Application of grinding kinetics analysis of inorganic powders by a stirred ball mill

The need for ultra fine particles has been increasing in the preparation field of raw powders such as fine ceramics and high functional products. A series of wet grinding experiments were carried out on inorganic powders such as calcite, pyrophyllite and talc by a stirred ball mill. The grinding rate constant K’ in the equation of grinding kinetics was examined based on the grinding kinetics analysis as the same type of function of a previous paper on a vertical type planetary ball mill. The experimental particle size distribution of the ground products was obtained in various grinding conditions. The grinding rate constants K and K’ were expressed by empirical equation involving experimental conditions by a stirred ball mill. The empirical equation on the grinding rate constant was expressed in terms of a function involving the ball diameter of grinding balls, the median diameter of feed material, and Bond’s work index of material, in the experimental conditions. The values of empirical constants C1 and C₂ were 21.13 and 0.0109 on K, while C₁ and C₂ were 120.99 and 0.0192 on K′, respectively. And the particle size distribution of ground products of each test material for a given grinding time was found to be expressing the selection function (the specific rate of breakage) which was obtained from the grinding kinetics analysis. In this study, the grinding rate change on calcite and pyrophyllite was similar at the same experimental operation condition. However, in the case of talc, it was observed that the grinding rate was not increased compared with other samples.