Ch.
E-203 PARTICLE TECHNOLOGY
Department of Chemical Engineering,
University of Engineering & Technology Lahore
Conveyors
Conveying is a term used to transport, transfer or transmit.
Conveyor is a device that transports or transmits something
Conveyors are machines that transport material fed to them at controlled rate to desired
location.
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Types of Conveyors
Screw Conveyor
Belt Conveyor
Bucket Elevators
Vibrating or Oscillating Conveyor
Pneumatic Conveyors
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Screw Conveyors
The screw conveyor is one of the oldest and most versatile conveyor types.
It consists of a helicoid flight (helix rolled from flat steel bar) mounted on a pipe or
shaft and turning in a trough.
Power to convey must be transmitted through the pipe or shaft.
Screw-conveyor capacities are generally limited to around 10,000 ft 3/h.
Screw conveyors can also be adapted to a wide variety of processing operations in
addition to their conveying ability
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Contd..
Screw conveyor can be used for mixing, heating, cooling, and drying operations.
A further advantage is the fact that the casing can be designed with a drop bottom for
easy cleaning to avoid contamination when different materials are to be run through
the same system.
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Belt Conveyors
The belt conveyor is almost universal in application. It can travel for miles at speeds
up to 1000 ft/min and handle up to 5000 tons/h.
It can also operate over short distances at speeds slow enough for manual picking,
with a capacity of only a few kilograms per hour.
Belt-conveyor slopes are limited to a maximum of about 30°, with those in the 18 to
20° range more common.
Direction changes can occur in the belt path and must be carefully designed as flat
bends.
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Contd..
Belt conveyors inside the plant may have higher initial cost than some other types.
Temperature and chemical activity of the conveyed material play important roles in
belt selection.
Moisture can cause poor discharge conditions because of material sticking to the
belt.
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Bucket Elevator
Bucket elevators are the simplest and most common units for making vertical lifts.
They are available in a wide range of capacities and may operate entirely in the open
or be totally enclosed.
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Vibrating or Oscillating Conveyors
Most vibrating conveyors consist of a spring-supported horizontal pan vibrated by a
any of the vibrating mechanism.
The motion imparted to the material particles may vary, but its purpose is to throw the
material upward and forward so that it will travel along the conveyor path in a series
of short steps.
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Vibrating / Oscillating Conveyor
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Pneumatic Conveyors
One of the most important material-handling techniques in the chemical industry
is the movement of material suspended in a stream of air over horizontal and
vertical distances ranging from a few to several hundred feet.
Material is dropped into an air stream by a rotary air-lock feeder.
The velocity of the stream maintains the bulk material in suspension until it
reaches the receiving vessel, where it is separated from the air by means of an air
filter or cyclone separator.
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Conveyor Selection
Selection of the correct conveyor for a specific bulk material in a specific situation is
complicated by the large number of interrelated factors:
Capacity requirement
Length of travel
Lift
Material characteristics
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Capacity Requirement
Capacity requirement is a prime factor in conveyor selection.
Belt conveyors, which can be manufactured in relatively large sizes to operate at
high speeds, deliver large tonnages economically.
On the other hand, screw conveyors become extremely bulky as they get larger
and cannot be operated at high speeds without creating serious abrasion
problems.
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Length of travel
Length of travel is definitely limited for certain types of conveyors.
The length limit on belt conveyors can be a matter of miles.
Pneumatic conveyors are limited to 305 m (1000 ft); vibrating conveyors, to
hundreds of meters or feet, Screw conveyors can travel upto 50 m.
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Lift
Lift can usually be handled most economically by vertical or inclined bucket elevators,
but when lift and horizontal travel are combined, other conveyors should be
considered.
Conveyors that combine several directions of travel in a single unit are generally more
expensive.
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Material Characteristics
Material characteristics, both chemical and physical, should be considered,
especially flow ability.
Abrasiveness and lump size are also important.
Chemical effects (e.g., the effect of oil on rubber) must be considered
Moisture or oxidation effects from exposure to the atmosphere may be harmful to
the material being conveyed and require total enclosure of the conveyor.
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Conveyors for bulk materials
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Conveyor Drivers
Conveyor drives may account for from 10 to 30 percent of the total cost of the
conveyor system, depending on specific job requirements.
They may be of either
fixed-speed or
adjustable-speed type.
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Fixed-speed drives are used when the initially chosen conveyor speed does not
require change during the course of normal operation. In any event, the conveyor
must be shut down while the speed change is made.
Adjustable-speed drives are designed for changing speed either manually or
automatically while the conveyor is in operation, to meet variations in processing
requirements.
