SIZE REDUCTION
Course Leader
Dr. Sindhu Abraham
[email protected] 1
Learningobjectives
At the end of this lecture student will be able to :
• Outline the industrial applications ofsize reduction
• Discuss types and principles of size reduction
• Discuss the factors affecting size reduction
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Contents
Size Reduction: Objectives, Mechanisms & Laws governing size reduction, factors affecting
size reduction, principles, construction, working, uses, merits and demerits of Hammer
mill, ball mill, fluid energy mill, Edge runner mill & end runner mill.
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Size Reduction
• Size Reduction is a unit operation in which drugs are reduced to smaller pieces, coarse
particles or fine powder
• Carried out to increase the surface area
• Also called Comminution or Diminution or Pulverisation
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Objectives
1. Increases surface area- to increase absorption / dissolution
2. Better penetration of solvent during extraction processes
3. For uniform mixing
4. To improve and maintain the stability of formulations- Eg. Emulsions and Suspensions
5. To increase rate of drying
6. To improve the physical appearance of the formulations- ointments, creams and
pastes
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Mechanisms of Size reduction
1. Cutting
• The material is cut by means of a
sharp blade or knife
• Small scale- knife
• Large scale- Cutter mill
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Mechanisms of Size reduction
2. Impact
• Material is stationary and is hit by a
moving object at high speed or
when moving particles strike a
stationary surface and breaks into
pieces
• Small scale- pounding stick
• Large scale- Hammer mill
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Mechanisms of Size reduction
3. Compression
• The material is crushed by the
application of force or
pressure
• Small scale- mortar and
pestle
• Large scale- Roller mill
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Mechanisms of Size reduction
4. Attrition 5. Combined impact and Attrition
• Breaking down of the material by • Breaking down of the material by the
the rubbing action of 2 surfaces rubbing action of 2 surfaces
Large scale- Colloid mill • Large scale- Ball mill and Fluid energy
mill
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Hammer mill
Principle:
Operates on the principle of impact between rapidly moving hammers mounted on
a rotor and the powder materials
Rotor
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Hammer Mill
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Hammer mill
Construction:
• Hammer mill consists of a steel casing in
which a central shaft is enclosed to which a
number of swinging hammers are attached
• The hammers are made of hardened steel
(stainless steel along with extremely
abrasive resistant materials such as stellite
and carbaloy and given the treatment of
quenching)
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Hammer mill
Construction:
• The hammers may be T-shaped, bars or stirrup
shaped
• The blades will have flat edges, sharp edges or
both on each side
• Hammers may be rigid or swing type
• The size reduction unit is enclosed in a chamber
containing a removable screen through which the
material must pass
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Hammer Mill
Working:
• The hammers are allowed to be in continuous motion (8000-15000 rpm)
• The feed material is placed into the hopper, flows vertically down and then horizontally, while
hammers are in continuous motion
• The hammers beat the material to yield smaller particles
• The particles pass through the screen and they get collected in the receiver
• The screens are interchangeable so that any grade of fineness can be achieved
• The fineness of the product can be regulated by altering rotor speed, feed rate, number and
types of hammers, size of the screen
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Hammer Mill
Applications:
• In chemicals, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries
Advantages: Disadvantages:
• Easy to install, dismantle and clean • Screens may get blocked
• Occupies less space • Heat build up during milling can cause
• Speed and screen size can be changed product degradation
• Operated in a close environment, dust is • Cannot be used for sticky and fibrous
reduced materials
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Summary
• Mechanisms of Size reduction
• Hammer mill and its principle and construction
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