Separation Process Principles

(CHE 2422)

CLO1. Size Reduction Processes

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 Textbooks
• Unit Operation of Chemical Engineering, McCab,
Warren/ Smith, Julian/ Harriott, Perer, Seventh Edition.
• Transport Process and Separation process Principles,
Christie John Geankoplis, Fourth Edition.
Assessment Policy:
Assessment Weight %
Lab Work (CLO 1-5) 20
Midterm Test (CLO 1-3) 20
Quizzes (CLO 1-5) 15
Project (CLO 1-5) 15
Final Practical Exam (CLO 1-5) 10
Final Exam (CLO 1-5) 20 2
 Teaching Material

CLO1: Size Reduction

CLO2: Packed and fluidized beds
CLO3: Solid –Liquid Separation.
CLO4: Settling and Sedimentation Process.
CLO5: Ion- Exchange process.

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 What is Separation?
• What do you know about separation processes?
• Mixtures: two or more components
• Mixture classification:
 Homogeneous - single phase, gas or liquid
– Air (N2, O2, Ar), Dry syngas (CO/H2/CH4/CO2)
– Water + ethanol
 Heterogeneous - multiple, immiscible phases
– Liquid + liquid, e.g. oil + water
– Solid + liquid
– Liquid + gas
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 Separation Types?
• Separation:
 Mixture  Products that differ in composition
• Classification:
 Mechanical /Force field:
– Gravity, pressure, electrical field, centrifugal force
– Heterogeneous mixtures
 Chemical- exploit differences in physical properties
– vapour pressure, solubility, molecular geometry,
surface activity, freezing point, boiling point
– Homogeneous mixtures 5
 Selection of the Process?
• Select appropriate separation process
– Distillation: difference in boiling points
– Absorption/Stripping/Extraction: difference in solubility
• If the feed is a single phase solution, a 2nd separable
phase must be developed before separation of the
species can be achieved. Second phase is created by
ESA and/or added as a MSA.
• Mass Separating (MSA) or Energy Separating Agent (ESA)
– Solvent for absorption, e.g. Amine for CO2/air
– Reflux/Reboiling: remove/add heat in distillation
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 Unit Operations to be Studied in this Course
• The course focuses on the principles of unit operations.
 Size reduction
 Fluidization, Flow through packed bed
 Filtration
 Settling & Sedimentation
 Ion –exchange Processes
 Evaporation (in unit operation course)
 Drying (in unit operation course)

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 What is a Chemical Process?
• A Chemical process is a combination of steps in which
starting materials are converted into desired products
using equipment and conditions that facilitate the
conversion.

• These steps could be separation units or chemical

transformation units.

• A good example of chemical process is a crude oil

refinery.
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 What is a Separation Process?
• A separation process is used to transform a mixture of
substances into two or more compositionally distinct
products.
• Depending on the raw mixture, various processes can
be employed to separate the mixtures.
• Separation processes can be :
 Mechanical separation processes,
 Chemical separation processes.

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 Mechanical Separation Process
• The objective of a mechanical separation is to separate
a mixture of solids according to the difference in the
physical properties of the individual solids of the feed.
• Differences can be in density, size, shape, colour,
electrical and magnetic properties.
• Mechanical processes are based on mechanical-physical
forces.
• These forces will act on the particles, liquids or a
mixture of solids and liquids but not at their individual
molecules.
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 Examples of Mechanical Separation
• Particles and/or fluid streams are separated by
gravitational or centrifugal , actual mechanical and
kinetic forces.
• Filtration in solid-liquid separation:
 Separation by a filter
• Settling and sedimentation in particle-fluid separation:
 Separation by gravitational forces
• Centrifugal separation processes:
 Separation by centrifugal forces
• Mechanical size reduction 11
 Mechanical Separation Process
• Mechanical separations are usually favoured, if
possible, due to the lower cost of the operations as
compared to chemical separations.
• In mechanical separations, no mass transfer is involved
(separation due to only the difference of physical
properties).
• Systems that can not be separated by purely mechanical
means (e.g. crude oil), chemical separation is the
remaining solution.
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 What is a Chemical Separation Process?
• Chemical separation processes are based on the
difference of concentrations between the phases.
• Therefore, the driving force of any chemical separation
process is the difference in concentrations (If P and T
are constants, otherwise we need to consider the
chemical potential).
• Mass transfer in these processes involve molecular and
convective transport of atoms and molecules.
• Examples : Evaporation, Drying, Distillation,
Absorption, Liquid – liquid extraction.
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Mechanical Separation Processes

Size Reduction Processes

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 What is a Size Reduction Process?
• Many solid materials are available in sizes that are too
large to be used and must be reduced.
• Often these solids are reduced in size so that the
separation of various ingredients can be carried out.
• The terms crushing and grinding are used to describe
the action of the size reduction process.
• Objectives
 To create particles in a certain size and shape.
 To increase the surface area available for next process.
 To liberate valuable minerals held within the particles. 15
 Liberation and Separation
• Mineral processing combines liberation and separation.
• Product is separated into two streams: valuable mineral
(concentrate) and gangue (tailings).
• Flotation, magnetic separation and gravity methods are typical
separation processes.
• Ideally, concentrate should contain 100% valuable minerals and
tailings should contain 100% gangue. In reality, concentrate
contains some gangue and tailings contains some valuable
minerals.

