ON SINGLE-PARTICLE COMMINUTION - NUMERICAL-ANALYSIS OF COMPRESSED SPHERES

As a basis for better understanding of the physical processes involved in comminution, the deformation and fracture behaviour of a single spherical particle compressed between two rigid plates is examined by means of finite element analyses. After verification of the models with analytical solutions and with available experimental results, the influence of different material behaviour is investigated and the consequences with respect to fracture processes are discussed. By systematic variation of the material properties from linear elastic to visco-plastic behaviour, it is possible to demonstrate the main differences in the stress distributions leading to the prediction of differences in the failure modes of particles of different materials. The predicted trends are in good agreement with experimental observations. The approach and some of the results might also be relevant for other technical applications. © 1990.