Extraction performance of milling trains - imbibition processes and calculations

Literature on milling extraction has concentrated on the model using reabsorption factors and imbibition coefficients as its base, with the imbibition. coefficient as documented in Murry and Holt (1967). This model has contributed enormously to understanding of the crushing process, but the concept of the imbibition coefficient for the bagasse mills (that is mills two and subsequent) has always perplexed milling engineers. Calculating the imbibition coefficient from operating data has rarely been able to offer advice to practising engineers on how to improve operations. By using suggestions from Allan and Saranin (1955), the pol in open cells in bagasse offers an understanding of what changes the imbibition coefficient, and gives some insight into the mechanism responsible for the values found. With an understanding of the mechanisms, engineers can then look to improving operations and hence extractions.