Sieving

KEVIN A. OLEGARIO

BS Chemical Engineering

College of Engineering and Architecture

Department of Chemical Engineering

Cebu Institute of Technology - University, N. Bacalso Ave. Cebu City, 6000 Philippines

ABSTRACT

This experiment aims to determine the particle size distribution and average particle
size of the calcium carbonate powder. Using a set of data obtained from the experiment,
particle size distribution was determined at different shaking time. The sieving experiment
was accomplished by agitating the powder in the mechanical shaker for 2 min, 4 min and 6
min. The powder is thrown into a series of sieves nested in order with the smallest at the
bottom, and after shaking, the mass of retained aggregate in each sieve is calculated. From
the data, the sieving time affects the size distribution of the particles. The largest particle seen
at the topmost sieve was assumed as the maximum particle size.
1. Introduction

Screening or sieving is the process of separating coarse and bulky particles from finer
and smaller particles by means of meshes with perforations. Sieving is done to analyze
particle size distribution and average size of given samples. This process is particularly
common in mining and mineral processing, as well as in soil analysis.

In a simple screening method, a stack of meshes with decreasing mesh numbers is

placed on a sieve shaker. During the sieving process, the placed sample is subjected to
horizontal and vertical movement. This motion causes movement between the sieve and
sample. Depending on the particle size of the sample and the diameter of the perforations in
the sieves, the sample particles may either pass through the sieve or they may be retained on
the sieve surface. The likelihood that of particle that may or may not pass through the sieve
can be determined by the ratio of the particle size to the mesh openings, the orientation of the
particle and the number of encounters of the particle and the mesh openings. The likelihood
of passage also depends on sieve movement and sieving time.

The objective of the experiment is to determine the average particle size of the
CaCO3 sample as well as to perform the cumulative and differential analysis of the given
CaCO3 sample.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1 Materials
200 g of Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3)

2.2 Apparatuses
Standard Tyler Sieves Brushes
Analytical Balance Lid
Sieve Shaker Pan
Beakers
2.3 Methods
A uniform sized sample of CaCO3 was prepared. This was done by sieving an
ample amount of CaCO3. The CaCO3 particles that were retained at the topmost sieve
and at the pan was discarded, keeping the CaCO3 that was retained in between. The
retained sample was stored in a container.
 200 g of the prepared CaCO3 was weighed. The sieves were cleaned with a
brush, and arranged in a stack with increasing mesh numbers. The sieve with the
smallest mesh number was the topmost sieve, with the pan placed at the bottom. The
prepared CaCO3 sample was placed in the topmost sieve, which is attached to the
sieve shaker. The sieves were shaken at preferred intervals: 2 minutes, 4 minutes and
6 minutes. The stack was carefully removed after the sieving process, and the retained
mass of the sample in each sieve was weighed and recorded. The mass fractions per
sieve were calculated. Two trials were done for each intervals, using the same
weighed sample.

2.4 Sketch

Image 2.4.1 Sieve Shaker with the Standard Tyler testing sieves
3. Results and Discussion
3.1 Results

TEST NUMBER
ITEM 1 - (2 min) 2 - (4 min) 3 - (6 min)
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 1 Trial 2
Feed Material CaCO3 CaCO3 CaCO3 CaCO3 CaCO3 CaCO3
Quantity (g)
Initial quantity
200.03 200.03 200.01 200.05 200.02 200.07
(g)
20
- 0.42 0.28 0.04 0.05 0.19 0.04
mesh
20 40
10.39 17.44 0.09 0.33 4.4 3.33
mesh mesh
40 60
95.04 102.07 15.39 15.82 63.27 60.49
mesh mesh
60 80
74.76 64.79 90.44 93.0 81.97 79.72
mesh mesh
80 100
15.35 8.69 66.13 61.69 43.5 48.48
mesh mesh
100 200
3.84 6.37 23.33 25.47 6.35 7.41
mesh mesh
200
Pan 0.21 0.38 4.56 3.63 0.28 0.55
mesh
Total (g) 200.01 200.02 199.98 199.99 199.96 200.02
Table 3.1-1 Quantity of CaCO3 retained per sieve

Mean Particle Size (µm)

Time
Trial 1 Trial 2

2 min 256.08 232.65

4 min 167.13 169.85

6 min 220.99 214.84

Table 3.1-2 Mean Particle Sizes of each interval

 0.45

0.40

0.35

0.30
wt fraction (w/w)

0.25

Trial 1
0.20
Trial 2
0.15

0.10

0.05

0.00
850 635 335 215 165 112.5 37.5
Diameter (um)

Fig 3.1-1 CaCO3 weight fraction vs Diameter of Test No. 1 (2 min)

0.50

0.45

0.40

0.35
wt fraction (w/w)

0.30

0.25
Trial 1
0.20 Trial 2

0.15

0.10

0.05

0.00
850 635 335 215 165 112.5 37.5
Diameter (um)

