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Topic 1

Properties of particulate solids

Characterization of Solid Particles
Particle shape, Particle size, Mixed particle size and size analysis, Specific
surface of mixture, Average particle size, Number of particles in mixture, screen
analysis, size measurements with fine particles

Properties of masses of particles

Single particle in a fluid system
Multiple particle system

Reference:
MARTIN RHODES (2008) Introduction to Particle Technology , 2nd
Edition. Publisher John Wiley & Son, Chichester, West Sussex, England.
(Chapters 1-3)

Properties of particulate solids

Single particles in a fluid system
Objectives:
1) To develop an understanding of the forces resisting the
notion of the particle
2) To provide methods for the estimation of steady state
velocity of the particle relative to the fluid.
3) To use the acquired knowledge in studying the behaviour of
suspensions of particles in fluid, fluidization, gas cyclones
and pneumatic transport.
Reference:
MARTIN RHODES (2008) Introduction to Particle Technology , 2nd
Edition. Publisher John Wiley & Son, Chichester, West Sussex, England.
(Chapter 2)

Motion of solid particles in a fluid

Drag force between a rigid sphere of diameter x, a fluid
of infinite extent of viscosity, and the relative velocity,
U has 2 components

For a sphere
Stokes law, in term of drag coefficient, becomes

At higher relative velocities, the inertia of the fluid dominates and

prediction becomes not feasible. Experiments gave the relationship
between particle Reynolds number and the drag coefficient in the
form of standard drag curve.

Standard drag curve for motion of a sphere in a fluid

Proposed by Haider
and Levenspiel (1989)

Reynolds number ranges for single particle drag coefficient correlations

Proposed by Schiller and Naumann (1933) :

Accuracy around 7%.

PARTICLES FALLING UNDER GRAVITY THROUGH A FLUID

In general, the forces of buoyancy, drag and gravity act on the

particle
gravity buoyancy drag = acceleration force
Particle falling from rest in fluid experience initial high
acceleration due to shear stress drag.
As particles accelerate, drag force increases causing
acceleration to reduce.
Eventually a force balance is achieved when the acceleration is
zero and a maximum or terminal relative velocity is reached.
This is known as Single particle terminal velocity.

PARTICLES FALLING UNDER GRAVITY THROUGH A FLUID

For a spherical particle

gravity buoyancy drag = acceleration force

In the Stokes law region

Special Cases :
Newtons law region, CD = 0.44

In this region, terminal velocity is independent of fluid viscosity

and proportional to square root of particle diameter

Intermediate region:
UT x , p f
1.1

0.7

, f 0.29 , 0.43

To calculate UT for a given size x

and
gives

3
4 x f ( p f )g
4
CD Re

Ar
2

3
3
2
p

Independent of UT

To calculate x for a given size UT

and

CD
4 g(P f )

Re P 3 U T 3 2f
Independent of particle size x
gives

Non-spherical particles
Effect of shape of non-spherical particles on the drag
coefficient is difficult to define
Use sphericity (ratio of surface area of a sphere of
volume equal to that to that of the particle to the surface
area of the particle)
For non-spherical particles, the particle Reynolds
number is based on the sphere having the same volume
as that of the particle.

Non-spherical particles

Drag coefficient CD versus Reynolds number ReP for particles of sphericity ranging
from 0.125 to 1.0 (Rep and CD are based on equivalent volume diameter)

Effect of boundaries on terminal velocity

When a particle is falling through a fluid in the presence of a solid boundary the terminal
velocity reached by the particle is less than that for an infinite fluid.
Following Francis (1933), wall factor ( f w U D / U )

fw is wall factor; UD velocity in the pipe; U velocity in infinite fluid

Sand particles falling from rest in air (particle density, 2600 kg/m3)

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