Size Enlargement Equipment

By: ANGELES, Katrina ZARRAGA, Christina

Size Enlargement
Process where small particles are brought together to form lumps of a desired size

Original particles can still be distinguished

To improve handling properties

To reduce caking and lump formation

To improve flow properties To increase bulk density for storage and tableting feeds To control solubility, porosity, surface-to-volume

Size Enlargement
Agglomeration: fomation of aggregates through the sticking together of feed and/or recycle material Granulation (Agitative Agglomeration) Compaction (Compressive Agglomeration)

GRANULATION
Size Enlargement

Tumbling Granulators
Particles are set in motion by the tumbling action caused by gravity and centrifugal forces

Continuous feed
Generally produce 1-20 mm granules, not suitable for making granules less than 250m Can run at large scale Disc granulators, drum granulators

Disc Granulator
o also: pelletizer (iron ore

industry), pan granulator agricultural chemical industry)

o Made of a rotating tilted

disc or pan with a rim

Disc Granulator
Solids are introduced to the disc by volumetric/gravimetric feeders

Coating of feed material builds up on disc

A plow or scrapers oscillate and control the thickness of the coating Wetting fluids that promote growth are applied by a series of single-fluid spray nozzles distributed across the bed

Disc Granulator

Disc Granulator
Size classification/segregation:
Small granules, ungranulated feed are thrown high on the disc by centripetal forces Large granules remain in the eye and exit as product

Drum Granulator
Used for large-scale productions

Common in metallurgical, fertilizer industries No output size classification high recycle rates of offsize product

Drum Granulator
Consists of inclined cylinder (Drum) Open-ended or Fitted with annular retaining rings Usually tilted 0-10 from horizontal Length: 2-5 times diameter

Drum Granulator
Scrapers control buildup of the drum wall

Feed

Premoistened by mixers to form granule nuclei Liquid sprayed on tumbling bed via nozzles or distributor pipe systems

Power and capacity are proportional to drum volume

Drum Granulator

Tumbling Granulators
Size classification Low equipment cost Disc Granulator Sensitivity to operating controls
Greater capacity Longer retention time Drum Granulator Produces denser granules

Mixer Granulators
Contain an agitator to mix particles and liquid to cause granulation
Agglomerate size and density are controlled by amount of liquid phase, intensity & duration of mixing High-intensity mixers are the only ones that can produce small, high density granules (< 2 mm)
Granules produced are not as spherical, more dense than those by tumbling granulators

Equipment can be divided into low- and high-shear mixers

Low-Speed Mixers

Rotation rate / Impeller speed: < 100 rpm

Consist of horizontal troughs where central shafts with attached mixing blades rotate

Rotating blades throw material forward and to the center: kneading, mixing action

Vessel may be single- or doubletrough design

Low-Speed Mixers
Ribbon/Paddle Blenders
Batch and continuous applications

Planetary Mixers
Batch Planetary Mixers Typical batch size: 100-200 kg Long mixing times: 20-40 mins. Pharmaceutical applications: for powder granulation

Low-Speed Mixers

Orbiting Screw Mixers Sigma Blade Mixers

Low-Speed Mixers

Double-Cone Blenders
V Blenders

High-Speed Mixers
Continuous Shaft Mixers Batch High-Speed Mixers

Schugi mixer (vertical shaft)

Eirich mixer

Pin mixers (horizontal shaft)

Lodige mixer

Peg mixers (horizontal shaft)

Fielder mixer

Diosna mixer

Continuous Shaft Mixers

Consist of blades/pins rotating at high speed on a central shaft

Operate at high speeds of 200-3500 rpm

Produces granules of 0.5-1.5 mm

Granulated product is generally fine, irregular, with low bulk density

Applications: detergents, agricultural chemicals, clays, ceramics, foodstuffs, carbon black

Continuous Shaft Mixers

Schugi mixer
Capacity: up to 200 tons/h Power reqt: up to 200 kW

Pin mixer
Capacity: up to 200 tons/h Power reqt: up to 200 kW

Peg mixer
Capacity: 10-20 tons/h

Batch High-Speed Mixers

Plow-shaped mixers rotate on a horizontal shaft at 60-800 rpm

Most have an off-center high-speed cutter/chopper rotating at 500-3500 rpm breaks down overwetting powder mass and limits the maximum granule size
Granulation times range from 5-10 min

Batch High-Speed Mixers

Lodige horizontal plough shear design Gral designs

Batch High-Speed Mixers

Fielder designs Diosna designs

Batch High-Speed Mixers

Eirich mixer granulator Both chopper and impeller blades rotate on eccentrically mounted vertical shafts, cylindrical bowl also rotates Hybrid of mixer and tumbling granulation More spherical granules are produced than

Batch High-Speed Mixers

Fluidized Bed Granulator

Particles are set in motion by air rather than mechanical agitation

Produces high-porosity granules and highstrength, layered granules

Fluidized Bed Granulator

Disadvantages Advantages

Batch Fluid-Bed Granulator

Air handling unit dehumidifies and heats inlet air Liquid binder is sprayed through an air atomizing nozzle

Heated fluidization air enters the processing zone through a distributor

Other fluidization gases are used with or to replace air to avoid potential explosion hazards due to fine powders

Batch Fluid-Bed Granulator

Continuous Fluid-Bed Granulator

Near-size granules are recycled to control the granule-size distribution

Dust is recycled by first remelting or slurrying in liquid feed

Spouted-Bed Granulator
Consists of a central high-velocity spout surrounded by a moving bed annular region Particles entrained in the spout are carried to the bed surface and rain down on the annulus as a fountain Air enters through the orifice at the base of the spout

Granules grow by layering only

Spouted-Bed Granulator

Good for coating applications

Not suitable for weak granules, due to high attrition rates

Nonspherical particles are more suited for spouted beds than fluid beds

Particle circulation is better controlled in a fluidized bed

Centrifugal Granulators
A horizontal disc rotates at high speed, causing the feed to form a rotating rope of tumbling particles at the vessel walls Particle motion depends on disc speed, peripheral air velocity, presence of baffles, frictional properties of the feed

Drying air enters through a small gap around the edge of the spinning disc

Used for spheronization (rounding) of pellets, coating of pellets by liquid feeds

Centrifugal Granulators
Yield denser, more spherical granules or powder layers High capital cost

Capacity: 3-80 kg

Rotor Speed: 45-360 rpm

Centrifugal Granulators

COMPACTION
Size Enlargement

Piston & Molding Press

Used to create uniform and intricate compacts

Consists of a mechanical/hydraulic press

Due to pressure and heat, the particulate charge causes it to flow and take the shape of the mold

Tableting Press
Used for applications with strict specifications for weight, thickness, hardness, density, appearance of agglomerate Produces simpler shapes at higher production rates than molding presses

Roll Press
Compresses raw material as it is carried into the gap between two rolls rotating at equal speeds Size and shape of agglomerates are determined by the geometry of the roll surfaces Can produce large quantities of materials at low cost Product is less uniform

Pellet Mills
Moist plastic feed is pushed through the holes in dies of various shapes Friction of material in the die holes provides the resistance needed for compaction Adjustable knives shear the product into pellets of desired length

Screw and Other Paste Extruders

Uses a screw to force material in a plastic state continuously through a die Shape of the die hole determines the shape of the compact
Round hole: rodshaped Thin slit: film/sheet