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1595/205651317X695848 Johnson Matthey Technol. Rev., 2017, 61, (3), 227–230

JOHNSON MATTHEY
TECHNOLOGY REVIEW www.technology.matthey.com

“Particle Technology and Engineering: An

Engineer’s Guide to Particles and Powders:
Fundamentals and Computational Approaches”
By Jonathan Seville and Chuan-Yu Wu (University of Surrey, UK),
Butterworth-Heinemann, an imprint of Elsevier, Oxford, UK, 2016, 294 pages,
ISBN: 978-0-08-098337-0, £51.10, US$84.00, €60.16

Reviewed by Domenico Daraio*, Giuseppe introducing the basic knowledge required for two
Raso and Michele Marigo computational approaches (DEM and FEM). It gives
Johnson Matthey Technology Centre, PO Box 1, a wide ranging introduction to the fundamentals of
Belasis Avenue, Billingham, Cleveland, TS23 1LB, UK particle mechanics and computational aspects for
particulate systems. For more in-depth discussion,
*Email: [email protected] the authors refer the readers to other, more extensive,
works.
The book is divided into three main sections:
• Part one: provides an overview of fundamental
Introduction characteristics of particles and powders in bulk
form and how they can be determined (Chapters
The authors of this book, Professor Jonathan Seville 2 and 3)
and Professor Chuan-Yu Wu, are globally recognised • Part two: consists of three chapters and comprises
experts in the field of particle technology. Professor the bulk of the book. This section describes the
Seville has a degree in Chemical Engineering from complexity of a surrounding phase: firstly, as single
the Universities of Surrey and Cambridge, UK, with a particle interactions (Chapter 4), then considering
strong background in the design and manufacturing of multiple particles in the gas phase (Chapter 5)
products for the pharmaceutical, home care and fast- and finally considering multiple particles in liquid
moving consumer goods industries. Professor Wu has (Chapter 6)
a degree in Chemical Engineering and a PhD from • Part three: Chapters 7 and 8 describe the
Aston University, UK, in finite element method (FEM) fundamental mechanics of particle systems both at
of particle impact problems from which he later moved the bulk level and particle level. This provides the
to discrete element methods (DEM). basics for an understanding of the last two chapters
The book is intended to provide an initial overview of the book (Chapters 9 and 10) which introduce two
of the field of particle technology by summarising computational methods – DEM and FEM applied to
the essential scientific fundamentals of particles and particle technology.

227 © 2017 Johnson Matthey

http://dx.doi.org/10.1595/205651317X695848 Johnson Matthey Technol. Rev., 2017, 61, (3)

Particle Characterisation diagram. Then pneumatic conveying, a few rules

of thumb and the most important variables to be
Chapters 2 and 3 examine the fundamental properties considered when designing pneumatic conveying
of bulk solids such as powder density, flowability, systems are presented.
particle size and shape, surface area, compressibility The last part of Chapter 5 focuses on gas-solid
and compactibility and the related experimental separations and illustrates the operating principles
techniques which can be used to characterise these for cyclones and filters. An example of cyclone scale-
properties. The book underlines the importance for up (Figure 1) and a brief discussion of multi-cyclone
particle properties related to final product quality systems are included.
control and process monitoring purposes. Importantly, A description of the rheology of suspensions is
particle characterisation allows a better understanding examined in the first part of Chapter 6. Different
of the correlations between bulk behaviour, product rheological behaviours can be exhibited by solid
quality and process performance. Furthermore, suspensions: this section summarises typical
the authors consider particle size measurements rheological responses and their fitting to models such as
and the importance of their physical and statistical power-law types (for example shear thinning and shear
representation. Finally, an often overlooked issue thickening). Then a brief touch on pastes is presented
in industry is how representative a sample is of a by giving useful examples of paste characterisation
larger quantity. General rules to design and prepare a and a list of common problems associated with paste
representative sample to obtain reliable measurements extrusion. The last part of the chapter gives an outline
are presented. The general principles in this section of the agglomeration process and provides a schematic
should be useful for a new practitioner in the area of mechanism for wet agglomeration. This description
particle technology but should be considered golden aids understanding of the influence of several process
rules for working in the particle technology field.

Interaction with a Surrounding Phase

The second part of the book focuses on multiphase

flow of solids in fluids. Chapter 4 examines the
Eddy Dusty air inlet
interaction of a single solid particle immersed in a fluid.
The analysis of the forces exerted on a single particle
by the surrounding fluid and the estimation of the drag
Vortex finder
force coefficient are presented as a starting point for
Outer vortex
the calculation of the terminal velocity in either steady-
state or under unsteady motion. The value of terminal
velocity is one of the key parameters for the design
of unit operations such as fluidised beds and solid Inner vortex of
cleaned air
separation systems.
Systems with multiple solid particles in contact with
a continuous gas phase are considered in Chapter 5.
Beginning with the gas-solid contact regimes and a
list of application examples, the chapter continues Disengagement
with a well-presented description of the equations hopper
for pressure drop in packed beds and minimum
fluidisation velocity. An entire section is dedicated to
fluidisation and fluidisation regimes, with particular Dust discharge via flap
focus on bubbling beds and models for the prediction valve or rotary valve
of bubble size and velocity (very important elements
in mass and heat transport phenomena involving Fig. 1. An illustration of cyclone scale-up (Reprinted with
multiphase flow). Typical fluidisation behaviours are permission from Elsevier/Butterworth-Heinemann,
Copyright © 2016)
summarised by the established Geldart classification

