soil sample (deagglomeration)

The dried Sample A was used first to testify deagglomeration of without adding grinding balls.

We fed 290 grams of sample A into a bowl with 500 ml total volume. The bowl was placed into our Planetary Mill PULVERISETTE 5 premium line as desired. Without grinding balls, the mill was set to ‘comminute’ the sample with only 450 rpm for 60 seconds.

After one minute, the bowl was emptied. Soil fragments on present stones became loose, also the agglomerates which were observed on the start were destroyed successfully.

The soil fraction was separated from stones rapidly without problems by short time sieving with a 2 mm test sieve. Stones were not damaged during the grinding process.

In the second test we used our Planetary Mill PULVERISETTE 5 premium line with a 500 ml grinding bowl which was equipped with 25 x 20 mm grinding balls made of zirconium oxide for deagglomeration.

The grinding time of the Planetary Mill PULVERISETTE 5 premium line was set to one minute at 150 revolutions per minute.

We fed 310 grams of the dried sample B into the bowl and placed the optional counter weight on the second bowl position. After one minute, all agglomerates seemed to be destroyed as well.

The bowl was emptied and the sample was sieved rapidly with a 2 mm mesh test sieve. No agglomerates were present after the trial. The fraction > 2 mm was free of soil.

A few small stones passed the 2 mm test sieve because they were cracked by the used 20 mm Ø zirconium oxide grinding balls. The 20 mm Ø grinding balls applied to much force; lower speed settings or a lightweight sample material might be required.

Cleaning of the equipment was performed by a short time comminution of a proper portion of sand and water. After one minute, the bowl and grinding balls were flushed with fresh water and dried.