Dr. Leonardo C. Medina Jr.

Perrys Chemical
Engineers Handbook
7th Edition
Section 19
Pages 19-18 to 19-23
Tables
19-5: Types of Screening Operations
19-6: US Sieve Series & Tyler Equivalents
19-7: Slotted Opening Factors
Figures 19-21 & 19-22: Unit Capacity & Open Area Factor

 Separates a mixture of various sizes of particles into

two or more portions, each of which is more uniform
in size of particle than the original mixture.
Passing a material over a surface provided with
openings of the desired size.

DRY SCREENING refers to the treatment of a

material containing a natural amount of moisture or a

material that has been dried before screening.

WET SCREENING refers to an operation when water

is added to the material being treated for the purpose

of washing the fine material through the screen.

 means of preparing a product for sale or for

subsequent operation [as in marketing of coal
where the size is the basis for its classification
for sale]
means of analysis, either to control or gage the
effectiveness of another operation such as
crushing or grinding. [to control the rates of
reactions involving solids as in]
to determine the value of a product for some
specific application

First

Second

Third

+20 mesh

+20 mesh

Through 10 mesh on
20 mesh

-10 + 20

10/20

Through 1/4 in on
1/8 in

Oversize, 1/4 in.

Oversize, 20 mesh

Undersize, 200
mesh

1
1

4 8

-200

1
4

1
8

-200

Screens are used for control and analytical work.

They are constructed of wire mesh cloth, the
diameters of the wire and the spacing of the wires
are specified.
Screen Aperture clear space between the individual
wires of the screen
Mesh number of apertures per linear inch.
Example: A 10-mesh screen will have 10 openings
per inch and the aperture will be 0.1 inch minus the
diameter of the wire.
Screen interval relationship between the
successive sizes of screen openings in a series.

Particle Size Distribution for Powder: (a) Differential Analysis;

(b) Cumulative Analysis

1. Tyler Standard Sieve Series this series of

screens is based upon a 200 mesh screen with wire
0.0021 in. thick and with an opening of 0.0029 in
(0.0074 cm). The other sizes vary by a fixed ratio of
. The mesh is only up to 400.
2. United States Sieve Series introduced by the
National Bureau of Standards differ slightly from
the Tyler Series being based on a 1-mm opening
(No. 18 mesh) and varying by .
3. International Test Sieve Series are similar to
both but the wires have different gages.

Methods of Reporting Screen Analysis

1. Differential Screen Analysis or Fractional Plots

or n v.s. D p, n

The data consists of n v.s.Dp, n

where: n = mass fraction retained by screen, n

Dp, n

= particle diameter or mesh opening

D p, n

D p, n 1 D p, n
2

2. Cumulative Analysis or Cumulative Plot

nv.s.Dp, n

The data consists of

The data consist of

where:

n n

where:

1 n v.s.Dp, n

n 1

= fraction larger than Dp, n

1 n = fraction smaller than Dp, n

Ordinary Rectangular coordinates or Logarithmic methods of plotting
can be used. However, the logarithmic method is preferred as this
spreads the points for the small particles along the dimension
scale.

Effectiveness of Screen
FEED
F, x F

OVERSIZE
R, x R

Screen

UNDERSIZE
(Product)
P, x P

Let x = mass fraction of the desired material (in this case

the
Undersize)
Recovery =

Px p
Fx F

Rejection = 1 Recovery of Undesired Material

=

P 1 xp

F 1 x F

Effectiveness = (Recovery) x (Rejection),

Px p
P 1 xp
E
1

Fx F
F 1 xF

In terms of mass fraction:

Over-all Material Balance:

F PR

Component Material Balance:

x P x F x R
Recovery =
x F x P x R
Rejection

1 xP xF xR
=1
1 xF xP xR

FxF Px p RxR

P xF xR

F ( xP xR )

Effectiveness = (recovery) (rejection),

x p xF xR 1 xP xF xR
E
1

xF xP xR 1 xF xP xR

Effectiveness = Effectiveness based

on oversize particles

Rx R
E
Fx F

Effectiveness
based on
undersize
particles

P 1 x p

F 1 xF

Performance Formulas

Screen Efficiency There is confusion concerning the

meaning of screen efficiency, as a uniform method for

figuring efficiency has never been established. A sound
method of evaluating screen performance is given by W. S.
Tyler, Inc., Mentor, Ohio, in its Sieve Handbook, no. 53. In
this formula, when material put through the screen is
the desired product, efficiency is the ratio of the amount
of undersize obtained to the amount of undersize in the
feed.

