Ch.

E-203 PARTICLE TECHNOLOGY

Department of Chemical Engineering,

University of Engineering & Technology Lahore
 Course Outline

(1) Characterization of the particles: (a) Shape factor and

sphericity of particles (b) Mean diameters (c) Density of
mixture of solid particles

(2) Screening: (a) Types of screens (b) Factors affecting

screening operations (c) Screen effectiveness (d)
Cumulative and differential analysis for particle size
distribution (e) Size frequency curve and its importance (f)
Specific number of particles (g) Specific surface of a mixture
of solid particles

(3) Storage and handling of solids: (a) Janssen Equation (b)

2 Mohr’s Stress circle (c) Angles of repose, internal friction
 Course Outline

(4) Mixing: (a) Types of mixers for continuous and discrete

solids (b) Factors affecting mixing operation of solids (c)
Mixing index (d) Axial mixing and its importance (e) Rate
of mixing

(5) Size reduction: (a) Basic modes of size reduction size

reduction laws(b) Size reduction machines (c) Angle of nip
for double role crusher and Jaw crusher (d) Critical speed
of ball mill and various actions in the ball mill operation
(e) Selection criteria of size reduction machines

(6) Introduction to Filtration: (a) Types of Industrial filters

(b) Pressure drop calculation in filter operation (c) Time
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required for filtration (d) Crystallization
 Recommended Books

Text Book McCabe Warren L., Smith Julian C., Harriott Peter “Unit
Operations of Chemical Engineering” 5th/6th/7th Ed.
2001. McGraw Hill Inc.

1. Coulson J.M., Richardson J.F., “Chemical

Reference Engineering” Vol-II,
Books
2. C.M. Narayanan & B. C. Bhattacharya., “Mechanical
Operations for Chemical Engineers” Khanna
Publisher

3. Perry Robert H., Green Don W. “Perry’s Chemical

Engineering handbook” 7th Ed. 1997. McGraw Hill
Inc.

4. Particulate technology by Clyde Orr, Jr. McMillan

Company NewYork 1966.

4 5. Mineral Processing Technology Vol. 29 Ed 3rd By

B.A. Wills Pergamon Press .
 CLO Statement

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 Particle is an object to which can be ascribed several physical properties such as
volume or mass. The word is rather general in meaning and is refined as needed
by various scientific fields.

Technology is the making, modification, usage, and knowledge of tools,

machines, techniques, systems and methods of organization, in order to solve a
problem, achieve a goal or perform a specific function.

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 Can you name some of the particles involved in our
daily life?

• Medicines
• Rice
• Wheat grains
• Sugar
• Detergents
• Sand etc.

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 Particle
Technology
Particle Technology is that branch of Science and Engineering dealing with the
production, handling, modification, and use of a wide variety of solids, both wet or
dry.
Its scope spans a range of industries to include chemical, petrochemical, agricultural,
food, pharmaceuticals, mineral processing, advanced materials, energy, and the
environment.

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 Chemical
Engineering

Unit
Operations Unit Processes

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 Chemical Process

Raw
materials Products

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 Flow sheet of a typical Chemical
Process

Pre- Proces Post-

treatment s treatment

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 Raw
material

Pre-treatment Unit
Operations

Unit Process
Processes

Post-treatment Unit
Operations

Finished
product
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 Unit
Operations

Processes that involve only physical changes to materials is termed

as Unit Operation

 Particle Technology
 Mechanical Separations
 Fluid Mechanics
 Process Heat transfer
 Mass Transfer
 Simultaneous Heat and Mass Transfer

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 Unit Processes

Processes that involve making chemical

changes to materials as a result of chemical
reaction. Unit processes are also referred to
as chemical conversions.

