Spectrophotometric analysis of disintegration mechanisms (abrasion and crushing) of agglomerates during the disc granulation of dolomite

The analysis of mechanisms which affect the formation of agglomerates and determine the granulation process in a broad sense encounters difficulties related to the many ways of the formation of granules. The aim of the study was to perform a qualitative and quantitative analysis of granulation mechanisms with special reference to agglomerates’ disintegration in the disc granulation process. This paper contains an analysis of disintegration mechanisms (abrasion and crushing) of agglomerates during the disc granulation of dolomite. The analysis of the mechanisms taking place during the process concerns the granulation stage after wetting. During the research, each time after the wetting stage, the size fraction 10–12.5 mm was substituted with an analogous fraction wetted by means of an aqueous solution of a coloring agent and the process was continued. After the specified time of granulation, the obtained product was sieved through laboratory sieves and then the content of the provided coloring agent in different size fractions was analyzed by means of a spectrophotometer. Measuring the absorbance of the analyzed samples and granulometric composition of the bed, the level and cause of the migration of material of the tested fraction into other size classes were determined, and at the same time, the occurring granulation mechanisms were analyzed. The proposed model and measurement method consisting of determining the absorbance of the tested granulometric fraction enable the qualitative and quantitative analysis of granulation mechanisms are encountered during the carrying-out of the process after wetting the bed.