BALL MILL

(Variable Speed)
(KCMO-103)
 Foreword
Welcome to the fast growing family of K.C. product owners. We appreciate your interest in us
and thank you for buying our product.

You have chosen the finest quality product in the market which is produced using latest techniques
and has underwent strict quality control tests. It is a product that we are proud to build and you
are proud to own it.

Our products are easy to understand and operate. They are excellent for students who are trying to
gain practical knowledge through experiments.

However your comfort and safety are important to us, so we want you have an understanding of
proper procedure to use the equipment. For the purpose, we urge you to read and follow the step-
by-step operating instructions and safety precautions in this manual. It will ensure that your
favourite product delivers reliable, superior performance year after year.

This manual includes information for all options available on this model. Therefore, you may find
some information that does not apply to your equipment.

All information, specifications and illustrations in this manual are those in effect at the time of
printing. We reserve the right to change specifications or design at any time without notice.

Customer satisfaction is our primary concern. Feel Free to contact us for any assistance. So what
are you waiting for, roll up your sleeves and let us get down to work!

K.C. Engineers Pvt. Ltd.

 Important Information About This Manual

Reminder for Safety

Modification on Equipment:

This equipment should not be modified. Modification could affect its performance, safety or
disturbance. In addition damage or performance problems resulting from modification may not be
covered under warranties.

Precautions and Maintenance:

This is used to indicate the presence of a hazard that could cause minor or moderate personal injury
or damage to your equipment. To avoid or reduce the risk, the procedures must be followed
carefully.
 Contents
1. Objective …………………………………… 1

2. Aim …………………………………… 1

3. Introduction …………………………………… 1

4. Theory …………………………………… 1

5. Description …………………………………… 2

6. Utilities Required …………………………………… 3

7. Experimental Procedure …………………………………… 3

8. Observation & Calculation …………………………………… 4

9. Nomenclature …………………………………… 5

10. Precautions & Maintenance Instructions …………………………………… 6

11. Troubleshooting …………………………………… 6

12. References …………………………………… 6

13. Block Diagram …………………………………… 7

K.C. Engineers Pvt. Limited, Ambala BALL MILL (Variable Speed)

(Rev. 1)
 BALL MILL (VARIABLE SPEEDS)
1. OBJECTIVE:
To study the operation of a ball mill.

2. AIM:
2.1 To calculate the efficiency of a ball mill for grinding a material of known work
index (W i).

2.2 To study the effect of RPM on the power consumption of ball mill.

2.3 To calculate the critical speed (nc) of ball mill.

3. INTRODUCTION:
Generally the ball mills are known as the secondary size reduction equipment. The ball
mill is made in a great many types and sizes and can be used on a greater variety of soft
materials than any other type of machine. The feed must be non-abrasive with a
hardness of 1.5 or less. A ball mill consists of a cylindrical shell slowly turning about a
horizontal axis and filled to about 1/4th of its volume with solid grinding medium (i.e.
metallic balls etc.). When the ball mill is rotated, the grinding elements (balls) are carried
to the side of the shell nearly to the top, from where; they fall on the particles under
gravity. In a ball mill most of the size reduction is done by impact. The energy expanded
in lifting the grinding units are utilizes in reducing the size of the particles. Ball mill can
accept a feed size of 12mm or less and deliver a product size in the range of 50m. The
speed of ball mill varies between 60 to 70 RPM. As the product size become fines, the
capacity of a mill reduces the energy requirement increases.

4. THEORY:
A ball mill consists of a cylindrical shell slowly turning about a horizontal axis and filled
with solid grinding medium (metallic balls, wooden balls or rubber balls). In ball mill most
of the size reduction is done by impact.

CRITICAL SPEED OF A BALL MILL (nc):

1 g
nc   ------------- (1)
2 Rr

K.C. Engineers Pvt. Limited, Ambala BALL MILL (Variable Speed)

Page No. 1 of 7 (Rev. 1)
 Where nc is critical rotational speed, R is radius of the ball mill and r is radius of the ball.

For effective operation of the mill, the mill should be operate at 65 to 80 % of critical
speed. As the product size becomes finer, the capacity of a mill reduces and the energy
requirement increases. As the speed of the mill exceeds n c (i.e. mill is centrifuging the
size reduction capacity decreases.)

BOND CRUSHING LAW AND WORK INDEX:

A more realistic method of estimating the power required for crushing and grinding is

P K
 b ------------- (2)
m Dp

Where Kb is a constant which depends on the type of machine and on the material being
crushed, Dp is in millimeters, P in kilowatts and m in tons per hour.

W i is defined as the gross energy requirements in kilo watt hours per ton of feed

needed to reduce a very large feed. This definition leads to a relation between K b and W i.

