SIZE SEPERATION

Size Separation
Size Separation A special technique is used to separate particles of
specified size which is known as the "process of size separation".

OFFICIAL STANDARDS FOR POWDERS

The Indian Pharmacopoeia has laid down the standards for powders for
pharmaceutical purposes. The I.P. specifies five grades of powder which
are as under:
1. Coarse powder : A powder of which all the particles pass through a
sieve with nominal mesh aperture of 1.70 mm (No. 10 sieve) and not
more than 40.0 per cent through a sieve with nominal mesh aperture of
355 urn (No. 44 sieve) is called coarse powder.
2. Moderately coarse powder: A powder of which all the particles pass
through a sieve with nominal mesh aperture of 710 nm (No. 22 sieve)
and not more than 40.0 per cent through a sieve with nominal mesh
aperture of 250 nm (No. 60 sieve) is called moderately coarse powder.
3. Moderately fine powder : If all the particles of a powder pass through
a sieve with nominal mesh aperture of 355 µm (No. 44 sieve) and not
more than 40.0 per cent through a sieve with nominal mesh aperture of
180 µm(No. 85 sieve), it falls in this group.
4. Fine powder : In case all the particles pass through a sieve with a
nominal mesh aperture of 180 µm (No. 85 sieve), it is called fine
powder,
5. Very fine powder : If all the particles of the powder pass through a
sieve with a nominal mesh aperture of 125 µm (No. 120sieve), it is said
to be very fine powder.
 SIZE SEPERATION

SIEVES
Sieves for pharmacopoeial testing are constructed from wire cloth with
square meshes, woven from wires of brass, bronze, stainless steel or any
other suitable material. The wires should be of uniform circular cross-
section and should not be coated or plated. There should not be any
reaction between the material of the sieve and the substance which is
being sifted from it.
 SIZE SEPERATION
STANDARDS OF SIEVES
1. Number of sieve : Sieve number indicates the number of meshes in a
length of 2.54 cm in each transverse direction parallel to the wires.
2. Nominal size of aperture : Nominal size of aperture indicates the
distance between the wires. It represents the length of the side of the
square aperture. The I.P. has given the nominal mesh aperture size for
majority of sieves in mm or in cm.
3. Nominal diameter of the wire : Wire mesh sieves are made from the
wire having the specified diameter in order to give a suitable aperture
size and sufficient strength to avoid distortion of the sieve.
4. Approximate percentage sieving area : This standard expresses the
area of the meshes a percentage of the total area of the sieve. It depends
on the size of the wire used for any particular sieve number. Generally
the sieving area is kept within the range of 35 to 40 per cent in order to
give suitable strength to the sieve.
5. Tolerance average aperture size : Some variation in the aperture size
is unavoidable and when this variation is expressed as a percentage, it is
known as the 'aperture tolerance average'.

SIZE SEPARATION BY SIFTING METHOD OR SIEVING

METHOD
In this method, the fine powder is separated from the coarse powder by
using sieves of desired number. The degree of fineness of a powder is
known with the help of sieve through which the powdered material is
passed. Sieves are numbered in order to distinguish from each other.
Size separation of powder is done by passing the powdered material
through a set of sieves. Sieves are arranged in descending order i.e. sieve
 SIZE SEPERATION
of larger size is at the top and the smallest one at the bottom. The bottom
sieve is attached to the receiving pan.

