Effect of Hammer Shape and Impact Area on Hammer Mill Performance under Different Feed Rates

Abstract

The research aims to compare the performance (PC) and specific energyconsumption (Spc.) of the hammer mill when using the T-hammer against the(traditional) rectangular hammer. A homemade mill with four hammers was used inexperiment. 36 treatments: 2 hammer shape x 3 impact area (840, 720 and 960 mm2)x 2 feeding rates (1500 and 3000 g min-1) x 3 replicates, with completely randomdesign. The results showed that there was no significant effect of hammer shape onPC at the feed rate of 3000 g min-1, while there was an effect at the rate of 1500 gmin-1. An effect was also found for the impact area on the PC at both feeding ratesand on Spc., as an inverse relationship appeared between the impact area and millproductivity at the feed rate 1500 g min-1. The area of 720 mm2 surpassed the area480 and 960 mm2 at the rate of feeding 3000 g min-1, as it recorded 1215.65 g min-1compared to 950.65 and 882.65 g min-1, respectively. There is effect of feeding rateon PC and Spc. The traditional hammer is recommended for simplicity of design,manufacture and performance at high feed rates compared to the T-shaped hammer.