K b  0.3162  Wi ------------- (3)

If 80 percent of the feed passes a mesh size of D pa mm and 80 percent of the product a
mesh of Dpb mm, it follows from eq (1) & (2).

P  1 1 
 0.3162  W i   
m  D DPa 
 Pb 

 1 1 
P  m  0.3162  W i    -------------- (4)
 D DPa 
 Pb 

5. DESCRIPTION:
The present laboratory ball mill consists a shell which is fabricated from thick steel. It
contains balls. A revolution counter is provided to find the number of turns. A guard is
provided on gear for safety purposes. An opening and tightening arrangement is
provided in the centre of the shell to feed and to take off the material. Power is given by
a motor coupled with horizontal gearbox. Drive is provided to vary the RPM. A RPM
indicator with proximity switch is provided in the set-up. The measurement of power
consumption is carried out by a digital energy meter & stopwatch

K.C. Engineers Pvt. Limited, Ambala BALL MILL (Variable Speed)

Page No. 2 of 7 (Rev. 1)
6. UTILITIES REQUIRED:
6.1 Electricity Supply: Single phase, 220 V AC, 50 Hz, 5-15 Amp combined socket
with earth connection. Earth voltage should be less than 5 volts.

6.2 Floor Area Required: 1.5 m x 1 m.

6.3 Raw material for feed (size 5-8 mm).

6.4 Sieve shaker with set of sieves for analysis.

7. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE:

7.1 STARTING PROCEDURE:

7.1.1 Prepare a uniform sized material for feed using sieve shaker (5mm to
8mm approx).

7.1.2 Fill the shell with the balls provided.

7.1.3 Ensure that all switches given on the panel are at OFF position.

7.1.4 Now switch ON the main power supply.

7.1.5 Set the revolution counter to zero position.

7.1.6 Switch ON the MCB and then starter to run the machine.

7.1.7 Run the machine at no load condition by determining the time for 10 or 20
pulses on the energy meter.

7.1.8 Switch OFF the starter and then MCB.

7.1.9 Fill the Feed in the ball mill.

7.1.10 Switch ON the MCB and then starter to run the machine.

7.1.11 Run the machine at loaded condition by determining the time for 10 or 20
pulses on the energy meter.

7.1.12 Repeat the experiment for different RPM.

7.2 CLOSING PROCEDURE:

7.2.1 When experiment is over switch OFF the power supply.

K.C. Engineers Pvt. Limited, Ambala BALL MILL (Variable Speed)

Page No. 3 of 7 (Rev. 1)
8. OBSERVATION & CALCULATION:

8.1 DATA:
Radius of the ball r = 0.011 m
Radius of the ball mill R = 0.1375 m
Acceleration due to gravity g = 9.81 m/s2
Energy meter constant EMC = 3200 Pulses/kWh

Work Indexes Of Some Common Minerals

Material Work Index (Wi)

Bauxite (sp.gr =2.20) 8.78
Cement climker (sp.gr =3.15) 13.45
Coal (sp.gr =1.40) 13.00
Coke (sp.gr =1.31) 15.13
Gravel (sp.gr =2.66) 16.06
Gypsum rock (sp.gr =2.69) 6.73
Lime stone (sp.gr =2.66) 12.74
Quartz (sp.gr =2.65) 13.57

OBSERVATIONS:

W f = _____ kg

tc = _____ sec

Dpa = _____ mm

Dpb = _____ mm

8.2 OBSERVATION TABLE:

P1 tp1 (s) P2 tp2 (s)

K.C. Engineers Pvt. Limited, Ambala BALL MILL (Variable Speed)

Page No. 4 of 7 (Rev. 1)
 8.3 CALCULATIONS:

P 13600
P NL  (kW)
t p1EMC

P2  3600
P L (kW)
t p 2 EMC

P act P L P NL (kW)

W f 3600
m  (tons/h)
tc 1000

K b  0.3162 W i (kWh/tons)

 1 1 
P cal  m K b    (kW)
 D Pb D Pa 

P act
  100 (%)
P cal

1 g
nc    60 (RPM)
2 Rr

9. NOMENCLATURE:

Nom Column Heading Units Type

Dpa Average feed size mm Measured
Dpb Average product size mm Measured
EMC Energy meter constant Pulses/kWh Given
g Acceleration due to gravity m/sec2 Given
Kb Bond’s constant kWh/tons Calculated
m Feed rate tons/h Calculated
nc Critical speed of ball mill RPM Calculated
P1 Number of pulses counted at no load condition * Measured
P2 Number of pulses counted at loaded condition * Measured
Pact Actual power required for crushing kW Calculated
Pcal Calculated power required for crushing kW Calculated

K.C. Engineers Pvt. Limited, Ambala BALL MILL (Variable Speed)

Page No. 5 of 7 (Rev. 1)
 PL Power consume by machine at loaded condition kW Calculated
PNL Power consume by machine at no load condition kW Calculated
R Radius of the ball mill m Given
r Radius of the ball m Given
tc Time for crushing s Measured
tp1 Time for P1 pulses s Measured
tp2 Time for P2 pulses s Measured
Wf Weight of feed taken kg Measured
Wi Work index of material kWh/tons Given
 Crushing efficiency % Calculated

* Symbols are unit less.

