CH 2040 Course Synopsis

*References mentioned correspond to Unit operations Of Chemical Engineering (7 th Ed.)

by Warren L. McCabe, Julian C. Smith, Peter Harriott.

Shape & Size Analysis:

Steps to be followed for assessing shape

o Data Collection: (by digitizing the particle using equipments)
o Data processing: (Fit curves accordingly using Fourier analysis)
o Judgment.

Sphericity of particles.

Resolution of generally used equipments are

(Chapter 28, page - 967)

o human eye: Up to 200m

o Optical microscope: up to 0.5m
o Electron Microscope: ranges from 0.5m-0.005m

Disadvantage using electron microscope being damage of surface due to electron

bombardment and hence sputtering is done which changes the morphology.

By using AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy) sub nanometric resolution and 3D

morphology of the surface can be obtained.

Light Scattering techniques fails beyond the m range and the intensity of the scattered
light is a function of size which being proportional to (diameter) 6

For detecting sizes of solids in liquids like slurries, emulsions, lubricants etc Light
Extinction Techniques are widely used.

Example being turbid meter which works on the principle of Beer-Lamberts law.

For individual particle size analysis Acoustic Attenuation Spectroscopy is used, where in
waves interact with both the particles and the medium, by knowing the properties, stressstrain relations between the particles and the interacting medium the attenuation is found
and hence the particle size.

Data Analysis:

Number mean: nidi/ ni

(d- diameter of the particle) used in finding semi-conductor

defects.

Areal mean: sidi/ si

(s- given surface area) used in catalysis, surface area separation

process.

Volume mean: nidi3di/ ni di3 in nanoscopic polymers.

Variance V =(di-dm)2/(N-1)

dm mean diameter

V=2

Standard Deviation

Size Reduction:

(Chapter 28, page - 984)

Can be done via Impaction, attrition, cutting etc.

Crushing & Mechanical Efficiency

Energy laws Kicks law, Rittingers law, Bonds law.

Bonds Work Index.

Practical Efficiency is the ratio of actual efficiency to efficiency evaluated under

controlled conditions.

Theoretical Efficiency is the ratio of actual efficiency to ideal efficiency (1).

Calculation of Sphericity of particles.

Ball mills, High Energy ball mills.

Critical speed of ball mill.

Crushers (Cone Crushers, Gyratory Crushers)

Impingers

(Chapter-28 page 988)

o Impingement is used as a method for the collection of particulate matter from

a fluid stream on arresting surfaces and also generally involves particles
travelling at high velocities hitting the filter media/impinger.
o It is applicable to aerosol separation as well as separations from liquid, such as
that which occurs in a deep bed filter.

Generally after Crushing operation for even more finer particles grinding operation is
used which
o Increase of the surface area of a solid.
o Manufacturing of a solid with a desired grain size

Hammer mills, Roller mills, Attrition mills, tumbling mills are generally used for
grinding operation.

For producing ultra-fine powders Ultra fine grinders are used:

o Hammer Mills with Internal Classification
o Fluid Energy Mills

Agitated Mills

Colloid Mills

Separation of particles into various groups based on sizes can be done with
o Filters
o Screens/Sieves (Chapter 29 page - 1001)
o Settlers

Mixing: Intermingling of two or more separate components to form a more or less

(Chapter 28, page - 977)

uniform product.

Industrial Mixers and Blenders are used to mix or blend a wide range of materials used in
different industries.

Driers flash drier, spray drier, ring drier, rotary drier, steam tube drier, fluid bed drier.

Used in food preservations, detergent manufacturing etc

Filtration:

Calculating effectiveness of Screens. (Chapter 29, page - 1001)

Expression

for

thickness

of

cake

and

(chapter 29 page - 1019)

At constant rate

At constant pressure filtration

HEPA filters (High Efficiency Particulate Air)

volume

of

filtrate

for

filtration

ULPA filters (Ultra Low Penetration Air)

Ribbon Blender, tumbling mixers (V-blender, Double cone blender)

Solid Gas Separation

(chapter 29 page - 1006)

o Removal of solid particles from a fluid by passing the fluid through a filtering
medium on which solids are deposited.
o Cake filters
o Clarifying filters
o Cross filters

Solid Liquid Separation

o Vacuum filters
o Pressure filters

Storage of solids:

(Centrifugal filters)

(Reference- chapter-28, page 975.)

The storage facilities must be designed such that they do not impair product quality.

Hence factors to be considered are

o Physical and chemical stability of the product.
o Interaction with environment.

Variations in storing may arise for various reasons, most of which fall into the three
general classes:
o Non Uniformity: Due to segregation.
o Inconsistency: Due to seasonal or process variations.
o Stability: Due to time, temperature, attrition or through natural degradation.

General Methods of storage:

o Bulk Storage:

Applied for coarse solids, unprotected from the weather.

Advantageous and most economical.

E.g.: coal, gravel etc

o Bin Storage:

Used for solids that is too valuable or too soluble to be exposed in outdoor
piles.

Different equipment in bin storage

Silos (tower silos, bunker silos and bag silos)

Bins

Hoppers

Transportation of solids:

Flowability of powders is a surface property which depends on the physical properties of

the powder.
o Indicated using Hausner Index and Carr Index.
o Carr Index ( < 15 Good Flowability & > 25 Poor Flowability)

Phoretic field the field force that predominantly affects the flow of particles in fluid.
o Electrophoresis
o Magnetophoresis
o Thermophoresis
o Gravitational & Inertial/drag effects

Total flux of particles = Convective flux + Phoretic flux + Diffusive flux

Mean free path ( )

Knudsen number to characterize flow (continuum or free molecular flow )

Ficks laws of diffusion

Brownian Diffusivity.