Fig 3.1-2 CaCO3 weight fraction vs Diameter of Test No. 2 (4 min)

 0.45

0.40

0.35

0.30
wt fraction (w/w)

0.25

Trial 1
0.20
Trial 2
0.15

0.10

0.05

0.00
850 635 335 215 165 112.5 37.5
Diameter (um)

Fig 3.1-3 CaCO3 weight fraction vs Diameter of Test No. 3 (6 min)

1.20

1.00 0.98 1.00 0.99 1.00 1.00

0.97
cumulative wt fraction (w/w)

0.87
0.80
0.76

0.60
0.53

0.40 0.42

0.31
2min
0.20
0.150.18 4 min
6 min
0.02
0.00
0 200 400 600 800 1000
Ave. Diameter (um)

Fig 3.1-4 Average diameter vs Cumulative fraction

 3.2 Discussions
From Table 3.1-1, the amount of CaCO3 in the pan increases as the time
interval of shaking is prolonged. It is observed that the initial amount of the particle
is not equal to the total amount. Possible error was caused by either pouring of sample
on the top sieve or transferring and weighing of the sieves.
As can be seen from Figures 3.1-1, 3.1-2, and 3.1-3 where the weight fractions
of each interval is plotted against the average diameter, the sieved material has a
larger population between 335µm and 165µm during the different time intervals .
From the cumulative frequency curve of Fig 3.1-4 where the average diameter is
plotted against the cumulative percentage, it can be seen that 87% of the material is
smaller than 0.215 mm.

4. Conclusion
Based on the experiment, sieving process is one of the method to determine the size of
particles. The distribution of particles size are able to be analyzed after conducting this
experiment. The particle size distribution of the CaCO3 can be achieved by sieve analysis.
The frequency of the mass distribution is nearly the same in each time interval. An increase
in time improves the residence time in a mesh causing more separation. An increase in the
sieving time affects the size distribution of a given sample which therefore affects the average
particle size of a given sample from the given results.
 Appendices

A. Equations

𝐷1 +𝐷2
Eq. (A.1) Average Diameter =
2

𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝐶𝑎𝐶𝑂3
Eq. (A.2) Percentage mass of CaCO3 per sieve =
𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑚𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝐶𝑎𝐶𝑂3

𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑛
Eq. (A.3) Cumulative percentage =
𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠

𝑚𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 −1
Eq. (A.4) Mean Particle Diameter = 𝐷2 = [∑ ( )] (∑ 𝑚)
𝐷𝑖

B. Computations

Trial 1 (2min)

mass of
average mass of % of Cumulative
mesh diameter mass of sieve with
diameter CaCO3 CaCO3 percentage
no. (µm) sieve (g) samples
(µm) (g) per sieve (%)
(g)
20 850 850 382.24 382.66 0.42 0.00 1.00

40 420 635 349.67 360.06 10.39 0.05 1.00

60 250 335 328.89 423.93 95.04 0.48 0.98

80 180 215 321 395.76 74.76 0.37 0.76
100 150 165 316.47 331.82 15.35 0.08 0.42
200 75 112.5 308.81 312.65 3.84 0.02 0.15
Pan 0 37.5 373.79 374 0.21 0.00 0.02
Total 200.01 1.00
 Trial 2 (2min)

mass of
average mass of % of Cumulative
mesh diameter mass of sieve with
diameter CaCO3 CaCO3 per percentage
no. (µm) sieve (g) samples
(µm) (g) sieve (%)
(g)
20 850 850 382.24 382.52 0.28 0.00 1.00
40 420 635 349.67 367.11 17.44 0.09 1.00
60 250 335 328.89 430.96 102.07 0.51 0.91
80 180 215 321 385.79 64.79 0.32 0.40
100 150 165 316.47 325.16 8.69 0.04 0.08
200 75 112.5 308.81 309.19 0.38 0.00 0.03
Last 0 37.5 373.79 380.16 6.37 0.03 0.03
200.02 1.00 1

Trial 1 (4 min)

mass of
average % of Cumulative
mesh diameter mass of sieve with mass of
diameter CaCO3 percentage
no. (µm) sieve (g) samples CaCO3 (g)
(µm) per sieve (%)
(g)
20 850 850 382.22 382.26 0.04 0.00 0.95
40 420 635 349.62 349.71 0.09 0.00 1.00
60 250 335 328.82 344.21 15.39 0.08 1.07
80 180 215 320.94 411.38 90.44 0.45 1.19
100 150 165 316.93 383.06 66.13 0.33 0.78
200 75 112.5 308.78 332.11 23.33 0.12 0.24
Pan 0 37.5 373.79 378.35 4.56 0.02 0.02
Total 199.98 1

