Pharmaceutical Engineering Practical [PY3CO12P]

Makeup Semester:

Sourabh Billore
Faculty of Pharmacy
E mail: Sourabh.Billore@medicaps.ac.in
Object:

To Perform Sieve analysis of granules by sieving method.

Reference: Subrahmanyam C.V.S. ; “Laboratory Manual of Pharmaceutical

Engineering (unit operations)”;1st Edition 2006; Published by Vallabh publications;
Pg No ….

Sourabh Billore Sourabh.billore@medicaps.ac.in

Theory:

Sieve analysis is a technique used to determine the particle size distribution of a powder.
This method is performed by sifting a powder sample through a stack of wire mesh
sieves, separating it into discrete size ranges.

A sieve shaker is used to vibrate the sieve stack for a specific period of time. Vibration
allows irregularly shaped particles to reorient as they fall through the sieves.
Additionally, agitation of the sieves serves to break apart weak agglomerates, allowing
for a more reliable measurement of the particle size distribution. Care should be taken
to choose an appropriate agitation time, so that particle fracture does not occur.

Sourabh Billore Sourabh.billore@medicaps.ac.in

Application of sieve analysis
1. To know the Particle size distribution which help to manufacturing of tablet
Capsules and other solid oral dosage forms.

2. To check the quality of raw material or API which particle size affects the
formulation.

3. To test the efficiency of size reduction equipment or process.

4. To optimize the process parameters.

5. To know the batch to batch variations.

Sourabh Billore Sourabh.billore@medicaps.ac.in

Standards of sieve
1. Tyler standard sieves (USA)
2. ASTM: American Society for Testing and Material
3. BSS: British Standard Sieve
4. German DIN
5. IP Standard
6. International testing sieve (ISO)

The standards of sieve give following specifications of sieve

Sourabh Billore Sourabh.billore@medicaps.ac.in

1. Number of sieve : Sieve number indicates the number of meshes in a length of 2.54
cm in each transverse direction parallel to the wires.
2. Nominal size of aperture : Nominal size of aperture indicates the distance between
the wires. It represents the length of the side of the square aperture. The I.P. has
given the nominal mesh aperture size for majority of sieves in mm or in cm.
3. Nominal diameter of the wire : Wire mesh sieves are made from the wire having
the specified diameter in order to give a suitable aperture size and sufficient
strength to avoid distortion of the sieve.
4. Approximate percentage sieving area : This standard expresses the area of the
meshes a percentage of the total area of the sieve. Generally the sieving area is kept
within the range of 35 to 40 per cent in order to give suitable strength to the sieve.

Sourabh Billore Sourabh.billore@medicaps.ac.in

Coarse powder:

It is powder all the particles of which pass through a No. 10 sieve and not more than 40 percent
through a No. 44 sieve, this is usually referred to as a 10/44 powder.

The British Pharmacopoeia makes two statements with regard to these `official' grades of
powders in practice:

1. It is required that, when a powder is described by a number, all particles must pass through
the specified sieve.

2. When a vegetable drug is being ground and sifted, none must be rejected.

Prof. (Dr.) Sunil K. Somani and Prof. (Dr.) Shilpa Tripathi, Medi-Caps University, Indore
Nominal Aperture size as per IP

Sourabh Billore Sourabh.billore@medicaps.ac.in

British Standard sieve conversion in micron

Prof. (Dr.) Sunil K. Somani and Prof. (Dr.) Shilpa Tripathi, Medi-Caps University, Indore
Requirements
Table of requirements
S. No Ingredient
1 Sieve Set
2 Sieve Shaker
3 Brick powder
4 Butter Paper
5 Weighing Balance
6 Sieve conversion chart
Sourabh Billore
Qty taken Use /Application
1 For Sieving
1 For mechanical
stress
100 gm Sample
1 Weighing
1 For weighing
1 For refernce
Sourabh.billore@medicaps.ac.in
Procedure
1. Take the sieve set

2. Sieves are arranged in such a manner that coarsest remains at the top and finest at the bottom. The pan is kept
below the sieves set

3. Hundred grams of given sample is weighed.

4. The sample is placed on the coarsest sieve. The lid is placed

5. The above sieve set is fixed on the mechanical shaker and clamped tightly

6. The timer is adjusted on the dial for 05 mins and the mechanical shaker is switched on.

7. All samples are weighed after completion of sieve shaker operation.

8. The weights retained on each sieve are recorded in the table against the corresponding sieve number.

9 Plot the graph between % retained and mesh size.

10 Calculated avg particle size.

Sourabh Billore Sourabh.billore@medicaps.ac.in

Observation of Calcium carbonate powder
S. Mesh Mesh Mean size Weight of Weight of Wt of % wt Weight
No No. size um opening empty Sieve + retained retained Size (nXd)
(BSS) (micron) sieve (gm) Powder powder retained
d (gm) (gm)
N
1 8 2000 2000+170
0/2=1850
2 10 1700 1205
3 22 710 532.5
4 44 355 302.5
5 60 250 215
6 80 180 180
7 Pan - -

Sourabh Billore Sourabh.billore@medicaps.ac.in

Mean Particle size = ε (nxd) / εn

Graph between % wt retained and mesh size. In excel

Prof. (Dr.) Sunil K. Somani and Prof. (Dr.) Shilpa Tripathi, Medi-Caps University, Indore
Result

Sourabh Billore Sourabh.billore@medicaps.ac.in