17) for frac- ‘ional weight above screen 7 Weight fraction ef material finer than size x at time ¢ Jn. The value of the integral i exp (—kathb(ndt A(x) Fractional rate of breakage of material of size x ‘min-* 4 Fractional rate of breakage of material in size range xi to Bx anin~ K Rate of breakage proportionality constant mint ‘Weight fraction of material in size range x to x+de ‘m Total number of sereens used 1 Time min w(t) Fractional weight on screen i at time 1 Wras(0) Fractional weight passing finest sereen at time ¢ x Size “ x0 Maximum size in feed «Size of aperture of screen ¢ Zico) Steady state fractional weight greater than size 2xcin the product from a continuous system 2(3, 1) Fractional weight above size x at time t (4) Fractional weight above size x; at time ¢ & Size & B Screen ratio. Hit) Residence time distribution function Bx, «) BB, x, a) Fox, 1) MG 1) 01) D.S.L.R. Crushing and Grinding. (Bibliography) Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London 1958, [2] Epsren B., Jndustr. Engng. Chem. 1948-40, 2289. 962A solution to the batch grinding equation [3] Gauory A. M., Serpe H. R.and KaurmanD. F., Min, Engng. 1951 3, 969. [A] Septatscieck K.and Bass L., Powder Metall. Bull. 1953 6, 148. [5] Ganpwer R. P., Austin L. G. and Watxer P. L., Special Report to the Coal Research Board of the Commonwealth of ‘Pennsylvania, Number SR-23. January 1961,. [6] BassL.,Z. angew. Math. Phys. 19545, 283. [7] BRoansenrS. R. and Catucorr T. G.,J. Inst. Fuel 195629, 191. [8] Garpwer R. P. and Austis L. G., Symposium Zerkleinern, 1962 217. (Dusseldorf Verlag Chemie, V.D1. Verlag). 19] Gavpy A.M. and MetoyT. P., Zrans. Am. Inst. Min. Engrs. 1962 223, 401, [10] Metoy T. P_and Brrosreow B. H., Proc. 7th Int. Mineral Proc. Congr. New York, September 1964 p. 19. [IL] Ketsace D. F. Proc. 70h int. Mineral Proc. Congr. New York, September 1964, p33. (12) Kersau D. F.and Rew K. J., Joint Amer. dnst. Chem. Engrs.jtnst. Chem. Engrs. Meeting, London, June 1965. [13] Wour D.,and Reswick W. Indusir. Engng, Chen. Fundamentals 1963 2, 287. Résumé—L'auteur présente une approximation pratique de [équation fondamentale intégro- differentielie du broyage discontinu et en développe une solution. La solution est résolue en fonction de 2 paraméties fondamentaux du systeme déterminés expérimentalement: vitesses de broyage et fonction broyage. Elle est facilement applicable & la résolution des systémes de broyage continu. 963