Particle Technology

Dr. Muhammad Bilal Khan Niazi

SCME NUST

Lecture Material
Introduction

of the course
Characterization of Solid Particles
Particle size analysis
Average sizes

Introduction

Particle technology deals with the production,

handling, modification, and use of a wide variety
of particulate materials, both wet or dry, in sizes
ranging from nanometers to centimeters
There are a large number of methods for the
determination of particle size, and it is important
to state at the outset, that these different
methods are not expected to give identical
results: the size of a powder depends on the
method used for its measurement, and it is
important to choose that method for its
determination which is relevant to its use.
Its scope spans a range of industries to include
chemical, petrochemical, agricultural, food,

Objective of Particle
Technology
Particle technology thus deals with
Bulk storage
Crushingandgrinding
Particle size separation, such as sieving,
tabling and flotation
Qualitative separation such asmagnetic
separation or electrostatic precipitation,
Fluidization,flocculation,particle size analysis
Powder metallurgy
Nanotechnology
Particle characterizationby shape, and others

Processes Involved
1. Particle formation processes
Crystallization, precipitation, granulation,
spray drying, extrusion and grinding
2. Transportation Processes
Pneumatic and hydraulic transportation,
mechanical conveying and screw feeding
3. Mixing Processes
4. Drying Processes
5. Coating Processes

Particle Size Analysis

Particle size analysis, particle size

measurement, or simply particle sizing is the
collective name of the technical procedures,
orlaboratory techniqueswhich determines
thesize range, and/or the average, ormean
sizeof
the
particles
in
apowderor
liquidsample
The particle size can have considerable
importance in a number of industries
including the chemical, mining, forestry,
agriculture, and aggregate industries

Particle Size Analysis

In many powder handling and processing
operations
particle
size
and
size
distribution play a key role in determining
the bulk properties of the powder.
Regular-shaped
particles
can
be
accurately described by giving the shape
and a number of dimensions
The description of the shapes of irregularshaped particles is a branch of science in
itself

Regular Shape Particles

Shape

Sphere

Dimension Radius
s

Regular
shapes

Cube

Cylinder

Cuboids

Cone

Single
length

Radius
and
height

Three side Radius

lengths
and
height

Industrial Importance of
Particle Sizing
1.

Chemical Industry:
When one of the reactants is a powder, or when in a
chemical reaction the catalyst is in a pulverized state,
either in a fixed bed, or in afluidisedreactor.

2. Mining Industry:
Oversize material being conveyed will cause damage
to equipment and slow down production
3.

Agriculture:
The gradation of soils affects water and nutrient
holding, and drainage capabilities

Industrial Importance of
Particle Sizing
4.

Forestry:
Wood particles used to make various types of
products rely on particle-size analysis to
maintain high quality standards. By doing so,
companies reduce waste and become more
productive.

5.

Aggregate:
Having properly sized particles allow aggregate
companies to create long-lasting roads and other
products

Characterization of Solid
Particles

Individual solid particles are characterized by

their size shape and density

Particles of homogeneous solids have same

densities as that of bulk material

Particles obtained by breaking up composite

solids such as metal bearing ores have various
densities usually different from densities of bulk
material.

Characterization of Solid
Particles
Sizes

and shapes are easily specified

for regular shaped particles

For

irregular particles term sizes and

shapes are not clear and must be

arbitrarily defined

Shape of Particles
Shape

of individual particle is
conveniently expressed in terms of
sphericity;
The ratio of thesurface areaof
asphere(with the samevolumeas
the given particle) to the surface
area of the particle
For

a spherical particle
diameter Dp, Qs=1

having

Shape of Particles
For

a non-spherical particle it given as

s= 6 VP/DPSP

Where,
DP= Equivqlent diameter or nominal diameter of the particle
SP= surface area of one particle
VP = volume of one particle

Equivalent diameter is defined as the diameter of a sphere of equal

volume. For fine granular materials it is difficult to determine the exact
volume and surface area of the particle.

DP is usually taken to be the nominal size based on screen analysis or

microscopic examination

Average Particle Sizes

In general diameter may be specified for any
equidimenstional particle. Particle that are not
having same dimensions are often characterized by
the second longest major dimension.
However,
no single physical dimension can
adequately describe the size of an irregularly
shaped particle, just as a single dimension cannot
describe the shape of a cylinder, a cuboid or a cone.
Which dimension we do use will in practice depend
on
(a) What property or dimension of the particle we are
able to measure and
(b) The use to which the dimension is to be put

Average Particle Sizes

If we use a sieve to measure the particle size we come up with an

equivalent sphere diameter, which is the diameter of a sphere passing
through the same sieve aperture.

If we use a sedimentation technique to measure particle size then it is

expressed as the diameter of a sphere having the same sedimentation
velocity under the same conditions.

The volume equivalent sphere diameter

equivalent sphere diameter.

is

commonly

used as

By definition,

The equivalent volume sphere diameter is the diameter of a sphere

having the same volume as the particle.

The surface volume (equivalent sphere) diameter is the diameter of a

sphere having the same surface to volume ratio as the particle.

Equivalent Diameters of a
Nonspherical Particle

Sieve Diameter
A sieve diameter is defined as the width of the minimum square aperture
through which the particle will pass. A common sizing device associated
with this definition is a series of sieves with square woven meshes

Equivalent Diameters of a
Nonspherical Particle
Martin's Diameter , Feret's Diameter,
and Projected Area Diameter
Three diameters defined on the basis of the
projected image of a single particle.
Martin's diameter is defined as the averaged cord
length of a particle which equally
divides the projected area.
Feret's diameter is the averaged distance between
pairs of parallel tangents to the projected outline of the particle.
The projected area diameter is the diameter of a sphere having the same
projected area as the particle

Martin's Diameter , Feret's

Diameter,
and Projected Area Diameter

The projected area diameter of a particle d A can be related to the

particle projected area A by

Martin's diameter and Feret's diameter

of a particle depend on the particle
orientation under which the measurement
is made.
Thus, statistically significant measurement requires a large number
of randomly sampled particles which are measured in an arbitrarily
fixed orientation.
Since Martin's diameter, Feret's diameter, and projected area
diameter are based on the two-dimensional image of the particles,
they are generally used in optical and electron microscopy