Particle Size Distribution

Guide to the PSD Demo

Aspen Technology
Burlington, MA
2013

© 2013 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved

 Definition of Particle Size Distribution (PSD)

 PSD is described by
– Particle size classes or
intervals
(e.g. 1 – 2 mm)
– Mass fractions within the
particle size classes

 First, the particle size classes

(PSD mesh) must be defined
for the simulation

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 Definition of Particle Size Distribution

 There are two methods for the definition of the PSD Mesh

Automated
Mesh User Define
Generation Mesh

• Select one of the pre-defined meshes • Size classes are defined as tabular
(equidistant, geometric, logarithmic, table by hand
user-defined)
• Enter the parameters for the selected
mesh including lower limit, upper limit
and number of classes.
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 Definition of Particle Size Distribution

 After a stream has been

made, the mass
fractions of the PSD
should be defined

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 Definition of Particle Size Distribution

 Methods for the

definition of the mass
fractions
– User-specified values
(measured data)
 Copy and paste from
Microsoft Excel® possible
– A distribution function:
 Available: GGS, RRSB,
normal, log-normal
 Select function you
want to use
 Enter shape and
position parameter
(e.g. d63,3 and n for
RRSB)

Tip: You can also access the PSD mesh definition from the stream input form, by clicking the “Edit
PSD Mesh” button

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Definition of Particle Size Distribution

– User guidance diagrams for PSD definition:

 PSD definition using a distribution functions may require normalization due to
mismatch of used particle size mesh and the distribution function
parameterization
 PSD plots visualize the defined data and compares it to the theoretical curve
described by the selected distribution function

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 Solids Characterization
- PSD definition user guidance diagrams

 Examples of mismatching mesh and parameterization of the

distribution function
– Mesh ends too early / starts too late

– Mesh too coarse

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PSD definition user guidance diagrams

 Open file “empty mesh.bkp”

 Open input form for stream S1
 Review defined PSD mesh
• equidistant
• 10 classes
• 0-10 mm

 Select populate PSD using “A

distribution function”
 Select “Normal” as distribution
function
 Enter:
– Standard deviation = 1 mm
– D50 = 9 mm

 Click “Calculate”
 Click “Yes” on the opening
message box  normalize

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 PSD definition user guidance diagrams

 In this case the mesh ends at 10 mm but the theoretical curve goes
to 13 mm  mesh ends too early

 Solution: Adjust the upper limit of the PSD mesh

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 Adjust the PSD mesh

 Click the “Edit PSD Mesh” button on the

input form of the stream

 Enter 13 mm for the upper limit

 Click the create PSD mesh button
 Click the apply button
 New mesh with an upper limit of 13 mm
will be generated

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Adjust the PSD mesh

 In the stream input

form, click the
“calculate” button in
the distribution
function section
 new calculation of
mass fractions based
on updated mesh
 Click “Yes” on the
opening message
box  normalize

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Results with the adjusted the PSD mesh

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PSD definition user guidance diagrams

 Now create a new distribution

function
 Select populate PSD using “A
distribution function”
 Select “Normal” as distribution
function
 Enter:
– Standard deviation = 0.1 mm
– D50 = 5.1 mm

 Click “Calculate”
 Click “Yes” on the opening
message box  normalize

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 PSD definition user guidance diagrams

 In this case the mesh is too coarse

– Class width is 1 mm, but standard deviation is 0.1 mm

 Solution: Adjust the number of

intervals in the PSD Mesh

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 Adjust number of PSD intervals

 Click the “Edit PSD Mesh” button

on the input form of the stream

 Enter 50 for the number of intervals

 Click the create PSD mesh button
 Click the apply button
 New mesh will have 50 particle size
classes

© 2013 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved | 15

Adjust number of PSD intervals

 In the stream input

form, click the
“calculate” button in
the distribution
function section
 new calculation of
mass fractions based
on updated mesh
 Click “Yes” on the
opening message
box  normalize

© 2013 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved | 16

Results with the adjusted the PSD mesh

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