Particulate agglomeration

Figure 3.22 break up of particulate agglomerates during flow. 

The most common example of dispersive mixing of particulate solid agglomerates is the dispersion and mixing of carbon black into a rubber compound. The dispersion of such a system is schematically represented in Fig. 3.22. However, the break up of particulate agglomerates is best explained using an ideal system of two small spherical particles that need to be separated and dispersed during a mixing process. 

Figure 17 summarizes the avadable sol—gel processes (56). The process on the right of the figure involves the hydrolysis of metal alkoxides in a water—alcohol solution. The hydrolyzed alkoxides are polymerized to form a chemical gel, which is dried and heat treated to form a rigid oxide network held together by chemical bonds. This process is difficult to carry out, because the hydrolysis and polymerization must be carefully controlled. If the hydrolysis reaction proceeds too far, precipitation of hydrous metal oxides from the solution starts to occur, causing agglomerations of particulates in the sol. 

The success of the compaction operation depends pardy on the effective utilization and transmission of appHed forces and pardy on the physical properties and condition of the mixture being compressed. Friction at the die surface opposes the transmission of the appHed pressure in this region, results in unequal distribution of forces within the compact, and hence leads to density and strength maldistribution within the agglomerate (70). Lubricants, both external ones appHed to the mold surfaces and internal ones mixed with the powder, are often used to reduce undesirable friction effects (71). For strong compacts, external lubricants are preferable as they do not interfere with the optimum cohesion of clean particulate surfaces. Binder materials maybe used to improve strength and also to act as lubricants. 

Pellet Mills. Pellet mills differ from roU briquetting and compacting machines in that the particulates are compressed and formed into agglomerates by extmsion through a die rather than by squeezing as they are carried into the nip between two roUs. Several types of equipment that use the extmsion principle are available. The die may be a horizontal perforated plate with rollers acting on its upper surface to press material through the plate. 

Specification for Particulates Feed, recycle, and product from size reduction operations are defined in terms of the sizes involved. It is also important to have an understanding of the degree of aggregation or agglomeration that exists in the measured distribution. 

The success of compression agglomeration depends on the effective utilization and transmission ofthe applied external force and on the ability of the material to form and maintain interparticle bonds during pressure compaction (or consolidation) and decompression. Both these aspects are controlled in turn by the geometiy of the confined space, the nature of the apphed loads and the physical properties of the particulate material and of the confining walls. (See the section on Powder Mechanics and Powder Compaction.)... 

Both wet and dry extrusion techniques are available, and both are strongly influenced by the friclional properties of the particulate phase and wall. In the case of wet extrusion, rheological properties of the liquid phase are equally important. See Pietsch [Size Enlargement by Agglomeration, John Wiley Sons Ltd., Chichester, 346 (1992)] and Benbow et al. [Chem. Eng. Sci., 422,2151 (1987)] for a review of design procedures for dry and wet extrusion, respectively. 

Pollutant (if particulate) Size range and distribution Particle shape Agglomeration tendencies Corrosiveness Abrasiveness Hygroscopic tendencies Stickiness InflanunabiUty Toxicity Electrical resistivity Reactivity... 

Since mist and droplets differ significantly from the carrying gas stream, just as dry parhculates do, the removal mechanisms are similar to those employed for the removal of dry particulates. Control devices developed particularly for condensing mists will be discussed separately. Mist collcc-hon is further simplified because the parhcles are spherical and tend to resist reentrainment, and they agglomerate after coming in contact with the surface of the collechng device. 

For many applications, the main need is for agglomerated particles having an open particulate array which rapidly dissolves (as in some pharmaceuticals), while in others a more dense structure is required giving a slow release of its components (as in fertilizers). 

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