OBJECTIVE

To demonstrate a batch cylindrical ball mill operation by carry out simple screen
analysis at different speed and demonstrate a sieve shaker operation.

INTRODUCTION
A ball mill is a type of grinder used to grind and blend materials for use in mineral
dressing processes, paints, pyrotechnics, ceramics and selective laser sintering. It
works on the principle of impact and attrition: size reduction is done by impact as the
balls drop from near the top of the shell. Ball mills rotate around a horizontal axis,
partially filled with the material to be ground plus the grinding medium. Different
materials are used as media, including ceramic balls, flint pebbles and stainless-steel
balls. An internal cascading effect reduces the material to a fine powder. Industrial
ball mills can operate continuously, fed at one end and discharged at the other end.
Large to medium-sized ball mills are mechanically rotated on their axis, but small
ones normally consist of a cylindrical capped container that sits on two drive shafts
(pulleys and belts are used to transmit rotary motion). High-quality ball mills are
potentially expensive and can grind mixture particles to as small as 5 nm, enormously
increasing surface area and reaction rates.

EQUIPMENT
Stone with different size, ball mill, weighing balance, grinding material, sieve
shaker, sieve tray and with various size.

1
METHOD
The grinding balls was put into the clean and properly assembled ball mill followed
by addition of 300 g of course sample (stone with different size) through the inlet
before the inlet was tightly cap. The speed control knob was set at 30% before
switched on the ball mill for 15 minutes. Once the ball mill stopped, the front access
door was removed and the balls and powder collected into the tray that placed
underneath of the ball mill. Separation was done to keep the powder aside for sieve
shaker analysis. The sieves were arranged in the stack with the smallest mesh (bigger
mesh number) at the bottom, above the pan after all the sieve initial weight taken.
The mixture of powder and stones was poured into the top most sieve and evenly
spread before the sieve cover secured. The shaker was switched on for 20 minutes
and waited until it stops automatically. The sand was weight and retained in each
sieve. The steps were repeated at different motor speed: 60% and 100%. The
weights of sieve initial and final was recorded.

2
RESULTS

Weight Weight of sieve tray before Weight of sieve tray after shaking
Speed coarse shaking (g) (g)
(rpm) sample
(g)
250μm 500μm 600μm 710μm 250μm 500μm 600μm 710μm

20 300.18 430.30 464.70 474.05 480.41 430.37 464.74 474.03 781.57

40 300.03 430.29 464.73 473.99 480.33 430.37 464.68 474.03 780.05

60 300.67 430.32 464.67 473.95 480.40 430.41 464.75 474.02 778.98

Weight of sample left (g)

Speed Weight coarse [Weight before shaking – weight after shaking]
(rpm) sample (g)

710μm 600μm 500μm 250μm

20 300.18 301.16 0.02 0.04 0.07

40 300.03 299.72 0.04 0.05 0.08

60 300.67 298.58 0.07 0.08 0.09

3
ANALYSIS

WEIGHT OF GRINDED STONE IN SIEVER

20 RPM 40 RPM 60 RPM
0.1

0.09

0.08

0.07

0.06
WEIGHT OF SAMPLE (g)

0.05

0.04

0.03

0.02

0.01

0
600 μm 500 μm 250 μm
SIZE OF SIEVER

4
CALCULATION
Weight of grinded stone that is in the range of 250um - 600um

Speed : 20 rpm
0.07 g + 0.04 g + 0.02 g = 0.13 g

Speed : 40 rpm
0.08 g + 0.05 g + 0.04 g = 0.17 g

Speed : 60 rpm
0.09 g + 0.08 g + 0.07 g = 0.24 g

5
DISCUSSION
In this experiment, the objectives are to demonstrate a batch cylindrical
ball mill operation and to demonstrate a sieve shaker operation and to get familiarized
with screen analysis.
Based on the results obtained, at 20rpm speed of rotation, the amount
of weight of grinded stone that is in the range of 250um-600um is 0.13 g. Meanwhile,
at 40rpm is 0.17 g and at 60rpm is 0.24 g. This means that 60 rpm has higher amount
of weight of grinded stone that is in the range of 250um-600um.
This is because higher speed of rotation will produce more suitable
contact with sufficient energy required for breaking the large stone. The faster the
speed, the more product is produced in desired range.
However, there is few precaution need to be encounter in this
experiment. The time taken for all the three sets speed of rotation can be accurately
same if timer is used to set up the time so that the result will be more precise. Lastly,
error might be come from the spilling out of the powders during transmission to the
sieving part.
In this experiment, there are a few precaution steps to avoid the errors.
The precaution steps are to make sure that the time taken the grinding material to
rotate is recorded so that the parameter will be same. Take a note the diameter of the
grinding mill and the grinding ball. Other than that, the ball mill quantity in used should
be same for all sets. This can be encounter by fixed the amount of ball mill that going
to be used. While for the sieving tray, make sure the sieve tray was cleaned with the
pressure blower accurately so that the weigh does not disturb the result later. Lastly,
error might be come from the spilling out of the powders during transmission to the
sieving part.

6
CONCLUSION
As a conclusion, the higher the speed of the rotation per minute, the higher the
products amount produced in desired size range. The grinded stone produced at
20rpm, 40rpm and 60rpm are 0.13 g, 0.17 g and 0.24 g respectively. The speed has
more effects on products produced compared to duration of the sets in this
experiment.

REFERENCES
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotational_speed
2. https://www.google.com/search?q=type+of+grinding+ball&source=lnms&
sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi18cfGs6nUAhUKLI8KHb-
EDGIQ_AUIBSgA&biw=1366&bih=613&dpr=1#q=efficiency+of+the+ball+mi
ll+at+different+rotational+speed
3. http://millengineering.com/enginnering_services.php?id=1002&sid=1010