Philippine Handbook Screening

in Chemical Engineering by Renato Ong

J10. SCREENING

J10.1. INTRODUCTION
The processing of mixed particulate solids entails treatment of the bulk solids for mixing,
sampling, sizing and classification. Also important are operations for selective separation or
concentration of solids from a mixture. The effectiveness of size classification, or of size
reduction will depend on the determination of the amount of material of different sizes. The
separation of materials based on size is frequently important as means of preparing a product
for sale or for a subsequent operation.

J10.2. SOLID CHARACTERIZATION

Characteristics of masses of particulate solids are necessary in designing processes and
equipment for dealing with streams containing solids. Individual solid particles are
conveniently characterized by their size, shape, and density.

J10.2.1. Density
Particles of homogeneous solids have the same density as the bulk material. Bulk (or
apparent) density b, is the total mass per unit of total volume. It is not an intrinsic
characteristic of the material since it varies with the size distribution of the particles and their
environment. Bulk density differs from the true density of the material due to presence of void
spaces in a bulk material. For a single nonporous particle, the true density equals the bulk
density.

J10.2.2. Particle Shape

The shape of single particle is usually expressed by a shape factor known as “Sphericity”,
(S). It is defined as the surface area to volume ratio of a spherical particle of diameter Ds
divided by the surface area to volume ratio of non-spherical particles whose nominal size is
Dp. It describes the shape of a particle and is independent of the particle size.

For spherical particle with diameter Ds, the surface area Ss =  Ds2 and volume s = Ds3/6,
surface to volume ratio will be 6 / Ds,

For non-spherical particle whose nominal diameter Dp, is the same with that of spherical
particle, and the surface to volume ratio is expressed as Sp /p, sphericity (S) will be,

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Philippine Handbook Screening
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6υp
Φs  (J10 - 1)
SpDp

As shown in Table J10 - 2, “ for many crushed materials, sphericity (s) is between 0.6 to 0.8
but for particles rounded by abrasion, it may be as high as 0.95” (McCabe et al, 2001)

Table J10 - 1. Apparent and bulk densities of common materials

Material Density, lb/cu .ft. Bulk density, lb/cu. ft.
Alumina, Al2O3 249
Bauxite 159 80 (crushed)
Barites, BaSO4 280 180 (crushed)
Calcite, CaCO3 169 90-96 ( crushed)
Gypsum, CaSO4 · 2H2O 145 80 –100 (crushed)
60-80 (powdered)
Hematite, Fe2O3 306 –330 150 (crushed)
Pyrite, FeS2 308 –318
Halite, NaCl 131 –162 80 (crushed)
45 (powdered)
Galena, PbS 460-480
Quartz, SiO2 165 100 –110 (gravel)
Sphalerite, ZnS 255
Beans, corn, flaxseed, wheat 45-48
Cottonseed, oats 25-26
Coal, bituminous 84 44-52
Coke 23-34
Petroleum coke 35-40
Portland Cement 100
* G. Brown et. al. , Unit Operations, Table 1 p. 7 , 1950

J10.2.3. Particle Size

The size of a particle may be expressed in different ways. If the particle is sphere, the
diameter, the projected area, the volume, or the surface of a particle may be the significant
size. Particle sizes are expressed in different units depending on the size range involved.
Inches or millimeters for coarse particles; screen size for fine particles; micrometers or
nanometers for very fine and ultra fine particles and sometimes described in terms of their
surface area per unit mass or specific surface, usually in square meters per gram.

A. Mixed particle sizes and size analysis

The “average” diameter of a mixture of particles signifies a composite individual

representative of an entire group of similar but not identical specimens. Thus, average

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diameter is that diameter which, when multiplied by the number of particles, will give the sum
of all the diameters in that group.

Table J10 - 2. Sphericity of Miscellaneous Materials*

Material Sphericity, s
Spheres, cubes, short cylinder (L= Dp) 1.0
Berl saddles 0.30
Coal dust, natural (up to 3/8 in.) 0.65
Coal dust, pulverized 0.73
Cork 0.69
Crushed glass 0.65
Flue dust ( fused, aggregates) 0.55
Flue dust ( fused, spherical) 0.89
Glass, crushed, jagged 0.65
Mica flakes 0.28
Raschig rings (L = Dp)
L = Do , Di = 0.5 Do 0.58
L = Do , Di = 0.75 Do 0.33
Sand ( average for various types) 0.75
Sand, rounded 0.83
Sand, angular 0.73
Flint sand, jagged 0.65
Ottawa sand 0.95
Wilcox sand 0.60
Tungsten powder 0.89
*Values from Unit Operation by McCabe and Smith – 6th Ed p. 158, 2001 and R.H.
Perry‟s Chemical Engineers Handbook, 6th Ed. P.5-54, 1984

