CONTINUOUS SEPARATION

OF PARTICLES BASED ON
SHAPE
PRESENTED BY

AKASH THARWANI

Under the guidance of,

Dr. P.K.Mollick,
Scientific Officer(E),
Powder Metallurgy Division, Materials Group, BARC, ModLabs,Trombay,
Mumbai-400 085.
 INTRODUCTION
Purpose

1.Bulk properties of the final product made, depends upon the shape
and size of the particles.
2.For smooth flow of micro sized glass particles(Therasphere) through
the blood stream used in Radioembolization.
 INTRODUCTION
Radioembolization

Radioembolization is a minimally invasive procedure that combines embolization and radiation

therapy to treat liver cancer. Tiny glass or resin beads filled with the radioactive isotope yttrium Y-90
are placed inside the blood vessels that feed a tumor. This blocks the supply of blood to the cancer
cells and delivers a high dose of radiation to the tumor while sparing normal tissue. It can help
extend the lives of patients with inoperable tumors and improve their quality of life.
 INTRODUCTION

Size based separation can be accomplished using sieves.

However, particles based on shape, i.e. spherical and non-spherical
particles can’t be effectively separated by the use of sieves, because
there may be some particles, non spherical in shape but having one
dimension relatively larger than the other, which gets through the
sieves.
KEY CONCEPTS

• Spherical particles roll in a straight line.

• Non-spherical particles/Particles having low sphericity, either slide or roll in absolutely
different trajectories, but a straight line.
The relation between spherical and non spherical particles trajectory on the separation
surface-
• Separation through sliding on the same trajectory but in different directions
• Separation through sliding on different trajectories.

The above discussed concepts will be used and some methods will be discussed to separate
particles based on shape.
TRANSVERSELY INCLINED CONVEYER
7
The apparatus is shown in the fig.
-The non spherical particles are carried
away with the conveyer, because of large
coefficient of friction.
-The spherical particles have two motions,
one due to the conveyer, and another due
to rolling along the incline and therefore
take a different trajectory.
-In this way the spherical and non-spherical
particles are separated in 7 and 8.
CYLINDRICAL DRUM AND TURNING ARBOUR
WITH RADIAL BLADES PLACED HELCOIDALLY
• Non moving cylindrical drum (1) with the drum shaft making an
adjustable angle with the horizontal surface.
• Rotational moving axe (2) provided with radial bars (3), with
inclined blades at the end of it.
• Blades rotation drives the powder to be separated on the inner
wall of the drum.
• This movement assures the transportation of the non spherical
particles to the superior generator of the drum.
• Because of the angle between the blades and the generator of
the drum, powder particles slide continuously from the blade
surface to the inner surface of the drum and then to the inferior
generator of it.
• Because of the decline of the drum arbour to α angle spherical
particles are rolling to the inferior edge (left) of the drum and
are collected in the container (5), while the non spherical
particles, driven periodically by blades (4), are conducted to the
superior edge of the drum (right), and collected in container (6).
 RIBBON CONVEYER LONGITUDINALLY
INCINED

• The separator is made of a ribbon conveyor (1) sustained

on two rolls (2) from which one is a driving roll.
• The upper side of the ribbon conveyor is moving into the
interior of a groove (notch) (3) that do not let the particle
to go out from the ribbon conveyor.
• The filling of the ribbon conveyor with powder is made
from the container (8) by using a vibrating device (9) which
distributes the powder to be separated as a monolayer
with particles between.
• Non spherical particles are transported with the ribbon
conveyor to the collecting container (11)
• Spherical particles roll in the opposite way and get
collected in container (10).
 VIBRATING PLATE INCLINED
This type of separator is made of a vibrating plate (1) hold by a tilting
plate (3) through four flat springs
Vibrations of the plate (1) are produced by an electromagnetic vibrator
(4) with adjustable frequency and amplitude.
The angle of the vibrating plate (1) can be modified by using the screw
and the tilting plate (3).
Powder from container (8) is poured from the vibrating proportioning
device (9) as a rain of particles in a small sheet belt placed transversally
in the middle of the vibrating plate.
Because of the convenient inclination of the vibrating plate and of
different friction coefficients, spherical and non spherical particles are
driven in opposite sense and are collected in container (10) and (11).

