Size Reduction

Presented By:
Mrs. Shanvi S. Gawli
M.Pharm (Pharmaceutical Chemistry)

Aldel Education Trust’s

St. John Institute of Pharmacy & Research
 Importance of particle size reduction
 Factors affecting size reduction
 Methods of size reduction
 Cutter mill
 Roller mill
 Hammer mill
 The disintegrator
 Ball mill
 Fluid energy mill
 Edge runner mill
 Selection of degree of size reduction
 Levigation & elutriation
 Size Reduction
Size reduction is the process of reducing or breaking of larger
particles into small particles of desired size & shape with the
help of external forces. It is also called as grinding or
pulverization or comminution.

➢ Size reduction of bulk solids is called as

comminution/grinding/pulverization/diminution/
crushing/disintegration.

➢ Size reduction by the applications of mechanical means is

called milling.

➢ Size reduction of liquid material is called as atomization

or emulsification.
 Size Reduction
Size reduction is the process of reducing or breaking of larger
particles into small particles of desired size & shape with the
help of external forces. It is also called as grinding or
pulverization or comminution.

Objectives of Size Reduction

➢ To produce smaller particles (in the preparation of

suspensions or to facilitate the mixing of powders).

➢ To increase surface area (to increase adsorptive

properties).
1. It improves therapeutic efficacy of formulation.
2. It is applied to increase bioavailability of drug/s Micronization of
drug, Itraconazole, griseofulvin, etc. has increased their
bioavailability many times.
3. Stability of certain formulations such as suspensions and
emulsion depends on particle size or globule size. Therefore, it is
important to achieve desirable particle size by size reduction.
4. It is applied to prepare novel drug delivery systems like nano-
suspension drug delivery systems.
5. It is done to speed up and achieve the complete extraction of
vegetable drugs.
6. The ophthalmic formulations and skin formulations must be free
from gritty particles.
7. The ointments, pastes and creams can be made acceptable by
reducing their particle size.
8. It is used to mix the drug and other excipients homogenously.
9. It improves material handling characteristics.
 Advantages of Size Reduction

1. It improves drug content uniformity in the formulation.

2. It increases flow property of powders.
3. It is also useful in unit operation, 'drying
4. After size reduction it's easy to extract the drug.
5. It improves the physical stability of drug.
6. It enhances the dissolution rate, absorption rate of drug
which results into improved bioavailability.
7. Due to size reduction the surface area of the particle
increases.
 Disadvantages of Size Reduction

1. Powder may be contaminated with other excipients or

material of equipment
2. Size reduction sometimes leads to poor mixing.
3. Noise is produced during operation.
4. Size reduction is highly energy (electricity) consumed unit
operation.
5. After size reduction there is a chance of drug degradation.
1.Hardness: Hard material is more difficult to reduced in size. Soft material easy
break than hard. Hard material with brittleness (glass) no problem with size
reduction.
2. Stickiness: Material adheres to the grinding surface or sieve surface of the mill. It
is very difficult to powder a drug of having gummy or resinous material.
3. Abrasiveness: Abrasive materials can damage the surfaces of grinding machines.
4. Toughness: It is ability of material to absorb energy, get deformed plastically
without breaking. It is easy to break a hard but brittle substance than soft but
tough material.
5.Moisture content: The presence of moisture in the material influences a number of
its properties such as hardness, toughness or stickiness. The material having 5%
moisture in case of dry grinding and 50% in case of wet grinding is permissible.
6.Temperature: Waxy material such as stearic acid or drug containing oils or fat,
become softened during the size reduction, due to heat. This can be avoided by
cooling the mill.
7.Physiological effect: Some drugs are very potent. During their size reduction in
mill, dust is produced which may have effect on operator.
9.Ratio of feed size to product size: To get a fine powder in a mill, it is required that
a fairly small feed size should be used. Hence to carry out size reduction in
various stages e.g. preliminary crushing followed by coarse powder and then fine
grinding.
10.Bulk density: The output of the size reduction of the material in a machine
depends upon the bulk density of the substance.
11. Thermostability of drug: Heat sensitive drugs may be degraded or even
charred, if heat is generated during size reduction.
 There are four main methods of effecting size reduction, with
different mechanisms:
 Cutting. (Shear)
 The material is cut by means of a sharp blade or blades. The shear
is produced when particle is compressed between the edges of 2 hard
surfaces moving tangentially. (Knife, Sciisors, cutter mill)

