Particle Size Reduction

and Size Separation

(p. 156-169)

nbnbn

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 SOME OF THE REASONS FOR CARRYING OUT A SIZE REDUCTION
a) Reducing the size of particles will generally increase the rate of dissolution,
which can have a direct impact on bioavailability and subsequent drug
handling by the body.
For example, the drug griseofulvin has a low solubility by oral
administration, but is rapidly distributed following absorption; reducing the
particle size increases the rate of dissolution and consequently the amount of
drug absorbed.
However, a reduction in particle size to improve dissolution rate and
hence bioavailability is not always beneficial.
For example, reducing the particle size of nitrofurantoin increases its
dissolution rate, and may consequently produce adverse side-effects
because of its more rapid absorption.
a) To aid efficient processing of solid particles by facilitating powder mixing
or the production of suspensions.
b) Exposing cells in plant tissue prior to extraction of the active principles
c) Reducing the bulk volume of a material to improve transportation efficiency

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INFLUENCE OF MATERIAL
PROPERTIES ON SIZE REDUCTION :
a) Crack propagation and toughness -> the ease of comminution depends on the
brittleness or plasticity of the material because of their relationship with crack
initiation and crack propagation.
b) Surface hardness -> In general, harder materials are more difficult to comminute
and can lead to abrasive wear of metal mill parts, which can then result in product
contamination. Conversely, materials with a large elastic component, such as
rubber, are extremely soft yet difficult to size reduce. Materials such as rubber that
are soft under ambient conditions, waxy substances such as stearic acid that
soften when heated, and ‘sticky’ materials such as gums are capable of absorbing
large amounts of energy through elastic and plastic deformation without crack
initiation and propagation.
c) Energy requirements of size reduction process -> A number of hypotheses and
theories have been proposed in an attempt to relate energy input to the degree of
size reduction produced.

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INFLUENCE OF SIZE REDUCTION ON
SIZE DISTRIBUTION :
During a size reduction process the particles
of feed material will be broken down and
particles in different size ranges undergo
different amounts of breakage.

This uneven milling leads to a change in the

size distribution, which is superimposed on
the general movement of the normal or
log-normal curve towards smaller particle
diameters. Changes in size distributions that
occur as milling proceeds have
been demonstrated experimentally and this
showed that an initial normal particle size
distribution was transformed through a
size-reduced bimodal population into a
much finer powder with a positively skewed,
leptokurtic particle population (Fig. 10.2)
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as milling continued.
SIZE REDUCTION METHODS
1. Cutting methods
Example:
- Cutter mill -> consists of a series of
knives attached to a horizontal rotor
which act against a series of
stationary knives attached to the mill
casing.

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2. Compression methods
Example:
- Runner mills -> using mortar and pestle
- Roller mill -> A form of compression mill uses two cylindrical rollers mounted
horizontally and rotated about their long axes.

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3. Impact methods
Example:
- Hammer mill -> Hammer mills
consist of a series of four or more
hammers, hinged on a central
shaft which is enclosed within a
rigid metal case.
- Vibration mill -> Vibration mills are
filled to approximately 80% total
volume with porcelain or stainless
steel balls. During milling the
whole body of the mill is vibrated
and size reduction occurs by
repeated impact.

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4. Attrition methods
Example:
- Roller mill -> Roller mills use the principle of attrition to produce size reduction of
solids in suspensions, pastes or ointments. Two or three porcelain or metal rollers
are mounted horizontally with an adjustable gap, which can be as small as 20 μm.
The rollers rotate at different speeds so that the material is sheared as it passes
through the gap and is transferred from the slower to the faster roller, from which
it is removed by means of a scraper.

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5. Combined impact and attrition methods
Example:
- Ball mill -> A ball mill is an example of a comminution method which produces size
reduction by both impact and attrition of particles. Ball mills consist of a hollow
cylinder mounted such that it can be rotated on its horizontal longitudinal axis.
cylinder contains balls that occupy 30–50% of the total volume, the ball size being
dependent on feed and mill size.
- Fluid energy mill -> A form of fluid energy or jet mill or micronizer is shown in
Figure 10.14. A fluid, usually air, is injected as a high-pressure jet through nozzles
at the bottom of the loop. The high velocity of the air gives rise to zones of
turbulence into which solid particles are fed.
- Pin mill -> two discs with closely spaced pins rotate against one another at high
speeds.

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SELECTION OF PARTICLE SIZE REDUCTION METHOD

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INTRODUCTION TO SIZE SEPARATION
Objectives of size separation:
Solid separation is a process by which powder particles are
removed from gases or liquids, and has two main aims:
1. to recover valuable products or by-products
2. to prevent environmental pollution.

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SIZE SEPARATION METHODS
1. Size separation by sieving
2. Size separation by sedimentation
3. Size separation by elutriation
4. Size separation by cyclone

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