E = (R x d )/b

where E = efficiency
R = percent of fines through the screen
d = percent finer than the designated size in screen
fines
b = percent finer than the designated size in screen
feed.

When the object is to recover an oversize

product from the screen, efficiency may be
expressed as a ratio of the amount of oversize
obtained to the amount of true oversize:

E = (O x c )/ a
where O = percent of oversize over the screen
c = percent coarser than the
designated size in screen oversize
a = percent coarser than the
designated size in screen feed.

Other formulas for the derivation of screen

efficiency are used. Taggart (Handbook of
Mineral Dressing) gives the formula

E = 100 x 100 ( e v )
e ( 100 v )

where E = efficiency
e = percentage of undersize in the
feed
v = percentage of undersize in the
screen oversize.
Graphical methods of evaluating efficiency,
using sieve analyses, are also employed and
are recommended when serious research on
screening is done.

1. Grizzlies are widely used for screening large

sizes, particularly of 1 in and over. The material

enters at the top left and works its way downward
to the right. The large and oversize particles are
discharged over the lower right end and the smaller
particles pass through the slots between the bars
into the hopper directly below.

2. Stationary Screens are made of punched metal

plates or woven wire mesh, usually set at an angle

with the horizontal up to about 60 degrees. Suitable
for small scale operation such as screening sand,
gravel or coal.

3. Vibrated Screens are used where large

tonnages are to be treated. They are particularly
useful in the chemical and fertilizer industry. They
handle very successfully many light, fine, dry
materials and metal powders. Most of this screens
have intense, high speed (1500 to 7200
vibrations/min).
4. Oscillating Screens are characterized by lowspeed (300 to 400 rpm) oscillations. Screens in this
group are usually used from in. to 60 mesh. Silk
cloth are often used.
5. Reciprocating Screens these screens are used
extensively and are standard equipment in many
chemical and processing plants for handling fine
separations even down to 300 mesh. Used to handle
a variety of chemicals, usually dry, light or bulky
materials, light metal powders, powdered foods and
granular materials.

6. Trommels or Revolving Screens consists of a

cylindrical screen rotating about its axis. Revolves

at very low speed of 15 to 20 rpm. Efficiency is
relatively low.
7. Gyratory Screens are box like machines either
round or square with a series of screen cloths
nested atop one another.
Testing Sieve Shakers:

1. Ro-Tap Testing Sieve this is equipped from 1 to

13 sieves at a time

2. End-Strak Testing Sieve Shaker

3. Dynamic Sieve Shaker

Motions of Screens (a) gyrations in horizontal plane; (b) gyrations in

vertical plane; (c) gyrations at one end, shaking at other; (d) shaking;
(e) mechanically vibrated; (f ) electrically vibrated

(a) Heavy Duty Vertically Gyrated Screen

(b) Horizontally Gyrated Screen

Capacity of Screens:
The screen capacity indicates how much material
a screen can handle.
Expressions of screen capacity:
1. mass of feed /

2.

MT feed
timearea :
24 h ft 2

mass of feed
MT feed
:
timearea aperture day ft 2 mm

Estimating Screen Capacity

Various methods of predicting screening

capacity have been proposed, and each has its
limitations. The throughflow method of
Matthews uses the following equation:

A = 0.4Ct /CuFoaFs

where A = screen area

Ct = throughflow rate
Cu = unit capacity
Foa = open-area factor
Fs = slotted-area factor
The unit capacity Cu can be determined from
Fig. 19-21. Figure 19-22 can be used to
determine the open-area factor Foa, and the
slotted opening factor Fs for various screen
types is given in Table 19-7.