1

1. Seminar: Particle size distribution

Exercise sheet:

particle size

mass

mass fraction cumulative interval

fraction

fraction

width

frequency

mean

distribution

interval
diameter

di-1 - di

mi

3,i

Q3,i

di

q3,i

dm,i

d m,i 3,i

3,i

100

d m,i 100

1 3 , i

d m3 ,i 100

d
i =1

3, i
3
m ,i

Q0(d)

q0(d)

100

[mm]

[g]

[%]

[%]

[mm]

[%mm-1]

[mm]

[mm]

[mm-1]

[mm-3]

[mm-3]

[-]

[mm-1]

0-0,04

2,27

1,20

1,20

0,04

29,98

0,020

0,00024

0,6

1500

1500

0,797

20

0,04-0,063

5,31

2,80

4,00

0,023

121,91

0,0515

0,00144

0,544

205,0

1705,0

0,906

4,74

0,063-0,1

10,79

5,70

9,70

0,037

154,03

0,0815

0,00465

0,699

105,3

1810,3

0,962

1,51

0,1-0,25

64,02

33,80

43,50

0,15

225,34

0,175

0,0592

1,932

63,1

1873,4

0,996

0,22

0,25-0,4

40,34

21,30

64,80

0,15

141,99

0,325

0,0692

0,655

6,20

1879,7

0,999

0,02

0,4-0,63

36,56

19,30

84,10

0,23

83,93

0,515

0,0995

0,375

1,41

1881,0

1,000

0,63-1,0

13,44

7,10

91,20

0,37

19,18

0,815

0,0579

0,087

0,13

1881,1

1,000

1,0-2,5

15,34

8,10

99,30

1,5

5,40

1,750

0,142

0,046

0,02

1881,1

1,000

2,5-6,0

1,33

0,70

100,00

3,5

0,20

4,250

0,0298

0,002

1881,1

1,000

189,40

100,00

4,94

1881,1

1881,1

Dr. Werner Hintz

1. Seminar: Particle size distribution

1) Calculation of the cumulative particle size distribution Q3(d)

do

Q3 (d ) = q3 (d )d (d )
du

to sum up numerically in discrete intervals

n

Q3 ( d ) =
i =1

3,i

d i
d i {
{
d (d )
q3 ( d )

3,i =

if

mi

- mass fraction,

mges

d i = d i d i 1

- interval width,

Q3 ( d ) = 3,i

summation from i=1...n...N

i =1

N overall number of the intervals

results : see exercise sheet

Distribution functions are :

monotone not decreasing, i.e. for d1 d2 is Q(d1) Q(d2),

steady,
scaling :
for d du :

Q3(d) = 0

lower particle size limit

for d do :

Q3(d) = 1

upper particle size limit

Calculation of the particle size frequency distribution q3(d)

q3 ( d ) =

dQ3 ( d )
d(d )

numerically in discrete interval

q 3 (d i 1 ... d i ) =

Q3 (d i ) Q3 (d i 1 )
d i d i 1

3,i
d i

2) normal and log normal diagram of Q3(d) and q3(d) : see pictures

Dr. Werner Hintz

1. Seminar: Particle size distribution

3) Calculation of the median particle size d50

read from the graphical diagram of Q3(d) :

d50 = 0,296 mm

Calculation of the modal particle size dh

read from the graphical diagram of q3(d) :

dh = 0,175 mm

4) Calculation of the mean particle size dm,3

do

d m,r = M r = dq r (d )d (d )
( 1)

du

for a distribution related to the quantity mass r = 3

do

d m,3 = M 3 = dq 3 ( d ) d ( d )
(1)

du

in numerically form
N

d m,3 = d m,i 3,i

i =1

if the mean interval diameter is d m,i =

d i 1 + d i
2

see exercise sheet : dm,3 = 0,463 mm

5) from the graphics of Q3(d) in a logarithmical probability diagram

ln,3 = ln d 50,3 = ln 0,296 = 1,217

ln,3 =

1 d 84( 3) 1 0,629
ln
= ln
= 0,796
2 d 16( 3) 2 0,128

graphical picture of Q3(d) in a RRSB diagram

- linear correlation, curve is snapping off in the upper particle size range, not considered

d = d 63 = 0,387 mm
n = 1,84

by parallel displacement

n = tan = tan 53,5 = 1,35

Dr. Werner Hintz

determination of the slope angle --- deviation ???

1. Seminar: Particle size distribution

AS ,V , K d
using scale
for calculating surface area
1000
i.e. specific surface area related to volume
AS ,V , K
AS ,V , K

(A
=

S ,V , K

d 1000 1000
d

0,0107 10 3
0,0107 10 3
=
=
0,387mm
0,387 10 3 m

m2
cm 2
= 27649 3 = 276,49 3
m
cm

for Quarzit is s = 2650

AS ,m, K =

AS ,V , K

kg
m3

= 10,4

m2
kg

Calculation of the Sauter - diameter dST and the specific surface area related the mass AS,m
volume equivalent spheres
d ST =

6 V
AS , K

monodisperse particle collective

with equal specific surface area

like real polydisperse particles
d ST =

1
N

3,i

d
i =1

1
= 0,202mm
4,94mm 1

m ,i

see exercise sheet

characteristic particle sizes :

median particle size

d50,3 = 0,296 mm

modal particle size

dh,3 = 0,175 mm

mean particle size

dm,3 = 0,464 mm

Sauter - diameter

dST = 0,202 mm

values of particle sizes are different !

Dr. Werner Hintz

dST

1. Seminar: Particle size distribution

specific surface area

1
6
=
d ST A d ST

AS ,V = f

3,i

i =1

d m,i

AS ,V = 6

with A 1 for spheres

= 6 4,94mm 1 = 29640

m2
m3

respectively:
AS ,m =

AS ,V

m2
29640m 2 m 3
s = m 3 2650kg = 11,2 kg

in a good accordance with AS ,m = 10,9

m2
, see RRSB - diagram
kg

7) Calculation of Q0(d) and q0(d)

Q (d ) =

du
do

du

d 3 q3 (d )d (d )
d 3

=
q (d )d (d )
3

i =1
N
i =1

d m3,i 3 ,i
d m3,i 3 ,i

i = 1...n...N

n running number of intervals

N overall number of intervals

q0 ( d ) =

dQ0 ( d ) Q0 (d i ) Q0 (d i 1 )
=
d i
d (d )

see working sheet

logarithmical probability diagram

ln,0 = ln d 50,0 = ln 0,022mm = 3,82

ln,0 =

1 d 84 ,0 1 50m
= ln
= 0,942
ln
2 d 16,0 2 7,6m

not exact ln,0 = ln,3 = 0,882 caused by numerical deviations

number distributions are shifted to the left, i.e. a lot of fine particles,

Dr. Werner Hintz