This paper presents the results of experimental drum granulation of silica flour with the use of wetting liquids with different values of surface tension. Additionally, different liquid jet breakup and different residual moisture of the bed were applied in the tests. The process was conducted periodically in two stages: wetting and proper granulation, during which no liquid was supplied to the bed. The condition of the granulated material after the period of wetting (particle size distribution and moisture of separate fractions) and a change in the particle size distribution during the further conduct of the process (granulation kinetics) were determined.

Analysis of granulation kinetics was carried out using a laboratory disc granulator with a diameter D of 0.5 m. A liquid binder was delivered to the tumbling bed at a constant flow rate with a nozzle generating droplets with a size of approx. 4-5 mm. Fine-grained chalk was used as a model of raw material and water or disaccharide solution with concentrations of 20 - 40% as a wetting liquid. Different times of droplet delivery ranging from 2 to 6 min were utilized. Granulometric composition of the bed for selected lengths of process, bed moisture and the moisture of individual size-fractions were assessed. Mass of granulated material, which was transferred from nuclei fraction to other size fractions was determined on the basis of mass balance analysis and the assessment of liquid migration between fractions. The influence of disaccharide concentration in wetting liquid on the aforementioned phenomena was also examined.