Refrences: S.Endoh: Powder Tech.

10.1016/0032-5910(87)80047-5
 SEPARATION BASED ON ADHESION
• KEY CONCEPTS
Adhesive force depends upon the sphericity of the particles, as well as
the humidity of the environment.
Adhesive force is proportional to the sphericity and Humidity.

The following method is from a US patent which uses the above

concepts.
Apparatus
3.Dampers to absorb shock
4.Frame
6.Cylindrical Rotor with outer peripheral composed of glass.
5.Horizontal shaft supported by bearings
8.Drive coupling
9.Motor
10.Electric Vibrator(verticle vibration to frame)
15.Scrapping brush
 FUNCTION
The powder is fed to the rotating cylinder (low rpm=4)through 2.
An inlet (14) is provided to vary the humidity of air.
After about ½ a turn of the cylinder, the non spherical particles with
low adhesion to the surface get separated because of the vibration
provided to the frame.Then these are collected in 7a.
On the other hand the spherical particles remain adhered to the
surface and are removed using a scrapping brush(15), the n collected in
the container 7b.

Refrence:Patent no.4,839,033
 INCLINED ROTATING DISC

Inclined at an angle θ with horizontal

Rotating with constant angular velocity ω perpendicular to the plane of the disc
The spherical particles---- having low coefficient of friction roll down
quickly.
The non-spherical particles--- having more friction take a different
trajectory and hence get separated.

Refrences:F.G Carpenter and V.R Deitz,

47(1951) 139.
 ANALYSIS OF MOTION AND
TRAJECTORIES
Real Forces:
Gravitational component along the incline.
Frictional force in the direction opposite to the relative velocity of the
particle.

Pseudo forces:
Centrifugal force
Coriolis force
 EQUATIONS OF MOTION
••Assume a point (x,y) on the particle trajectory, with radius vector
 
Therefore,
Velocity of the point = x ()
Vx = -ωy
Vy = +x
•Relative velocities of particle :
In x direction = ωy
In y direction= x

From the above equations the resultant direction of relative velocity can be deduced and hence the direction
of frictional force.
Total frictional force = F = µmgcos(θ)
Gravitaional Force along the incline=mgsin(θ)
Therefore the differential equations of motions, in a rotating frame of
reference in x and y directions can be written as:

•m 
m
=V
=V , where dot indicates derivative w.r.t time t.

These are the set of nonlinear coupled differential equations which

cannot be solved analytically, so we go for the numerical solution using
Rk-4 method taking initial conditions of position(x=0.1,y=0.1), and
assuming negligible initial velocity.
θ = 0 degrees

3rpm 5rpm 10rpm

From the above solution graphs of trajectories, it can be deduced that separation is not possible
since trajectories for different coefficient of friction coincide, if we take 0 degrees
Inclination, even if we vary the rpm.
 θ = 5 degrees

3rpm 5rpm 10rpm

θ = 10 degrees

3rpm 5rpm 10rpm

Deductions:
• As the angle of inclination increases, the particles with more coefficient of friction also start
moving towards infinity.
• As the rpm increases, fictitious forces increase and hence particles move outwards and seem to
separate.
• Therefore angle of inclination should not be increased to a level so that non spherical particles
also move to infinity.
• The rpm of 5 seems to be enough.
• Also, if the trajectory of particles can be traced, using a camera, or wetting
the particles and visually locating x and y data, the coefficient of friction
for the particles can be calculated using the mentioned differential
equations.
 Rotating Disc Assembly
The rotating disc assembly consists of:
1.A rotating disc
2.Fixed blade
3.Moving blade

Spherical particles will be moving towards the periphery of the

disc.
Lesser is the angle of the moving blade, more will be the
sphericity of the particles collected.
The fixed blade is used to collect the non sphericle particles

A fluidized bed and ejector assembly will be used for feeding

purpose, to spread out the particles properly.
Block Diagram Ejector

Gas
THANK YOU