10. PRECAUTION & MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS:

10.1 Never run the apparatus if power supply is less than 180 volts and more than 230
volts.

10.2 Revolution counter should be zero before start.

10.3 Coupling fixing pin should be fixed after attached the ball mill coupling.

10.4 Don’t attach or detach the coupling during the experiment.

11. TROUBLESHOOTING:
11.1 If the motor is not working check the electric connection.

12. REFERENCES:
12.1 McCabe, Warren L. Smith, Julian C. Harriott, Peter (2005). Unit Operations of
Chemical Engineering. 7th Ed. NY: McGraw-Hill. pp 985-986, 992-993.

K.C. Engineers Pvt. Limited, Ambala BALL MILL (Variable Speed)

Page No. 6 of 7 (Rev. 1)
13. BLOCK DIAGRAM:

K.C. Engineers Pvt. Limited, Ambala BALL MILL (Variable Speed)

Page No. 7 of 7 (Rev. 1)
FROTH FLOATATION CELL
(KCMO-125)
 Foreword
Welcome to the fast growing family of K.C. product owners. We appreciate your interest in us
and thank you for buying our product.

You have chosen the finest quality product in the market which is produced using latest techniques
and has underwent strict quality control tests. It is a product that we are proud to build and you
are proud to own it.

Our products are easy to understand and operate. They are excellent for students who are trying to
gain practical knowledge through experiments.

However your comfort and safety are important to us, so we want you have an understanding of
proper procedure to use the equipment. For the purpose, we urge you to read and follow the step-
by-step operating instructions and safety precautions in this manual. It will ensure that your
favourite product delivers reliable, superior performance year after year.

This manual includes information for all options available on this model. Therefore, you may find
some information that does not apply to your equipment.

All information, specifications and illustrations in this manual are those in effect at the time of
printing. We reserve the right to change specifications or design at any time without notice.

Customer satisfaction is our primary concern. Feel Free to contact us for any assistance. So what
are you waiting for, roll up your sleeves and let us get down to work!

K.C. Engineers Pvt. Ltd.

 Important Information About This Manual

Reminder for Safety

Modification on Equipment:

This equipment should not be modified. Modification could affect its performance, safety or
disturbance. In addition damage or performance problems resulting from modification may not be
covered under warranties.

Precautions and Maintenance:

This is used to indicate the presence of a hazard that could cause minor or moderate personal injury
or damage to your equipment. To avoid or reduce the risk, the procedures must be followed
carefully.
 Contents
1. Objective …………………………………… 1

2. Aim …………………………………… 1

3. Introduction …………………………………… 1

4. Theory …………………………………… 1

5. Description …………………………………… 1

6. Utilities Required …………………………………… 2

7. Experimental Procedure …………………………………… 2

8. Observation & Calculation …………………………………… 3

9. Nomenclature …………………………………… 4

10. Precautions & Maintenance Instructions …………………………………… 4

11. Troubleshooting …………………………………… 4

12. References …………………………………… 4

13. Block Diagram …………………………………… 5

K.C. Engineers Pvt. Limited, Ambala FROTH FLOTATION CELL

(Rev. 1)
 FROTH FLOTATION CELL
1. OBJECTIVE:
To study the working principle of froth flotation cell.

2. AIM:
To calculate the percentage recovery of coal in froth flotation cell from coal-sand
mixture.

3. INTRODUCTION:
Froth flotation cells are used for the separation of lighter density particles from higher
density particle, by depending upon their surface tension properties. i.e. cohesion &
adhesion properties. A flotation cell is the equipment in which the material is actually
separated or floated from the residual tailings. It consist a vessel or tank provided with a
feed at one end, an overflow for froth removal, and a discharge for tailings at the
opposite end, with a provision for introducing air for froth formation and agitation.

4. THEORY:
Flotation is an operation in which the separation of one of the constituents is carried out
by using a method which depends on the differences in surface tension properties of
materials involved. This method consists of suspending of mixture of finely divided solids
in water which is aerated so that air bubbles tend to adhere preferentially to one of the
constituents - the one which is difficult to wet and its effective apparent density is
reduced to such an extent that it rises to the surface in the form of a froth, and the one
which more readily absorbs, water phase becomes surrounded by water and sinks. If a
suitable frothing agent is added to liquid, the particles will be held in the surface by
means of a stable froth until they can be discharged. Froth flotation is widely used in the
metallurgical industries where, generally, the ore is difficult to wet and the residual earth
is readily wetted.