B. Mean sizes based on surface.

1. Surface mean Diameter ( D s ) is also known as Sauter mean diameter and is the diameter
of the particle with the same specific surface as the powder or mixture (Coulson &
Richardson, 1991)

a. Mass fraction (Xi) expression:

1
Ds  (J10 - 2)
Xi
 ( D pi )

b. If number of particles (Ni) is known,

Ds 
 ( NiDpi 3
)
(J10 - 3)
 ( NiDpi 2
)

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2. Mean Surface Diameter ( D s' ) is defined as the size of particle which is such that if all the
particles are of this size, the total surface will be the same as in the mixture.

a. Mass fraction (Xi) expression:

Xi
 ( Dpi )
Ds '  (J10 - 4)
Xi
 ( Dpi 3 )
b. If number of particles (Ni) is known,

Ds ' 
 ( NiDpi 2
)
(J10 - 5)
 Ni

C. Mean size based on volume

1. Volume Mean Diameter ( D v ) also known as the weight or mass mean diameter (ĎW)

a. Mass fraction Expression:

Dv   ( XiDpi ) (J10 - 6)

b. If number of particles (Ni) is known,

Dv 
 ( NiDpi 4
)
(J10 - 7)
 ( NiDpi 3
)

2. Mean Volume diameter ( D v' ) which means if all the particles are of diameter ĎV’, then
the total volume of particles is the same as in the mixture.

a. Mass fraction (Xi) expression:

1
Dv'  (J10 - 8)
3 ( Xi
)
Dpi 3

b. If number of particles (Ni) is known,

( NiDpi 3 )
Dv'  3  (J10 - 9)
 Ni

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Philippine Handbook Screening
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D. Mean size based on length

1. Arithmetic Mean Diameter ( D N )

a. Mass fraction (Xi) expression:

Xi
 ( Dpi 2
)
DN  (J10 - 10)
Xi
 ( Dpi 3 )

b. If number of particles (Ni) is known,

DN 
 ( NiDpi ) (J10 - 11)
 ( Ni )
2. Length Mean Diameter ( DL )

a. Mass fraction (Xi) expression:

Xi
 ( Dpi )
DL  (J10 - 12)
Xi
 ( Dpi 2 )

b. If number of particles (Ni) is known,

DL 
 ( NiDpi ) 2

(J10 - 13)
 ( NiDpi )

J10.2.4. Specific Surface of Mixture of Particles, Aw

The specific surface Aw, or the surface per unit mass is an important property of solids which
varies widely depending upon condition of the surface as well as the particle size.

For N-particles with uniform Dp or for uniformly-sized particles, total volume (T) of the
mixture is,
mT
  PN  (J10 - 14)


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Also, total surface area (ST) is,

ST  SpN  Sp( mT ) (J10 - 15)

pP

but , Sp/Vp = 6/sDp

therefore, specific surface (Aw) for uniformly-sized mixture of particles is,

 6   mT 
Aw     (J10 - 16)
 Φs DP   ρ P 

where: Aw = specific surface or the total surface area of a unit mass of particles
Dp = equivalent or nominal diameter of particle
 T = total volume
 P = volume of one particle
Sp = surface area of one particle
N = number of particles in a sample
m T = total mass of the sample
 P = density of the particles

For N-particles with varying sizes or non-uniform Dp,

 6   Xi 
Aw      Dpi  (J10 - 17)
 s p   

where: subscripts i = individual increment

Xi = mass fraction in a given increment
Dpi = average particle diameter, taken as arithmetic average of smallest
and largest particle diameter in increment or the average screen size in a screen
analysis

If the size distribution can be represented by a continuous function, then,

 6 
1
dX
Aw   
 sp 
 Dp
0
(J10 - 18)

Using method presented by G. Brown (1950),

6  Xi 
Aw      Dpi  (J10 - 19)
 P   ave 

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Philippine Handbook Screening
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where: η = specific surface ratio as a function of average particle diameter Dpi.

Ratio of Specific Surfaces (η) is defined as the ratio of specific surface of non-spherical
particle to the specific surface of the spherical particle of the same “diameter”,

(specific surface)
η (J10 - 20)
6
ρDave

Corresponding values of ratio of specific surface (n) as a function of average diameter of

particles (Dp) for quartz, pyrite, sphalerite, calcite and galena are shown Figure J10 - 1.

