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Rossin Rammler PDF
Rossin Rammler PDF
Short communication
P. AARNE VESILIND
Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27706 (U.S.A.)
(Received 28th February 1980; accepted 4th March 1980)
The objective of this communication is to clarify the origin and proper use
of the Rosin-Rammler particle size distribution function as applied to solid
waste processing.
It is difficult to describe a material consisting of various size fractions using
a single value parameter. In some cases, as in the description of filter sand in
water treatment practice, two parameters have been used. One of these two
parameters usually describes the absolute size of the particles (usually at some
specified point on the particle distribution curve, such as “50% finer than
size x”), and the other describes the uniformity of the sizes (using some calcu-
lation of the slope of the particle size distribution curve). Obviously, the use
of two such parameters assumes that the shape of the curve is similar in all
cases, a poor assumption when particle size distributions of various refuse com-
ponents are analyzed [ 11.
The shape of the particle size distribution curve is best described by a con-
tinuous function. A number of such equations have been suggested, all based
at least partly on empirical evidence [2-41. None of these functions, it
should be emphasized, is “correct”. Some simply describe the shape of the
particle size distribution curve better than others.
One of these equations was developed in 1933 by Rosin and Rammler [ 51,
and because of its relatively good fit with shredded refuse (61 has become
widely used in the resource recovery field.
The Rosin-Rammler equation is stated as
Y = 1 - exp (-~/x,)~
where Y = cumulative fraction of material by weight less than size X; n = con-
stant describing the material uniformity and hence called the “uniformity con-
stant”; and 3c0 = the “characteristic particle size”, defined as the size at which
63.2% (1 - l/e = 0.632) of the particles (by weight) are smaller.
The uniformity constant n is the slope of the line ln [l/(1 - Y)] versus x on
log-log coordinates, since the linear form can be derived as
n
Y=l-exp
( 1
Z
x0
In (3 = (fgn
Fig. 1. Definition of terms used in the Rosin-Rammler particle size distribution equation.
In this example, the characteristic size x, = 1.6 cm and n = 1.0.
x0 = ~J(2.3)~‘”
where xgo = screen size where 90% of particles pass. If the value of n is 1.0,
xgo = 2.3x0
REFERENCES
Ruf, J.A., 1974. Particle size spectrum and compressibility of raw and shredded
municipal solid waste, Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Florida, Gainesville,
Gaudin, A.M. and Meloy, T.P., 1962. Model and comminution distribution equation for
single fracture, Trans. AIME, 223: 40, 43.
Harris, CC., 1969. The application of size distribution equations to multi-event process,
Trans. AIME, 244: 187.
Epstein, B., 1948. Logarithmic-normal distribution in breakage of solids. Ind. Eng. Chem.,
40: 2289.
Rosin, P. and Rammler, E., 1933. Laws governing the fineness of powdered coal, J. Inst.
Fuel, I: 29.
Trezek, G.J., 1972. Significance of size reduction in solid waste management, EPA SOO/
2-77-131, Washington, D.C.
Trezek, G.J. and Savage, G., 1975. Report on a comprehensive refuse comminution
study, Waste Age, 6: 49.