US Patent 11534770 Systems and methods for step grinding

A method and apparatus for grinding a particulate material is disclosed. The method may include providing a system including a roller mill apparatus and a hammermill apparatus, operating the roller mill apparatus and the hammermill apparatus, adjusting a feed rate of particulate material to the roller mill apparatus until power consumption by operation of the roller mill apparatus achieves a target power consumption for the roller mill apparatus, and adjusting a gap between mill rolls of the roller mill apparatus until power consumption by operation of the hammermill apparatus achieves a target power consumption for the hammermill apparatus. The system may include roller and hammermill apparatus with sensing and controlling apparatus configured to operate the roller and hammermill apparatus according to the methods disclosed.