J10.2.5. Number of Particles in the Mixture, Nw

Assuming that in a mixture of particles, each of the particles has the same shape such that,
n1 = no. of particles, x1 = mass fraction of n1 particles, Dp1is the equivalent diameter of n1
particles while n2 = no. of particles, x2 = mass fraction of n2 particles, Dp2 is the equivalent
diameter of n2 particles and so on.

Also, for a given particle shape, the volume,P, of any particle is proportional to its „diameter‟
cubed,

υP  kDp3 (J10 - 21)

where k is the volume shape factor

then, x1 = n1 k Dp1 3  P ; x2 = n2 k Dp2 3  P ; and so on …

or,

 Xi  1.0   k  ( niDpi 3 )
P (J10 - 22)

therefore,

 1   
  
xi 1
Nw       (J10 - 23)
 ρPk   Dpi 3
  ρPk( Dv' )3

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Philippine Handbook Screening
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Measured specific surface of five common minerals. (U.S. Bureau of Mines)

Figure J10 - 1. Ratio of Specific Surface, η as Function of Average Particle Diameter for
Five (5) Common Minerals.
(Foust et. al., Principles of Unit Op., App. B, 2nd Ed.)

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Philippine Handbook Screening
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J10.3. SCREEN ANALYSIS

Screening is accomplished by passing the material successively over a series of “screens” or
“sieves” having progressively smaller openings or apertures. The size of material which has
passed through one screen and has been retained on a screen having openings of a smaller size
is usually considered to be the arithmetic average of the two (2) screen openings and is called
the “average diameter” represented by the symbol Dave.

J10.3.1. Standard Screen

Standard screens are used to measure the particle size and determine the size distribution of
particles ranging from 76 mm to 38m (3 to 0.0015 in.). The standardized sieves are usually
made of woven wire screen. The openings are square. Each screen is identified by „mesh
number‟. The term „mesh‟ is applied to the number of openings or apertures per linear inch.

One common standard screen series, the Tyler standard screen series, is based upon a 200-
mesh screen with an opening of 0.0029 in. (0.074mm) and employ a screen interval in which
the factor is 2 1/ 2 although 2 1/4 is sometimes used for closer sizing and careful work.

Each screen has smaller openings than the one above, usually in 2 1/n series . The size of
particles found on any screen is expressed as an appropriate mean length between the
openings in the screen above and that on which the particle rests.

J10.3.2. Methods of Screen Analysis

Methods of reporting screen analyses are Differential Analysis which is based on mass
fraction retained on each of the screens, Cumulative Analysis for D p greater than the mesh
which is reported as mass fraction of particles larger than the screen opening, and Cumulative
Analysis for D p less than the mesh which is reported as mass fraction of particles smaller than
the screen opening.

J10.4. SCREENING PRINCIPLE

Screening is defined as the mechanical separation of a mixture of various sizes of particles
into two or more portions by means of a screening surface, each of which is more uniform in
size of particle than the original mixture.

It is the separation of a mixture of various sizes of grains into two or more portions by means
of a screening surface, the screening surface acting as a multiple go-no-go gauge and the final
portions consisting of grains of more uniform size than those of the original mixture.

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Philippine Handbook Screening
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Table J10 - 3. Tyler Standard Screen Scale

Standard
Interval = 2 ½ Interval = 2 ¼
Aperture, in. Aperture, in. Aperture, µm. Mesh No. Wire diameter, in.
1.050 1.050 26,670 ---- 0.148
0.883 22,430 ---- 0.135
0.742 0.742 18850 ---- 0.135
0.624 15,850 ---- 0.12
0.525 0.525 13,330 ---- 0.105
0.441 11,200 ---- 0.105
0.371 0.371 9,423 ---- 0.092
0.312 7,925 2½ 0.088
0.263 0.263 6,680 3 0.070
0.221 5,613 3½ 0.065
0.185 0.185 4,699 4 0.065
0.156 3,962 5 0.044
0.131 0.131 3,327 6 0.036
0.110 2,794 7 0.0326
0.093 0.093 2,362 8 0.032
0.078 1,981 9 0.033
0.065 0.065 1,651 10 0.035
0.055 1,397 12 0.028
0.046 0.046 1,168 14 0.025
0.039 991 16 0.0235
0.0328 0.0328 833 20 0.0172
0.0276 701 24 0.0141
0.0232 0.0232 589 28 0.0125
0.0195 495 32 0.0118
0.0164 0.0164 417 35 0.0122
0.0138 351 42 0.0100
0.0116 0.0116 295 48 0.0092
0.0097 248 60 0.0070
0.0082 0.0082 208 65 0.0072
0.0069 175 80 0.0056
0.0058 0.0058 147 100 0.0042
0.0049 124 115 0.0038
0.0041 0.0041 104 150 0.0026
0.0035 88 170 0.0024
0.0029 0.0029 74 200 0.0021
0.0024 61 230 0.0016
0.0021 0.0021 53 270 0.0016
0.0017 43 325 0.0014
0.0015 0.0015 38 400 0.0010
*Adapted from Foust et. al., Principles of Unit Operations, App. C - 8, p.726, 2nd Ed.

