Mill Material Balance

CHAPTER XI
MILL POWER REQUIREMENT
Furthermore an approximate calculation could be made for the power required in a mill from the
material balance. The power required by the mill and should be developed by the mill drive to
press the cane or bagasse between the rollers.
First we have to know the coefficient of friction between the cane or bagasse and the roller
surface. The mill balance calculation has determined the value for each mill, but then we need
the data of the hydraulic rams diameter respectively.
If the diameter of hydraulic ram = d cm, and the hydraulic pressure = p kg/cm2, then the total
hydraulic force is:
Ph =
Ph =

2
. d2 . p
4
. d2 . p
2

kgs; or
kgs

It is to be noted that the hydraulic pressure is the actual pressure where the top roller really
works actively up and down, even when an unstable feed of cane / bagasse occurred.
The total force received by the cane / bagasse at the work openings is equals to:
P = Ph + Wr kgs
Where:

Wr = the top roller weight, in kgs.

Therefore the circumferential force due on the top roller is:

Pk = .P
Where:

Pk = the circumferential / tangential force, in kgs.

= coficient of friction
P = Ph + Wr; same as mentioned above being the total hydraulic and top roller
weight forces, in kg unit.

The coefficient of friction value calculated by the material balance defined from the following
formula:
= 0.43 -

.Dk.n
6000 x 1,524

................................... (22)

Where: Dk = mean diameter of the top roller in mm,

and:

= the actual roller rotation per hour.

This formula is derived into metric system from an empirical test made by Bullock in
Australia1).

1)

Hugot, Emil (1972), Handbook of Cane Sugar Engineering, page 188.

Power Requirement

XI-1

Mill Material Balance

Originally the formula was:

= 0.43 0.002 v
where:

= circumferential velocity of the roller surface in feet per minute.

The coficient of friction occurred in each mill normally have not the same value in a tandem.
Logically for the first mill is the lowest, and then increasing to the ensuing mills (the bagasse
becomes dryer).
Identical condition applied for the hydraulic pressures, which are increasing from the first to the
ensuing mills.
The hydraulic pressures should not be determined only by calculation, but should be best
defined by actual condition where it can actually move freely depending on the feeding layers.
Henceforth, the calculation for approximate power required by each mill could be determined by
the following formula:
Ne =

. Dk . n . Pk
2700000 .

HP ... (23)

Whereas:
Dk = mean diameter of the top roller, in mm.
n = the actual rotation per hour of the top roller.
Pk = circumferential force of the top roller, due on the middle of work opening gaps, in kg.
= mechanical efficiency of the transmission between the mill and the mill drive, in %.
Further, when the result of the above formula (23) divided by the weight of fiber per hour, then
we will have the specific power required by each mill in the tandem.
When:
Q = the mill capacity or the cane crushed per day (24 hours), in tons (metric).
f = fiber content of cane, in % (percent).
Then the weight of fiber per hour will be:
Gs

10 Q x f
24

kg/hour

And the specific power is:

SpP =

Power Requirement

24 . Dk . n . Pk
27000. Q . f .

HP/tons fiber .(24)

XI-2