A consideration of grinding limit based on fracture mechanics

Abstract

In general, it is well known that the energy efficiency of a grinding process decreases with decrease in produced particle size, increase in grinding time, or increase in input energy. In this paper, based on the experimental results of single particle crushing, we define the size reduction energy as the elastic strain energy which is stored in the solids up to the instant of fracture. Assuming that the kinetic energy of a grinding medium was converted completely into fracture energy, the efficiency of size reduction evaluated by the produced specific surface area has been calculated.