THE UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE

DISCIPLINE OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

CHEE2940 – PARTICLE PROCESSING

Lecture Notes – 2006

Associate Professor Anh V. Nguyen

Original course notes in this work are copyright to the University of Newcastle. Copyright in works, or parts of works, copied under the
provisions of Part VB of the Copyright Act 1968 and reproduced herein, remain with the original author or copyright owner.
© 2005 The University of Newcastle.

Chee 2940: Lecture 1

Lecture 1: Overview of Particle Processing

This Lecture Covers

Overview: particle technology

Modules of particle processing
What are particles?
Particle products
Unit operations in particle processing

Chee 2940: Lecture 1 1

1.1 PARTICLE TECHNOLOGY

WHAT IS PARTICLE TECHOLOGY?

• Particle technology is defined as the art of the

.

handling and processing of particles.

• Particles can be bulk solids, particulate solids

and granular solids; liquid drops (emulsions)
and gas bubbles.

Chee 2940: Lecture 1 2

WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT PARAMETERS
USED IN PARTICLE PROCESSING?

• Physical parameters: size, shape and density

of particle; density and viscosity of the
continous phase, etc.

• Surface parameters: wettability, surface

charge, Hamaker constants, adsorption, etc.

• Properties of additives (salts, surfactants)

added to the continous phase.
Chee 2940: Lecture 1 3
1.2 MODULES OF PARTICLE PROCESSING

PARTICLE PROCESSING

Module 1: Module 2:

Particle characterisation & Suspension Rheology &

Unit Operations. Surface Chemistry.

The first 7 weeks The last 6 weeks

Chee 2940: Lecture 1 4

 MODULE 1:
PARTICLE CHARACTERISATION AND UNIT
OPERATION

• Particle size distribution and measurement

• Size reduction and enlargement
• Particle processing unit operations
• Hopper design
• Flow through packed beds
• Fluidisation.

Chee 2940: Lecture 1 5

 MODULE 2:
SURSPENSION RHEOLOGY AND SURFACE
CHEMISTRY

• Principle of rheology & rheological meas.

• Surface chemistry
• Some examples of particulate and emulsion
and food processing
• Small wet particles
• Foams
• Emulsions
• Pastes.
Chee 2940: Lecture 1 6
1.3 WHAT ARE “PARTICLES”?

• Primary particles: Individual objects of mass

• Solid: Typical particles (powders)

• Liquid: Drops (emulsions)

• Gas: Foams.

Chee 2940: Lecture 1 7

 PARTICLES IN CONTINOUS PHASE

Particle: Dispersed phase Continous phase

Solid particle Fluid
Drop (liquid) Gas
Emulsion (liquid) Liquid
Bubble (air) Liquid
Particulate particle (solid) Liquid
Granular particle (solid) Gas

Chee 2940: Lecture 1 8

 Size Range of Particles

Chee 2940: Lecture 1 9

 Particle sizes considered
in this course

Chee 2940: Lecture 1 10

1.4 MANY PARTICLE PRODUCTS
Mining and Mineral Processing: coal, gravel,
sand, ceramics, iron ore, alumina, and clay.

Chee 2940: Lecture 1 11

Food: flour, cereals, coffee (beans & instant),
rice, spices, sugar, salt, etc.

Chee 2940: Lecture 1 12

Pharmaceuticals: capsules, tablets, and
emulsions.

Chee 2940: Lecture 1 13

Household products: paints, laundry powder,
paper, pool chlorine, dishwashing powder, etc.

Chee 2940: Lecture 1 14

Agriculture: seeds, fertilizers

Others: bricks, concrete, dust, smoke, ash,

bacteria, and blood cells.

Chee 2940: Lecture 1 15

 Handle free- and non-free-flowing bulk products of particles
including problematic materials and blends

Chee 2940: Lecture 1 16

 Particles found in different industries

Chee 2940: Lecture 1 17

 1.5 PROCESS PROPERTIES OF INTEREST
Powder = group of particles.
Granular material = group of granules.

Behaviour of powder (or granular materials)

effects processing and performance of products.

Properties of particles affect the behaviour of

powders:

Chee 2940: Lecture 1 18

 - Concentration of particles (volume fraction),
- Size and shape of particles,
- And interactions (forces) among particles.

Properties of Interest:
Flow behaviour (rheology)
Packing density (porosity)
Strength of particle aggregates
Mixability and segregation.

Chee 2940: Lecture 1 19

 Large or Small
• Surface area to volume ratio
• Large (>10 microns) – body forces
dominates:
F = mg; F = ma (easy to understand).
• Small (<10microns) – surface forces
dominates: Colloidal particles (nanometre to
1 microns) & Macromolecules.
Need specialist knowledge to understand
(surface chemistry)!
Chee 2940: Lecture 1 20
 Dry or Wet
Fluid dynamic forces and surface forces!

Dry – aerodynamics negligible due to low

viscosity of air in all but the smallest and least
dense particles (dust, smoke).

Wet – hydrodynamics is important, and solution

and surface chemistry can be used to control
surface forces in colloidal particles.
Chee 2940: Lecture 1 21
 Surface Chemistry
Suspensions, emulsions and foams
Forces between particles
- Attraction
- Repulsion
Effect of forces
- Sedimentation (creaming)
- Dispersion
- Rheology.

Chee 2940: Lecture 1 22

 Rheology

Non-Newtonian fluids
Measurements of rheological properties
Effects of “particle” characteristics
Effect of forces.

Chee 2940: Lecture 1 23

1.6 UNIT OPERATIONS

Size Reduction: crushing and grinding

Chee 2940: Lecture 1 24

Size Enlargement: agglomeration, granulation,
pelletisation, pressing, tableting, spray drying.

Chee 2940: Lecture 1 25

 Conveying

Chee 2940: Lecture 1 26

Handling, storage and packing

Chee 2940: Lecture 1 27