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Mixing
Intermingling of two or more separate components to form more or less uniform
product.
Some other terms are
Agitation
Blending
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Agitation Mixing Blending
Agitation refers Blending is the
Mixing is the
to the induced mixing of two
random
motion of the components to form a
distribution, into
material in a homogenous mixture.
and through one
circulatory another, of two or
pattern in some Sometimes, blending
more initially
type of is the term used for
separate phases.
container. mixing of liquids.
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Types of mixture
Perfect mixture / Solution
Segregated mixture / Suspension
Random mixture / Colloidal Dispersion
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Perfect mixture / Solution
Solutions are mixtures made by mixing a solute and a solvent. The solute is the
substance that dissolves. The solvent is the substance that does the dissolving.
Solutions are homogeneous
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Suspension / Segregated mixture
Suspensions are heterogeneous mixtures of a solid and a liquid in which the solid
does not dissolve. Particles of one component have a greater probability of being
found in greater amount in one part of the mixture than the other.
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Random mixture / Colloidal Dispersion
Colloidal Dispersions are mixtures with characteristics part way between a
solution and a suspension. Colloidal dispersions may appear homogeneous but
are heterogeneous.
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Mixing of solids
Liquids – currents are Solid – no such currents so
generated mixing is done by other
Liquid – well-mixed means
product (homogeneous) Solids – identifiable phases
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Types of mixers
Mixing is by slow speed agitation of the mass with an impeller
By tumbling
By Centrifuging smearing and impact
For cohesive solids – powerful and heavier machines
For free flowing solids – light in construction
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Mixers for non cohesive solids
Mixer for dry and free flowing solids are
Light in construction
Moderate power consumption
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Mixers for cohesive solids
Appropriate contact
Mixing elements cannot generate flow currents
High viscosity
Mixing is by combination of low speed
Shear
Smearing
Wiping
Folding
Stretching
compressing
Mixer have
high power consumption
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Cooling is required
Mixers for Cohesive solids
Different types of mixers are:
1. Change-Can mixer
2. Kneaders
3. Dispersers
4. Masticators
5. Continuous kneaders
6. Mixer extruders
7. Mixing rolls
8. Muller and pan mixers
9. Pug mills
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1. Change-Can Mixers
For viscous liquids and light pastes as:
Food processing
Paint manufacturing
5 to 100 gal. in size
Change-Can mixer are:
1. Pony mixer
2. Beater mixer
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1. Pony mixers
Agitator consist of vertical blades held on rotating head positioned near the wall of
the can
Blades are slightly twisted
Agitator is mounted eccentrically
Can rest on a turn table driven in direction opposite to that of agitator
All the material in the can is brought to the blade to be mixed
When mixing is completed –blades are cleaned and can is replaced
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Change Can Mixer (Pony Mixer)
2. Beater mixers
Can or vessel is stationary
Agitator has a planetary motion
Visits all parts of vessel
Beaters are shaped to pass with close
clearance over the side & bottom of
mixing vessel
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Change Can Mixer (Beater)
Kneaders, Dispersers and Masticators
Kneading – “squashing the mass flat, folding it over on itself and squashing it once
more”
Also tear the mass apart and shear it between a moving blade & a stationary surface.
For deformable & plastic solids
Large energy requirements
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Kneaders, Dispersers and Masticators
Mixing is done by two heavy blades on horizontal shaft in a short trough with a
saddle shaped bottom
Blades turn towards each other at top, drawing mass downward over the point of the
saddle, then shearing it between the blades and wall
They turn at different speeds usually 1.5 : 1 or 2 : 1
Mixing time – 5 to 20 min or longer then trough is tilted for discharging or can be
unloaded through an opening
Cooling is provided commonly
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Banbury mixer
Heavy duty two-arm mixer
30 to 40 rpm
Solids enter from top and discharge from bottom
Applications:
Compound rubber and plastic solids
Masticate crude rubber
Devulcanize rubber scrap
Make water dispersion and rubber solution
Shorter time and small batches
Cooling is done by:
Water spraying on walls
Circulating through hollow agitator shaft
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Banbury Mixer
Banbury Mixer
Design of Blades
Sigma blade:
Used for general purpose kneading
Edges are serrated to give a shredding action
S-type Double-naben (fish-tail blade):
Effective with heavy plastic materials
develop high shear force
Z-type Disperser blade:
Heavier and develop high shearing forces
Disperse powders or liquids into rubbery masses.