 Compression.

 the material is crushed by application of pressure. (Roller mill)

Impact.
 Occurs when the material is stationary and is hit by an object
moving at high speed or when the moving particle strikes a stationary
surface. (Ball mill, Fluid Energy mill)

Attrition.
 Pressure is applied on the material as in compression, but the
surfaces are moving relative to each other, resulting in shear forces
which break the particles.(Ball mill, Fluid Energy mill)
Mechanisms of size reduction
Method Diagram Common
example
Cutting Scissors
Shears
Approximate
increase in Compression Nutcrackers
Fineness
of product
Impact Hammer

Attrition (pressure File

and
friction)
 The term mill is used normally for machines for size
reduction.

Cutting and compression have limited uses in

pharmaceutical practice.

Impact and attrition are used much more widely, both

separately and in combination, and there is a great
variety in each type.
Mechanism or principle of Name of mills based on it
size reduction
Cutting Cutter mill
Compression Roller Mill
Impact Hammer Mill and disintegrator
Combined Impact and Attrition Ball mill and Fluid energy mill
Combined compression and Colloidal mill
attrition
Crushing and Shearing Edge runner mill
 Compression

The material is crushed by the application of pressure.

On the small scale size reduction by Compression

carried out by a pestle and mortar.

On a large scale, roller mill is used.

➢ Impact occur when the material is more or less stationary
& is hit by an object moving at high speed or when the
moving particles strikes a stationary surface.
➢ On large scale hammer mill & disintegrator are used.
 The principle of operation: Impact: material is more or less
stationary & is hit by an object moving at high speed.

 Hammer mill is defined as the devices which is used to crush

the agglomerates or large sized particles into small size
particles small particles with free-flowing properties.

 Construction:
▪ Hopper (Feed chute)
▪ Grinding Mechanism- rotor & stator
▪ Discharging chute
1) It consists of Stout metal casing. (Steel
drum)
2) The hammer mill consists of a central
shaft to which four or more hammers
are attached.
3) These are mounted with swivel joints,
so that the hammers swing out to a
radial position when the shaft is rotated.
4) The lower part of the casing consists of
a screen through which material can
pass.
5) The screen can be changed according to
the particle size required.
HAMMER MILL
1. The material is put into the hopper
which is connected with the drum.
2. The material is crushed by the
repeated hammer impacts,
collisions with the walls of grinding
chamber as well as particle-on-
particles impact.
3. The rotor operates at a speed of
80cycles per second. (10,000rpm)
4. The material is powered to the
desired size, due to fast rotation of
hammers & is collected under the
screen.
5. Hammer mill is operated at 1000-
2500rpm for reduction of large HAMMER MILL
particles.
Targeted particle size can be controlled
by factors such as

➢ Feed rate
➢ Rotor speed/velocity
➢ Clearance between the hammer’s
& grinding plates
➢ Hit resistance
➢ The size of screen opening
HAMMER MILL
Advantages:
(a) It is rapid in action, and is capable of grinding many different types of
materials.
(b) Inexpensive.
(c) Easy to maintain & clean.
(d) High size reduction ratio & High capacity.
(e) Reasonable energy requirements.
(f) Machine is easy to install & operate & operation is continuous.
(g) No surface moves against each other so very little problem of contamination
of mill materials.
(a) The high speed of operation causes generation of heat that may affect
thermolabile materials or drugs containing gum, fat or resin. (Not suitable
for thermolabile, low melting sticky, plastic material)
The mill may be water-cooled, if necessary, to reduce this heat damage.

(b) The rate of feed must be controlled carefully, otherwise the mill may be
choked, resulting in decreased efficiency or even damage.

(c) Not recommended for the fine grinding of very hard & abrasive material due
to chances of excessive wear.
(a) Used in wet or dry granulation & dispersed powder mixtures.

(b) Used for powdering of drugs, excipients, barks, leaves, roots, and

crystals, filter cake.