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 Equipment for Size Reduction
• Size reduction equipment may be classified according to
the way the forces are applied:
 Between two surfaces – crushing and grinding
 At one surface – impact
 Action of surrounding medium
• A more practical classification: (other classification)
 Crushers
 Grinders
 Fine grinders
 Cutters
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 Equipment for Size Reduction (continued)
• The method of application of the force to the particles
may affect the breakage pattern.
• Four basic patterns may be identified, though it is
sometimes difficult to identify the dominant mode in
any given machine. The four basic patterns are:
Impact: particle concussion by a single rigid force.
Compression: particle disintegration by two rigid forces.
Shear: produced by a fluid or by particle-particle
interaction.
Attrition: arising from particles scraping against one
another or against a rigid surface. 18
 Factors Affecting the Choice of Size Reduction
Equipment
• Stressing mechanism
• Mode of operation : batch/continuous or open/closed
circuit
• Capacity
• Size of feed and product
• Material properties
• Carrier medium : air/inert gas/water/oil
• Integration with other unit operation : drying,
classification, mixing, transportation, storage 19
 Nature of the Material to be Crushed
• The choice of a machine for a given crushing operation is
influenced by the nature of the product required and the
quantity and size of material to be handled.
• The more important properties of the feed apart from its
size are as follows:
 Hardness - The hardness of the material affects the power
consumption and the wear on the machine.
 Structure - granular materials (coal, ores and rocks) can be
crushed employing the normal forces of compression,
impact and so on. With fibrous materials a tearing action is
required.
 Moisture content – moisture content between about 5 and
50%, material tends to cake together in the form of balls.
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Nature of the Material to be Crushed (continued)
 Crushing strength - The power required for crushing is almost
directly proportional to the crushing strength of the material.
 Friability - The friability of the material is its tendency to
fracture during normal handling.
 Stickiness - A sticky material will tend to clog the grinding
equipment. Plant that can be cleaned easily is required.
 Soapiness - A measure of the coefficient of friction of the
surface of the material. Crushing may be more difficult.
 Explosive materials must be ground wet or in the presence of
an inert atmosphere.
 Materials yielding dusts that are harmful to the health must be
ground under conditions where dust is not allowed to escape.
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 Size-Reduction Equipment
The principal types of size-reduction machines are as follows:
A. Crushers (coarse and fine) Coarse mine material into lumps of
1. Jaw crushers 250 to 150 mm. Again these lumps
2. Gyratory crushers are broken into particles of 6 mm in
3. Crushing rolls size.
B. Grinders (intermediate and fine) The product from an intermediate
1. Hammer mills, Impactors grinder might pass a 40-mesh
2. Attrition mills screen and product from fine
3. Tumbling mills grinders pass a 200-mesh screen
a. Rod mills with a 74 m opening.
b. Ball mills
C. Ultrafine grinders Feed < 6 mm
1. Fluid-energy mills Product: 1- 50 m
2. Fine impact mill
D. Cutting machines 2 to 10 mm in size
1. Knife cutters, slitters 22
 A. Crushers
• Crusher are slow-speed machines for coarse reduction
of large quantities of solids.
• The main types are jaw crushers, gyratory crushers,
smooth-roll crushers and toothed-roll crushers.
• The first three operate by compression and can break
large lumps of very hard materials, as in the primary
and secondary reduction of rocks and ores.
• Toothed-roll crushers tear the feed apart as well as
crush it, they handle softer feeds like coal.

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 A. Crushers - Jaw Crushers
• Based on human jaw, one fixed plate, one moving. The fixed jaw
is nearly vertical. The swinging jaw, reciprocates in a horizontal
plane. It makes an angle of 20 to 30 with the fixed jaw. As the
material moves down the crushing action increases.
• Product size is adjusted by adjusting the gap size.
• The jaws open and close 250 – 400 times per minute. Uncrushed
rock can be passes through.
• Jaw crushers are used
mainly for primary
crushing of hard
materials and are
usually followed by
other types of crushers.
Blake Jaw Crushers
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 A. Crushers –
Blake Jaw Crushers
• More commonly used. The
pivot point is at the top of
the movable jaw.
• Reduction ration 8:1.

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 A. Crushers – Dodge Jaw Crushers
• In Dodge jaw crusher, the movable jaw is pivoted at the bottom
and the top end executes the reciprocating motion.
• The large opening at the top enables it to take very large feed and
to effect a large size reduction.
• Since the width of discharge opening is practically constant, a
more uniform and closely sized product can be obtained.