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Philippine Handbook Screening
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Types of screening operations are scalping, removing of a small amount of oversize from a
feed which is predominantly fines; separation, making a (coarse) size separation at mesh 4
and larger, making a (fine) size separation smaller than mesh 4 and larger than mesh 48 or
making a (ultrafine) size separation smaller than mesh 48; dewatering, removal of free water
from a solids-water mixture and generally limited to mesh 4 and above; desliming, removal of
extremely fine particles from a wet material by passing it over a screening surface.

Various types of screening equipment include stationary screener, grizzly, vibrating screens
(horizontal or inclined), oscillating, revolving or trommel.

The objective of a screen is to separate completely the feed with various sizes into two
fractions, i.e. an underflow that is passed through the screen and an overflow that is collected
on the screen. Either of these two streams may be a product.

During actual operation, the screen cannot give a perfect separation due to the following:

1. Rapid feeding or too steep angle or inclination of the equipment

2. Dampness that can cause cohesion
3. Properties of materials such as fibrous-like or needle-like or tendency to form
clusters or aggregation
4. Worn-out screen
5. Clogging or blinding of screen apertures

J10.4.1. Material Balance

Single Screen Analysis
Feed, F
XF
Oversize or tails, O
XO

Undersize or fines, U
XU

where XF, X O, X U are mass fractions of desired material on each stream

by overall material balance (OMB) :

F= O + U (J10 - 24)

by desired material balance (DMB) :

XF F = X O O+ X U U (J10 - 25)

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If O= F–U
XF F =X O ( F – U ) + X U U (J10 - 26)
XF F = X O F – XO U + X UU (J10 - 27)
Therefore,
U ( XF  Xo )
 (J10 - 28)
F ( XU  Xo )

J10.4.2. Performance of a Screener

Evaluation of screen performance is usually based and measured on the effectiveness or
success of a screen to separate materials by its desired sizes. We can say that a screener is
100% effective if all the oversize materials would be in the overflow while all the undersize
material would be in the underflow.

A uniform method for figuring efficiency has never been established. Screen efficiency can be
expressed in different methods depending on which stream will be your desired product.

If your object is to recover the materials whose sizes are less than the screen size or if the
undersize of the screen is your “product” stream, „efficiency‟ is the ratio of the amount of
undersize obtained to the amount of undersize in the feed (Sieve Handbook No.53, W.S.
Tyler,Inc.).
UXU
En  (J10 - 29)
XFF

Where En is the efficiency of screen with mesh number, n as its subscript, XU is the fraction
of desired material size in the fines or undersize stream, U is the amount of undersize stream,
XF is the fraction of desired material size in the screen feed and F is the amount of screen
feed.

If your object is to recover the materials whose sizes are greater than the screen size or if the
oversize of the screen is your “product” stream, „efficiency‟ is the ratio of the amount of
oversize obtained to the amount of true oversize in the feed
O Xo
En  (J10 - 30)
XF F

Where En is the efficiency of screen with mesh number, n as its subscript, XO is the fraction
of desired material size in the tails or oversize stream, O is the amount of oversize stream, XF
is the fraction of desired material size in the screen feed and F is the amount of screen feed.

Another method of expressing the overall effectiveness of the screener “is based upon the
recovery in the product of the desired material in the feed and the exclusion or rejection from
the product of the undesired material in the feed” (Brown, 1950).