 Nitration
 Esterification
 Halogenations
 Sulphonation
 Oxidation
 Hydrogenation
 Amination
14 Biochemical processes
 Example

Test Yourself

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 Scope of Particle Technology

• Design
• Operation
• Control
 Formation of aerosol
 Design of bucket elevators
 Pneumatic transport
 Silo design
 Size reduction or enlargement

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 How will Particle Technology
help you as a Chemical
Engineer?
• Understanding of conveying methods
• Know how about particle sizes and shapes
• Nature of solid particles and their handling issues
• Separation of solid particles from liquids
• Separation of solid particles from gases
• Size reduction equipment
• Other separation techniques and many more…..

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 Importance of Particle
Technology

• Prevent production loss

• Good product quality
• Storage problems
• Economics
• Environment issues … etc

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 Particle Shape

• Some particles conform to standard configuration like (Regular shape Particle);

• Sphere = Spherical
• Cylinder = Cylindrical
• Cube = Cubical
• Some do not conform to any of these standard configurations (Irregular shape particles).

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 Sphericity

• Sphericity is a measure of roundness of a shape of particle.

• Sphericity is defined for a non-spherical particle.
• Dimensionless quantity.
• For a Sphere, sphericity is 1.
• Sphericity is s/v ratio for a sphere of diameter Dp divided by s/v ratio of particle whose
nominal size is Dp.

28.1

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 Sphericity of various particle
shapes

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 Sphericity of various particle
shapes

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 Particle density and bulk
density

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 Particle Size

• Diameters are specified for equidimensional particle.

• Non-equidimensional particle are characterized by second largest dimension.
• Units used for particle size depend on the size of particles:

 Coarse particles: inches or millimetres

 Fine particles: screen size
 Very fine particles: micrometers or nanometers
 Ultra fine particles: surface area per unit mass, m2/g

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 Mixed particle sizes and size
analysis

• In a sample of uniform particles of diameter Dp and volume vp, the total volume is

• The number of particles N in sample;

• Total surface area of the particles;

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 Mixed particle sizes and size
analysis
• To apply these eq’s to mixtures of particles having various sizes and densities, the
mixture is sorted into fractions, each of constant densities and approximately constant
size.
• Each fraction can then be weighed, or individual particles then can be counted or
measured by different methods.
• Then these equations are applied to each fraction and results added.

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 Particle Size Distribution

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 SCREENING

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 Screen / Sieve

A sieve, fine mesh strainer, or sift, is a device for separating wanted

elements from unwanted material or for controlling the particle size
distribution of a sample, using a screen such as a woven mesh or net or
perforated sheet material.

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 Screening and its Terminology

Screening is a method of separating particles on the basis of their size.

 Aperture size of screen

 Mesh number
 Screen interval
 Material flow through screen

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 Screening Terminology

Aperture Size of screen

The size of a square opening (length of clear space between individual

wires) is called the aperture size of screen.

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 Screening Terminology

Mesh number of screen

o Screens are designated by their mesh number. Mesh no. indicated

the number of apertures/openings per linear inch of the screen.
o e.g., A screen having 10 square openings per inch is said to have
mesh no. 10
o Higher the mesh no., smaller the aperture size of screen.

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 Screening Terminology

Screen Interval

o Screen interval is a factor by which aperture size of a screen is to be

divided to get the aperture size of next successive screen.
o The ratio of actual aperture size of any screen to that of the next
smaller screen is √2 = 1.41.
o The area of openings in any one screen in the series is exactly twice
that of the openings in the next smaller screen.

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 Screening Terminology

Material flow through Screen

Overflo
w

Feed

Underflo
w
Overflow: The material that is rejected by the screen.
Underflow: The material that is passed through the
38 screen.
 Screening Terminology

Material flow through Screen

Overflow (oversize particles)

Oversize particles -> Plus material

Undersize particles -> Minus Material

Two numbers are needed to tell the size

range of the increment; one for the
screen through which the material passes
and the other on which it is retained.
E.g. 14 / 20 or -14 + 20

The average size of the particles in the

increment will be the arithmetic average
39 of the aperture sizes of two screens.
Underflow (undersize
particles)