O. Gutsche et Dw. Fuerstenau, Fracture kinetics of particle bed comminution - ramifications for fines production and mill optimization, POWD TECH, 105(1-3), 1999, pp. 113-118
This paper examines the retardation of breakage kinetics during the compres
sive loading of narrowly sized mineral feeds in confined particle beds. In
particle-bed comminution, the granular composition of the particle-bed limi
ts the maximum achievable degree of size reduction through a self-regulatin
g mechanism. An analysis of the comminution of coarse-fine admixtures demon
strates that the mechanism of force-flux concentration/distribution account
s for the changing breakage rates. The evolution of the size spectra with e
nergy expenditure is an asymptotic process in which size fractions reach th
eir final state in a consecutive manner. An optimum energy or circuit facto
r exists for a given feed and cut size of a closed circuit. Addition of fin
es to a coarse feed can reduce the generation of fine particles resulting f
rom stagewise size reduction of coarse particles, (C) 1999 Elsevier Science
S.A. All rights reserved.