The material is placed in the uppermost sieve. The sieves are shaken
with the help of mechanical sieve shaker or electromagnetic devices. It
helps the particles to pass through the sieves.
The working of mechanical sieving devices are based on any of the
following methods.
1. Agitation
2. Brushing
3. Centrifugal
1. Agitation methods
Sieves may be agitated in a number of different ways, such as:
1. Oscillation : This sieve is mounted in a frame that oscillates back and
forth. It is a simple method but the material may roll on the surface of
the sieve.
2. Vibration : The sieve is vibrated at high speed by means of an electric
device. The rapid vibration is imparted to the particles on the sieve
which helps to pass the powdered material through it.
 SIZE SEPERATION
3. Gyration : In this method, a system is made so that sieve is on rubber
mounting and connected to an eccentric fly wheel. This gives a rotary
movement of small amplitude to sieve which in turn gives spinning
motion to the particles that helps to pass them through a sieve.
Agitation methods are not continuous methods' but can be made so by
inclination of the sieve and the provision of separate outlets for
undersize and oversize particles.
2. Brushing methods
In this case, a brush is used to move the particles on the surface of the
sieve and to keep the meshes clear. The brush is rotated in the middle in
the case of a circular sieve but spiral brush is rotated on the longitudinal
axis in case of a horizontal cylindrical sieve.
3. Centrifugal methods
In this method, a high speed rotor is fixed inside the vertical cylindrical
sieve, so that on rotation of rotor the particles are thrown outwards by
centrifugal force. The current of air which is produced due to high speed
of rotor helps in sieving the powder.
On shaking the powdered material in a mechanical or electromagnetic
device using any of the above methods, the weight of powder retained
on each sieve is determined. The percentage of each fraction is then
calculated.
Percentage of retained powder = Weight of retained powder * 100
Weight of total powder
Sieving method is a rapid process and it requires very little skill. The
equipment used for sieving is not expensive.
 SIZE SEPERATION

CYCLONE SEPARATOR
Principle
In cyclone separator, the centrifugal force is used to separate solids from
fluids. The separation depends not only on the particle size but also on
density of particles. Hence depending on the fluid velocity, the cyclone
separator can be used to separate all types of particles or to remove only
coarse particles and allow fine particles to be carried through with the
fluid.
Construction
It consists of a cylindrical vessel with a conical base. In the upper part of
the vessel is fitted with a tangential inlet and a fluid outlet and at the
base it is fitted with solid outlet.
SIZE SEPERATION
 SIZE SEPERATION
Working
The suspension of a solid in gas (usually air) is introduced tangentially
at a very high velocity, so that rotary movement takes place within the
vessel. The fluid is removed from a central outlet at the top. The rotatory
flow within the cyclone separator causes the particles to be acted on by
centrifugal force. The solids are thrown out to the walls, thereafter it
falls to the conical base and discharged out through solids outlet.
Uses
Cyclone separators are used to separate the suspension of a solid in a gas
(air). It can be used with liquid suspensions of solids.

Methods of particle size separation based on sedimentation or on

elutriation
Principle
A suspension of the solids in a fluid, most commonly water, is placed in
a tank and allowed to stand for a suitable time. The upper layer is then
removed, giving a single separation, or the suspension may be collected
as a number of fractions by arranging for the pump inlet to remain just
below the surface. The suspension pumped out will then contain
successively coarser particles.

Elutriation Method:
The size separation of powder is based on the low density of fine
particles and high density of the coarse particles. Elutriating tank is used
to separate the coarse and fine particles of powder after levigation. The
dry powder or paste made by levigation process is kept in an elutriating
tank and mixed with a large quantity of water. The solid particles are
uniformly distributed in the liquid by stirring and then it is allowed to
 SIZE SEPERATION
settle down. Depending on the density of solid particles, it will either
settle down or remain suspended in water.
The sample is withdrawn at different heights through the outlets.
These are dried and thus the powder with various size fractions are
collected. Nowadays in elutriation process, the particles are suspended in
a moving fluid, generally water or air.
Construction
The apparatus consists of a vertical column with an inlet near the bottom
for suspension, an outlet at the base for coarse particles and an overflow
near the top for fluid and fine articles. One column will give single
separation into two fractions. If more than one fraction is required a
number of tubes of increasing area of cross section can be connected in
series. The velocity of the fluid decreases in succeeding tubes as the area
of cross section increases, thus giving a number of fractions. These
fractions are separated and dried.

Advantages of Elutriation Method

(1) The process is continuous.
(2) Depending on the number of fractions required, the same number of
tubes of different area of cross section can be connected.
(3) The separation is quick as compare to other methods of separation.
 SIZE SEPERATION
(4) The apparatus is more compact than as that used in sedimentation
methods.

The main disadvantage of this method is that the suspension of solid

particles has to be diluted which may not be desired in certain cases.