• The constant opening at

the discharge end gives
the crusher an annoying
tendency to clog.

Dodge Jaw Crusher 26

A. Crushers - Gyratory Crushers
• Gyratory crushers employ
compressive force for size
reduction.
• It consists of two vertical
conical shells, the movable
crushing head is shaped like an
inverted truncated cone and is
inside a truncated cone casing.
• The crushing head rotates
eccentrically and the material
being crushed is trapped
between the outer fixed cone
and inner gyratory cone. 27
A. Crushers - Gyratory Crushers

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 Gyratory Crusher or Jaw Crusher?
• Similarities:
 Speeds are the same -100 to 200 rpm (revolutions per
minute).
 Both break ore by compression.
 Accept rock of up to 60 inches across, discharge down to
7 inches.
• Differences:
 Gyratory crusher - can be fed from two sides, handle ore
that tends to slab, more energy efficient.
 Jaw crusher – smaller, makes it a logical choice for
underground, can be used on tougher ores.
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 A. Crushers - Crushing Rolls
• Two or more heavy steel cylinders revolve towards each other at
the same or different speeds. An overload compression spring
protects the roller surfaces from damage.
• The distance between the surfaces of the rollers is termed as nip.
• Force applied to the product is mainly compressive.
• Size reduction ratios varies from 4:1 to 2.5:1.
• Capacity is affected
by speed, nip,
diameter and length
of the rollers.
• Roll speeds range
from 50 to 300 rpm.

Smooth Roll Crusher 30

 A. Crushers - Crushing Rolls
• Toothed-roll crushers may contain two or one roll working against
a stationary curved breaker plate.
• They are more versatile than smooth-roll crushers, within the
limitation that they cannot handle very hard solids.
• They operate by compression,
impact and shear. Therefore,
reduce much larger particles.
• Many food
products that are
not hard
materials, such as
flour, soybeans
and starch are
ground on rolls. Single-roll toothed Crusher 31
A. Crushers - Crushing Rolls

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 B. Grinders
• The term grinder describes a variety of size-reduction
machines for intermediate and fine duties.
• The product from a crusher is often fed to a grinder, in
which it is reduced to powder.
• The main types of commercial grinders are:
 Hammer mills,
 Attrition mills and
 Tumbling mills.

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 B. Grinders - Hammer Mill
• Hammer mills are used to
reduce intermediate sized
material to small sizes or
powder. Often the product
from jaw and gyratory
crushers is the feed.
• A high speed rotor carries a
number of hammers around
its periphery, inside a close
fitting case containing a
toughened breaker plate.
• Individual hammers could
weight as much as 100-150 kg. Hammer Mill 34
 B. Grinders - Hammer Mill
• The feed enters the top of the casing and the particles are
broken as they fall through the cylinder.
• The material is broken by the impact of the hammers and
pulverized into powder between the hammers and casing.
• The powder then passes through a grate or screen at the
discharge end.
• Reduction is mainly by impacts as the hammer drives the
material against the breaker plate (shear may also have role
under “choke” feeding conditions).
• Regarded as general purpose mill, handling crystalline solids,
fibrous materials, sticky materials etc.
• Due to excessive wear, hammer mills are not recommended
for the fine grinding of very hard materials. 35
 B. Grinders - Attrition Mill
• Mainly utilize shear between a plate and a stationary surface
or between two plates for fine grinding.

Attrition Mill 36
 B. Grinders - Tumbling Mills
Ball Mills and Rod Mills
• A rotating (tumbling) or vibrating chamber is filled with steel
balls or rods.
• Feed material is subjected to impact and shear due to the
movement of the balls or rods.
• Shear predominates at low speed while impact becomes
more important at higher speeds (if speed is too high, balls
can be carried around the periphery and grinding ceases).
• Finer product is produced by smaller balls, higher ball
density and longer residence time (i.e. lower feed rate).
• Rod mills are useful for sticky materials which would glue
balls together.
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B. Grinders - Tumbling Mills

Ball Mill Standard Chrome Plated Steel

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Grinding Media
 C. Ultrafine Grinders – Fluid Energy Mills
• Many commercial powders must contain particles averaging
1 to 20 m in size with substantially all particles passing a
standard 325-mesh screen that has opening 44 m wide.
• Mills that reduce solids to such fine
particles are called ultrafine grinders.
• The fluid used is either superheated
steam or compressed air.
• It produces essentially
uncontaminated product, thus, these
are used extensively in industries
such as paints, cosmetics, drugs etc.
• It can handle safely heat sensitive and
explosive materials. 39
 The mechanical method used for each size
reduction equipment
Crusher Compressive Impact Attrition Shear

Jaw Crusher Y
Gyratory Crusher Y
Roll Crusher Y Y
Hammer Mill Y
Ball Mill Y Y
Fluid Energy Mill Y Y Y

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