228 © 2017 Johnson Matthey

http://dx.doi.org/10.1595/205651317X695848 Johnson Matthey Technol. Rev., 2017, 61, (3)

variables such as mixing intensity, liquid flow rate and initially developed for other purposes but has more
droplet size. recently found wider application in different engineering
Chapter 7 introduces powder bulk behaviour. disciplines including structural dynamics, heat transfer,
Differences between bulk solid and fluid mechanics fluid dynamics and aerodynamics. The potential and
are illustrated and the concepts of powder failure, efficacy of the FEM is shown in two representative
internal friction and wall friction are presented. One of cases: the analysis of a normal impact between a
the classic problems in bulk solid mechanics is stress sphere particle and a substrate and the continuum
analysis in storage vessels and the counterintuitive modelling of powder compaction. For both applications,
stress distribution in bulk solid containers is well if high stress levels and deformation are present DEM
presented. This analysis together with the Coulomb cannot be used to describe the problem since most of
model for friction are the key elements for silo design. the energy will be dissipated in plastic deformation.
The discharge of storage hoppers is considered in
the last part of the chapter. A comparison between Conclusions
flow patterns is provided together with the equations
for calculating mass flow under different conditions. The book gives the reader a full but fairly approachable
Further, transmission of stresses in powders during overview of the fundamentals of particle technology,
powder compaction is described with reference to reporting the current state of this field and providing
tablet quality density. perspectives on future challenges. A good overview
of particle characterisation, the link between the
Computational Approaches microscopic and macroscopic properties and the future
role of computational methods (DEM and FEM) in
Chapter 8 illustrates the mathematics required to particle technology is provided in this book.
describe the particle-particle interactions influencing Particle technology is a broad subject and this text
the mechanical behaviour for bulk solids. Both may be sufficient for the interests of a beginner and
elastic and elastoplastic particles are considered for might awaken a sense of curiosity that will drive the
normal impacts, tangential loading, adhesive forces reader to more exhaustive texts such as the Handbook
and capillary forces. This subject is not presented in of Powder Technology of which the latest volume was
complete mathematical detail, with full derivations of published in 2007 (1).
all the equations. The reader is given a good overview
of the complexity of the impact analysis in the case “Particle Technology
of simple perfectly elastic impacts. In Chapter 9 the and Engineering:
An Engineer’s
numerical DEM (that was originally developed in
Guide to Particles
the field of soil mechanics and further developed for
and Powders:
other disciplines) is introduced. The authors give an Fundamentals and
exhaustive description of the calculation cycle utilised Computational
by typical DEM algorithms and they conclude the Approaches”
chapter with a data analysis section. The DEM data
post-processing analysis is a key step in the use of
this numerical technique where the ultimate goal is
to relate the microscopic interparticle phenomena
to the macroscopic bulk behaviour of the material.
The application of DEM is limited by the amount of
plastic deformation that can be reliably represented.
In situations where the plastic deformation of the
particle is not negligible or for impact problems
including contact of irregular shape particles, FEM Reference
has been used to model the state of stress inside the 1. “Particle Breakage”, eds. A. D. Salman, M. Ghadiri and
particle body. This different computational method is M. J. Hounslow, Handbook of Powder Technology, Vol.
introduced in Chapter 10. Like DEM, this method was 12, Elsevier BV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2007

229 © 2017 Johnson Matthey

http://dx.doi.org/10.1595/205651317X695848 Johnson Matthey Technol. Rev., 2017, 61, (3)

The Reviewers
Domenico Daraio is an EngD Student in Formulation Engineering at the University of Birmingham,
UK, and he has a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Pisa, Italy. He is currently
working on DEM modelling of milling systems to better understand how the energy input into the
system is transferred at different scales.

Giuseppe Raso is a Marie Curie Early Stage Researcher at the University of Twente, The
Netherlands, and the University of Edinburgh, UK. He graduated from the University of Calabria,
Italy, in Chemical Engineering. His project involves the rheological study of wet powders and the
application of DEM for the simulation of wet granular systems in industrial processes.

Michele Marigo is a Principal Scientist at Johnson Matthey Technology Centre, Chilton, UK. He
obtained an undergraduate degree with a master’s in Mechanical Engineering from the University
of Padua, Italy, and a doctorate in Chemical Engineering (EngD) from the University of Birmingham.
Michele’s expertise includes materials science, particle engineering, discrete element modelling
and finite element modelling.

230 © 2017 Johnson Matthey