(c) Used for brittle & fibrous material

(d) Milling size of 20-40 microns may be achieved.

(e) Versatile-used for dry material, wet filter press cakes, ointments,

slurries.
 Attrition

In attrition pressure is applied on the material as in

compression, but the surfaces are moving relative to each

other, resulting in shear forces which break the particles.

Size reduction by attrition can be effected in the laboratory

by using pestle and mortar.

In large scale mechanical method is required using the

roller mill .
 Combined Impact and Attrition

The mechanisms of impact and attrition can be

combined in two forms of mill.

In the ball mill the particles receive impacts from

balls or stones and are subjected to attrition as the

balls slide over each other.

In fluid energy mills the impacts and attrition occur

between rapidly moving particles.

 BALL MILL

The principle of operation: It works on the principle

of impact & attrition

A ball mill is also known as pebble mill or tumbling mill.

 BALL MILL
The principle of operation: It works on the principle
of impact & attrition
A ball mill is also known as pebble mill or
tumbling mill.
Construction:
❑ The ball mill consists of a hollow
cylinder which is mounted on a
metallic frame in such a way that it
can be rotated on its longitudinal BALL MILL
axis.

❑ The cylinder contains balls that occupy 30 to 50 per cent of

the mill volume. The weight of balls is kept constant.
❑ The ball size being dependent on the size
of the feed and the diameter of the mill.
❑ Usually a mill 1 m in diameter will use balls
of 75 mm, In practice, the balls are
damaged, so that a range of sizes from 20
mm upwards are used.
❑ This gives a better product, since the
larger balls crush the feed and the smaller
ones form the fine product.
BALL MILL
❑ The cylinder & balls are made of metals & are usually lined with
chrome(in industry lined with rubber or porcelain). The balls used in
these mill are also made of porcelain or rubber.
Importance factors in the operation of the ball mill:

The amount of the material in the mill is of importance:

1. too much exerting a reduced effect
2. too little leading to loss of efficiency and to abrasion.

The speed of rotation:

At low speeds, the mass of
balls will roll over each other
and negligible amount of size
reduction will occur.

Low speed with sliding

At high speeds, the balls will be
thrown out to the wall by
centrifugal force and no
grinding will occur.

High speed with

centrifuging
At about two-thirds of the
speed at which centrifugal
force just occurs, movement
takes place as shown in Fig.
(c), that is, the balls are carried
almost to the top of the mill
and then fall in a cascade
Correct speed with
(tumble) across the diameter cascading
of the mill.

By this means, the maximum size reduction is effected

by impact of the particles between the balls and by
attrition between the balls.
 Low speed with sliding

High speed with centrifuging

Correct speed with cascading

 The drug to be ground is fed through an opening of the
cylinder. The opening is closed.
 The cylinder is rotated at the critical speed of ball mill.
 The optimum size reduction in a ball mill depends on the
following factors:
▪ Feed quantity:
▪ Speed of rotation of the cylinder:
 By this means the maximum size reduction is obtained by
impact of the particles between the balls and by attrition
between the balls.
 After suitable time, the material is taken out & passed
through a sieve to get powder of the required size.
 Advantages
A. It is capable of grinding a wide variety of materials of
differing character and of different degrees of hardness.
B. It can be used in a completely enclosed form; which
makes it especially suitable for use with toxic materials.
C. It can produce very fine powders.
D. It can be used for continuous operation, and a classifier
can be used in conjunction with the mill, so that particles
of suitable size are removed while oversize particles are
returned.
E. It is equally suitable for wet or dry grinding processes.
 Disadvantages

A. Wear occurs, principally from the balls, but partially from the shell

and this may result in the contamination of the product; with abrasive

materials this may exceed 0.1%

B. Soft or sticky materials may cause problems by caking on the sides of

the mill or by holding the balls in aggregates.

C. The ball mill is a very noisy machine, particularly if the casing is of

metal, but much less if rubber is used.

Application:

Ball mills are applicable to a wide variety of materials,

large ones being used for grinding ores prior to manufacture of

pharmaceutical chemicals

small versions for the final grinding of drugs or for grinding

suspensions.