5. DESCRIPTION:
Froth flotation cell consists of an agitated vessel open at the top. In the chamber, an
impeller coupled to a shaft is fixed in a stationary diffuser. Agitator is provided with air
passage. Motor is given for drive the apparatus. The collector coated mineral particles

K.C. Engineers Pvt. Limited, Ambala FROTH FLOTATION CELL

Page No. 1 of 5 (Rev. 1)
 adhere to the rising bubbles and are carried to the top of the cell to be removed in the
froth product tank. Valve is provided for draining purpose.

6. UTILITIES REQUIRED:
6.1 Electricity Supply: Single Phase, 220 V AC, 50 Hz, 5-15 Amp combined socket
with earth connection. Earth voltage should be less than 5 volts.

6.2 Compressed Air Supply: @ 1 CMH at 2 kg/cm 2.

6.3 Water Supply (Initial fill).

6.4 Floor Drain Required.

6.5 Floor Area Required: 1.5 m x 1 m.

6.6 Electronics Weighing Balance: capacity 2 kg, least count 1 gm.

6.7 Oven for drying of product.

6.8 Chemicals:-

Coal : 100 gm

Sand : 900 gm

Pine oil : 10 ml

Kerosene : 10 ml
Sodium lauryl sulfate : 100 gm.

7. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE:

7.1 STARTING PROCEDURE:

7.1.1 Take known weight of coal (100 gm) and sand (900 gm) and note down
the weight of coal

7.1.2 Prepare feed mixture of above material.

7.1.3 Prepare mixture of pine oil and kerosene in desired ratio.

7.1.4 Close the valve V1.

7.1.5 Put the feed mixture in flotation cell and pour water till it does not come
out of the flotation cell.

7.1.6 Connect the compressed air supply.

K.C. Engineers Pvt. Limited, Ambala FROTH FLOTATION CELL

Page No. 2 of 5 (Rev. 1)
 7.1.7 Switch ON the stirrer.

7.1.8 Switch ON the power supply.

7.1.9 Add mixture of pine oil and kerosene in the flotation cell.

7.1.10 Add sodium lauryl sulfate to desired amount to get desired amount of
forth.

7.1.11 Wait till coal obtained on the surface of solution.

7.1.12 Collect the coal with the help of metallic strip.

7.1.13 Filter it using filter cloth.

7.1.14 Dry it and weigh.

7.1.15 Note down the weight of coal.

7.1.16 Repeat the experiment for different mixture ratio of pine oil and kerosene.

7.2 CLOSING PROCEDURE:

7.2.1 When experiment is over stop the stirrer.

7.2.2 Switch OFF the power supply.

7.2.3 Stop the compressed air supply.

7.2.4 Drain the water from vessel by open the valve V1.

8. OBSERVATION & CALCULATION:

8.1 OBSERVATION TABLE:

S.No. P (ml) K (ml) WF (gm) WP (gm)

8.2 CALCULATIONS:

WP
R  100 (%)
WF

K.C. Engineers Pvt. Limited, Ambala FROTH FLOTATION CELL

Page No. 3 of 5 (Rev. 1)
 8.3 CALCULATIONS TABLE:

S.No. R (%)

9. NOMENCLATURE:

Nom Column Heading Units Type

K Volume of kerosene ml Measured
P Volume of pine oil ml Measured
R Percentage recovery of coal % Calculated
WF Weight of coal in feed gm Measured
WP Weight of coal obtained after froth flotation gm Measured

10. PRECAUTION & MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS:

10.1 Never run the apparatus if power supply is less than 180 volts and more than 230
volts.

10.2 Close the drain valve properly.

10.3 Collect the product regularly in the collector.

10.4 Speed of the stirrer should not be high.

11. TROUBLESHOOTING:
11.1 If the pump gets jam open the back cover of pump and rotate the shaft manually.

12. REFERENCES:
12.1 Coulson, J M & Richardson, J F (1991). Chemical Engineering Vol-2. 4th Ed. ND:
Asian Books Pvt. Ltd. pp 47-51.

12.2 Brown, George Granger (1995). Unit Operations. 1st Ed. ND: CBS Publishers &
Distributors. pp 99-103.

K.C. Engineers Pvt. Limited, Ambala FROTH FLOTATION CELL

Page No. 4 of 5 (Rev. 1)
13. BLOCK DIAGRAM:

K.C. Engineers Pvt. Limited, Ambala FROTH FLOTATION CELL

Page No. 5 of 5 (Rev. 1)