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If we let,
XP = mass fraction of desired material in product,
XF = mass fraction of desired material in feed
XR = mass fraction of desired material in reject,
P = total mass of product,
F = total mass of feed,
R = total mass of reject,

The recovery or quantity of desired materials collected in the product stream is,

XPP
ERec  (J10 - 31)
XFF

also,
XP( XF  XR )
E Re c  (J10 - 32)
XF( XP  XR )

and the rejection or quantity of undesired material collected in the reject stream will be,

( 1 XF )F ( 1 XP )P 
 
E Re j   ( 1 XF )F 
(J10 - 33)
 

or,
 ( 1  XP )P 
E Re j  1   (J10 - 34)
 ( 1  XF )F 

therefore, Overall Screen Effectiveness,Eo, will be,

EO = ( Recovery)( Rejection )

 XPP    ( 1  XP )P  
Eo    1    (J10 - 35)
 XFF    ( 1  XF ) F  

or
 XP( XF  XR )    ( 1  XP )( XF  XR )  
Eo    1    (J10 - 36)
 XF( XP  XR )    ( 1  XF )( XP  XR )  

Based on the above equations, the values of XP, XF, and XR will be different depending on
whether the undersize is considered the reject or the product but the expression of
effectiveness will give the same value, regardless of whether the undersize of the screen will
be your product stream or reject stream.

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J10.4.3. Capacity of Screens

The most important factor that dictates the capacity of a screen is its ability to prevent
„blinding‟ effect of its screen surface. The capacity of a screen is based on the ratio of the
open area to the total area and is usually expressed in terms of “tons of feed (T) per square
foot of screen area (A) per millimeter of screen aperture (M) per 24 hr” (Brown, 1950).

T tons
CAP  , in (J10 - 37)
(A)(M)(24) m 2  mm hr

Another method of predicting capacity is with the use of throughflow method of Matthews
(Perry and Green, 1984):

0.4Ct
A (J10 - 38)
CuFoaFs

where: A = screen area

Ct = throughflow rate
Cu = unit capacity, Figure J10 - 2
Foa = open-area factor, Figure J10 - 3
FS = slotted-opening factor, Table J10 - 4

Table J10 - 4. Slotted-Opening Factors, FS*.

Screen type Length to width ratio Slotted–opening factor,

FS
Square and slightly
rectangular openings Less than 2 1.0

Rectangular openings Equal to or greater than 2 but less

than 4 1.1

Slotted Openings Equal to or greater than 4 but less

than 25 1.2

Parallel-rod decks Equal to or greater than 25 1.4

* Perry‟s Chemical Engineers‟ Handbook, Table19 - 7 p. 19 - 23, McGraw-Hill, 7th Ed.

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Figure J10 - 2. Unit Capacity (Cu) for Square-Opening Screens.

(Perry‟s Chemical Engineers‟ Handbook, Fig.21 - 15, p.21 - 18, 7th Ed.)

Figure J10 - 3. Open Area Factor (Foa) for flow-through screen-capacity calculation.
(Perry‟s Chemical Engineers‟ Handbook, Fig.21 - 16, p.21 - 18, 7th Ed.)

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References:

(McCabe, Smith and Harriot, Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering, p. 946, 6th ed.)
(Coulson & Richardson, Chemical Engineering Vol. 2, p. 12, 4th Ed.)
*Foust et. al., Principles of Unit Operations, App. C-8, p.726, 2nd Ed.
(Sieve Handbook No.53, W.S. Tyler, Inc.)
(Unit Operations by B. Brown, p.15, 1950)
(Perry‟s Chemical Engineers‟ Handbook, p.19-23, McGraw-Hill, 7th Ed, ):
(G. Brown & Associates, Unit Operations, p. 16, Wiley and Sons, 1950)

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Section J10
SCREENING

Renato C. Ong, B.S. Ch. E.,

Member, Philippine Institute of Chemical Engineers;
Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, Adamson University; Manager of Research and
Quality Assurance, Foremost Farms, Inc.-Feedmill Plant; Quality Management
Representative,
FFI- ISO 9001:2000

Table of Contents

J10.1 Introduction

J10.2 Solid Characterization

J10.2.1 Density
J10.2.2 Particle Shape
J10.2.3 Particle Size
J10.2.4 Specific surface of mixture of particles
J10.2.5 Number of particles in the mixture

J10.3 Screen Analysis

J10.3.1 Standard Screen

J10.3.2 Methods of Screen Analysis

J10.4 Screening Principle

J10.4.1 Material Balance

J10.4.2 Performance of a Screener
J10.4.3 Capacity of a Screener

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screening, J10 - 1
screen analysis, J10 - 9
screen analysis, methods, J10 - 10
standard screen, J10 - 9
screening principle, J10 - 10
screens, capacity, J10 - 14
screening material balance, J10 - 11
screener, performance, J10 - 12
solid characterization, J10 - 1
bulk density, J10 - 1
density of solids, J10 - 1
number of particles in the mixture, J10 - 7
particle shape, J10 - 2
particle size, J10 - 3
specific surface of mixture of particles, J10 - 5

J10 - 18