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Kneader
(Sigma Blades)
Kneader
(Sigma Blades)
Double Naben Blades Z-type Disperser blade
Continuous Kneaders
Continuous operation
deals light to fairly heavy materials (heavy, stiff, or gummy materials)
consist of
Single horizontal shaft
Slow in motion
Rows of teeth on shaft arranged in spiral pattern
Stationary teeth on the wall of casing
Close clearance between dynamic and stationary teeth
Shaft turns and also reciprocates in the axial direction
Smearing action b/w teeth in axial or longitudinal direction as well as radial shear
Several tons per hour
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Mixer Extruders
The discharge of continuous kneader is restricted by covering it with an extrusion die
Pitched blades of the rotor build up considerable pressure in the material
Material is cut and folded and subjected to additional shear
Contain one or two horizontal shafts, rotating but not reciprocating , carrying blades set
in a helical pattern.
Pressure is built by reducing the pitch of helix or by reducing the diameter of chamber
or both
Continuously mix, compound, and work thermoplastics, clays, and other hard-to-mix
materials.
Heating jacket is provided.
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Mixer Extruder
Mixing Rolls
Smooth metal rolls at variable speeds
For pastes & deformable solids to intense shear
3 to 5 horizontal rolls in vertical stack
Material moves from slower to faster ones
Batch roll mills has two rolls set in horizontal plane and require long mixing time and
attention
Used for dispersing solids in rubber and plastic materials
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Mixing Rolls
Muller mixers
Different mixing action
Mulling is smearing or rubbing action similar to that in mortar and pestle
Wide, heavy wheels of the mixer did the same job
Pan is stationary & central vertical shaft is driven – causing the muller wheels to roll in
circular path on solid
Rubbing action results from slip of the wheel on solids
Plows – guide solids under wheels or to discharge opening
Axis of the wheels is stationary & pan is rotated
Good mixer for batches of heavy solids and pastes
Effective in coating the granular particles with liquid
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Muller Mixer
Pug Mills
Mixing is done by blades or knives set in helical pattern on a horizontal shaft.
Open trough or closed cylinder
Cut, mixed and moved forward
closed mixing chamber - Single shaft
Open trough – double shaft for more rapid & thorough mixing
Mostly cylindrical in shape
Heating or cooling jackets
Blend and homogenize clays, mix liquids with solids to form thick heavy slurries
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Pugmills
Mixers for free flowing solids
Lighter machines are there for dry powders and thin pastes
Ribbon blender
Tumbling mixer
Vertical screws
Impact wheel / rotating disc
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Ribbon Blenders
Horizontal trough – central shaft and a helical ribbon agitator
Two counteracting ribbon mounted on same shaft
One moving in one direction
Second in other direction
Ribbon – continuous or interrupted
Mixing – turbulence by counteracting agitators
Mode of operation – batch or continuous
Trough – open or closed
Moderate power consumption
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Ribbon Blender
Ribbon Blender
Internal screw mixers
Vertical tank containing a helical conveyor that elevates and circulates the material
For free flowing grains and light solids
Double motion helix orbits about the central axis of the conical vessel visiting all
parts of the vessel
Mixing is slower than ribbon blenders but power requirement is less
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Internal Screw Mixer
Internal Screw Mixer
Tumbling mixer
Partly filled container rotating about horizontal axis
Mostly no grinding element
Effectively mix – suspension of dry solid in liquid, heavy dry powders
Wide size range and material of construction
1. Double cone mixer
Batch – charged from above – 50 to 60 %full
Free flowing dry powders
Close end of vessel – operated 5 to 20 min
2. Twin shell blender
Two cylinder joined to form a V
rotated about horizontal axis
More effective than double cone mixer
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Double Cone Mixer
Twin Shell Blender
Impact wheels
Operating continuously by spreading them out in a thin layer under centrifugal
action
Several dry ingredients are fed continuously near the high speed spinning disk 10 to
27 in. in diameter throwing it in a stationary casing.
Intense shear cause mixing
1750 to 3500 rpm
Several passes through same or in series
1 to 25 tons/hr
Fine light powders like insecticides
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Impact Wheels
Power Requirement for mixing
Mechanical Energy is required for mixing
Large for heavy plastics masses
Relatively small for dry solids
Only part of the energy supplied is directly useful and this part is small
Mixers
Work intensively on small quantities
Work slowly on large quantities
Light machines waste less energy than heavier one
The shorter the mixing time required to bring the material to homogeneity, larger
the useful fraction of energy supplied
Major portion of energy supplied appears as heat
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Criteria of Mixing Effectiveness: Mixing Index
Performance criteria
o Time required for mixing
o Power load of mixer
o Properties of product from mixer
Effective mixing objectives
o Rapid mixing action with less time
o Minimum power required
o High degree of uniformity (homogeneous product)
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