What is the difference between ball mill and grinding balls?

A ball mill is a type of grinding mill used to grind and blend materials for use in mineral processing, paints, pyrotechnics, ceramics, and selective laser sintering. It works on the principle of impact and attrition: size reduction is done by impact as the balls drop from near the top of the shell. A ball mill consists of a hollow cylindrical shell rotating about its axis. The axis of the shell may be either horizontal or at a small angle to the horizontal. The grinding media in a ball mill usually consists of steel or ceramic balls, which are cylindrically shaped and vary in size.

On the other hand, "grinding balls" are the actual tools used in the grinding process within a ball mill. These balls are typically made of steel, ceramic, or other hard materials and are used to grind or blend materials. They come in various sizes and compositions depending on the specific requirements of the milling process and the material being ground. Grinding balls are loaded into the ball mill along with the material to be ground, and as the mill rotates, the balls cascade and crush the material into finer particles.

So, in essence, a ball mill is the equipment used for grinding, while grinding balls are the tools used within the ball mill for the grinding process.
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