Trial 2 (4 min)

average mass of % of Cumulative

mesh diameter mass of mass of
diameter sieve with CaCO3 percentage
no. (µm) sieve (g) CaCO3 (g)
(µm) samples (g) per sieve (%)
20 850 850 382.22 382.27 0.05 0.00 1.13
40 420 635 349.62 349.95 0.33 0.00 1.06
60 250 335 328.82 344.64 15.82 0.08 1.00
80 180 215 320.94 413.94 93 0.47 0.92
100 150 165 316.93 378.62 61.69 0.31 0.45
200 75 112.5 308.78 334.25 25.47 0.13 0.15
Pan 0 37.5 373.79 377.42 3.63 0.02 0.02
Total 199.99 1.00
 Trial 1(6min)

average mass of sieve % of Cumulative

mesh diameter mass of mass of
diameter with samples CaCO3 percentage
no. (µm) sieve (g) CaCO3 (g)
(µm) (g) per sieve (%)
20 850 850 382.19 382.38 0.19 0.00 1.28
40 420 635 349.66 354.06 4.4 0.02 1.28
60 250 335 328.8 392.07 63.27 0.32 1.15
80 180 215 320.98 402.95 81.97 0.41 0.66
100 150 165 316.96 360.46 43.5 0.22 0.25
200 75 112.5 308.8 315.15 6.35 0.03 0.03
Pan 0 37.5 373.79 374.07 0.28 0.00 0.00
Total 199.96 1.00

Trial 2 (6min)

average mass of sieve % of Cumulative

mesh diameter mass of mass of
diameter with samples CaCO3 percentage
no. (µm) sieve (g) CaCO3 (g)
(µm) (g) per sieve (%)
20 850 850 382.2 382.24 0.04 0.00 1.29
40 420 635 349.6 352.93 3.33 0.02 1.15
60 250 335 328.88 389.37 60.49 0.30 1.03
80 180 215 321.02 400.74 79.72 0.40 0.68
100 150 165 316.99 365.47 48.48 0.24 0.28
200 75 112.5 308.77 316.18 7.41 0.04 0.04
Pan 0 37.5 373.77 374.32 0.55 0.00 0.00
Total 200.02 1.00

Calculation of Mean Particle Size

t = 2 min T1
diameter average diameter mass of CaCO3 mean particle size
msample/Di
(µm) (µm) (g) (µm)
850 850 0.42 0.0005
420 635 10.39 0.0164
250 335 95.04 0.2837
180 215 74.76 0.3477
256.08
150 165 15.35 0.0930
75 112.5 3.84 0.0341
0 37.5 0.21 0.0056
Total 200.01 0.7810
t = 2 min T2
diameter average diameter mass of CaCO3 mean particle size
msample/Di
(µm) (µm) (g) (µm)
850 850 0.28 0.0003
420 635 17.44 0.0275
250 335 102.07 0.3047
180 215 64.79 0.3013
232.65
150 165 8.69 0.0527
75 112.5 0.38 0.0034
0 37.5 6.37 0.1699
Total 200.02 0.8597

t = 4 min T1
diameter average diameter mass of CaCO3 mean particle size
msample/Di
(µm) (µm) (g) (um)
850 850 0.04 0.0000
420 635 0.09 0.0001
250 335 15.39 0.0459
180 215 90.44 0.4207
167.13
150 165 66.13 0.4008
75 112.5 23.33 0.2074
0 37.5 4.56 0.1216
Total 199.98 1.1965

t = 4 min T2
diameter average diameter mass of CaCO3 mean particle size
msample/Di
(µm) (µm) (g) (um)
850 850 0.05 0.0001
420 635 0.33 0.0005
250 335 15.82 0.0472
180 215 93 0.4326
169.85
150 165 61.69 0.3739
75 112.5 25.47 0.2264
0 37.5 3.63 0.0968
Total 199.99 1.1774
 t = 6 min T1
diameter average diameter mass of CaCO3 mean particle size
msample/Di
(µm) (µm) (g) (um)
850 850 0.19 0.0002
420 635 4.4 0.0069
250 335 63.27 0.1889
180 215 81.97 0.3813
220.99
150 165 43.5 0.2636
75 112.5 6.35 0.0564
0 37.5 0.28 0.0075
Total 199.96 0.9048

t = 6 min T2
mass of mean particle size
diameter (µm) average diameter (µm) msample/Di
CaCO3 (g) (um)
850 850 0.04 0.0000
420 635 3.33 0.0052
250 335 60.49 0.1806
180 215 79.72 0.3708
214.84
150 165 48.48 0.2938
75 112.5 7.41 0.0659
0 37.5 0.55 0.0147
Total 200.02 0.9310

References
[1] McCave I. N., Syvitcki J. P. M. (1991), Principles and Methods of Particle Size Analysis,
Cambridge University Press, New York, Pg 3 – 21.
[2] Rhodes, M., Introduction to Particle Technology.(2008). Second Edition. John Wiley &
Sons, Ltd.