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INSTRUMENTAL ANALYSIS, ChFE 5503

SIEVE ANALYSIS

(Draft of January 20, 2004)

Introduction:

Particle size analysis of powders using test sieves is, and has been, the
standard for many years. The sieving procedure was formalized in 1925
with the establishment of ASTME-11. The ASTM standards cover the
manufacture of test sieves and the procedure for conducting a manual sieve
test.

The manual method of test sieving is still practiced today, but mechanical
shakers have become common and new shakers are even relatively quiet.
Other methods of particle size analysis have been developed and are
common for submicron analysis where sieves are difficult to use.

Quality control programs such as ISO 9000 have required the development
of methods to calibrate and certify test sieve procedures. As practiced for
decades, the sieve procedure can be outlined as follows:
1. Weigh a sample and record the starting sample weight.
2. Weigh and record the weight of each sieve and the bottom pan
in a Astack.@
3. Place the sample on the top sieve of a stack of sieves and cover
the top sieve
with a flat cover.
4. Shake the stack (keeping it vertical) for a specified length of
time at a predetermined speed.
5. When the shaking is complete, reweigh and record the weight of
each sieve
and the bottom pan.
6. Calculate the weight of sample on each sieve and the pan.
7. Calculate the percent of sample on each sieve and the pan.

The total sample recovery for this manual method is typically 95 to 98


percent. For more detailed information see Chapter 19, section 20 of Perry=s
seventh edition. Also see the American Society for Testing and Materials
AGuidelines for Establishing Sieve Analysis Procedures (STP 447 B).

Sieving for Fluidized Bed Reactor Design:

One application of using particle/powder descriptions is to predict the


behavior of a gas-solids fluidized bed reactor. Fundamental parameters
such as size and size distribution, shape, and density of particles influence
explicitly and implicitly the behavior of fluidized beds. Most correlations that
are used to predict parameters such as the minimum fluidization velocity
require at least an average particle diameter, d p(ave).

For a particle of any size other than a sphere, there are many ways (>12) of
defining its size. In fluidized bed reactor design, these four particle
descriptions are the most common: sieve size, volume diameter,
surface/volume diameter, and surface diameter. They are all well defined in
the literature.

A common and useful particle parameter is the Sauter Diameter which can
be calculate from the sieve results as shown in Table 1. The fluidized bed
design the calculation method gives Aproper@ weight to the influence of
smaller particles and fines. It is not however theoretically related to the
surface/volume and volume means. Common approximations are used for
dsv and dv where the former is 0.87 times the Sauter Diameter and the latter
is 1.13 times the Sauter Diameter. Table 1 is attached and is from the a Gas
Fluidized Bed Technology training notebook prepared by Derek Geldart (also
see his 1986 John Wiley book).

The sphericity of powders has been defined and can also be measured,
though not easily. The ratio of the surface volume diameter to the volume
diameter is defined as sphericity. Note that the approximations above yield
a ratio of 0.77, which is very close to the measured value for ground coal
(0.75).

Experimental Procedure:

Assume that you are considering the fluidized bed combustion of ground
coal. In order to design the reactor=s gas distributor (only one of many
design decisions that require dp), you must know the average particle
diameter. Therefore, as a team you are requested to determine the Sauter
Diameter for a sample of ground coal. Assume that any material that ends
up on the pan will not be used for the process. Since abnormal size
distributions pose additional design problems, you should also determine
and evaluate the particle size distribution.

We have prepared a stack of 3" sieves for your use. Manual shaking
should be for 10 - 15 minutes and can be done in shifts. In the spirit of ISO,
you should document and fully describe the sieving procedure.

Note: Table 19-6, which is attached, is from Perry=s handbook and describes
sieve specifications.

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