SIZE REDUCTION

Large particles of solids are cut or broken into small pieces in

many chemical and other industries such as in food-processing,
metallurgical , pharmaceutical, cement and cosmetic. The reason
for reduction of size is
1) the particles occurs in sizes that are too large to be used
2) for separation of entrapped components can be carried out
3) to increase the surface area per unit volume, hence,
increasing reactivity
4) to reduces bulk of materials for easier handling and for
waste disposal
The methods for size reduction are by :
1) Compression or crushing disintegation by two rigid forces
for coarse reduction of hard solids to coarse sizes

2) Impact/hammer single rigid force to give coarse, medium

or fine sizes

3) Attrition or rubbing scraping against one another/a rigid

surface yields very fine products

4) Cutting/shearing compressed between the edges of two

hard surfaces moving tangentially for definite sizes and/or
definite shape

The operation is highly energy intensive. 99% of the energy are

consumed goes into operating the equipment and producing
undesirable heat and noise, while 1 % goes in reducing particles
(creating new interfacial area). Reduction to very fine sizes is
much more costly in terms of energy as compared to relatively
coarse products.
The selection of equipments depends on
1) input size
2) product size
3) hardness
4) brittleness
5) plasticity
6) flammability of the particles.
The major types of reducing equipments are crushers, ultrafine
grinders, grinders and cutting machines. An ideal crusher would
have a large capacity, require a small power input per unit of
product and yield a product of the single size distribution desired.
As cost of power is a major expense in size reduction equipment,
so the factors that control this cost are important