Paper I of this series showed that the relationship between the inlet and o
utlet particle-size distributions in a roller milling operation can be foun
d by integrating, over the range of input particles, the breakage of each i
ndividual particle as a function of its physical characteristics. This is p
ossible because particles break independently during roller milling. The pa
ttern of breakage for individual particles is called the breakage function.
This paper considers the form of the breakage function and determines it e
xperimentally for roller milling of wheat.
The breakage function is shown to depend critically on the ratio of roll ga
p to input particle size (the milling ratio). For a given ratio, the breaka
ge function for wheat grains is linear with respect to output particle size
, over a wide range. This is quite different from the particle-size distrib
ution produced by, e.g., hammer milling. It perhaps explains why roller mil
ling is so suited to milling of wheat to produce flour: the broad and even
distribution of particle sizes produced allows effective separation of bran
and efficient recovery of white flour. Breakage functions depend on wheat
variety and physical characteristics and on the design and operation of the
roller mill.
Single-kernel testing is becoming widespread in wheat quality testing; dist
ributions of individual kernel parameters, such as size, mass, hardness and
moisture content, are measured. The breakage function approach potentially
provides a link between single-kernel testing and milling performance. (C)
2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.