CHAPTER 1

1.1

INTRODUCTION TO BULK SOLID

1.1.1

Properties of Bulk Solid

A. Density : Particle, p
Particle density =
Close Pores

total mass
Total volume
Hydrodynamic
envelope
bonding particle
volume, Vp

Open pores

(i) True particle density

When volume measured excludes both open
and closed pores.
The density quoted in many reference books.

(i) Apparent particle density

When volume measured includes closed
pores or bubbles of gas within the particle.
The density is measured by gas or liquid
displacement method like liquid or air
pyknometer.

(i)

Effective /aerodynamics particle density

The measured volume includes open and
closed pores.
The volume is within the aerodynamics
envelope as the gas flowing past the
particle.
Value of density measured = average weight
of the solid and immobilized gas density
present within the envelope volume.

A. Density: Bulk, b
Bulk density, b =
Bulk mass
Bulk volume it occupies
Bulk volume includes the spaces
between particles and the envelope
volumes of the particles.
NB: Make sure do not confuse between bulk and
particle density.
Many people in industry measure bulk solid
density in order to get an estimate of how much
volume the powder will occupy in storage or in
handling.

(i)Aerated bulk density, abd

The particles are separated from each other
by a film of air and are not in direct contact
with each other.
Bulk density after the powder has been
aerated.
Some of the methods in obtaining the aerated
density:
i. 1st method
Aerating particles/ powders: gas fluidization
ii. 2nd method
Particle/powder may be deposited in a test
cup by an aerated process.

(i) Poured bulk density, pbd

Powder is pored into a container
Height of fall is fixed
The powder in the container must not be
disturbed
Mass of powder is determined
Volume of powder is the volume inside the
cup.

(i)

Tap bulk density, tbd

Bulk density of a powder, which has been

compacted by tapping or vibration following a
specific procedure.

A. Voidage, or porosity

The volume of the voids within the bed. i.e. the

volume occupied by air divided by the total
(overall) volume of the bed.

Void volumes includes the pores within the

particles if they are porous.

Voidage,
Where

b
p

b = bulk density
p = particle density

(1.1)

1.1.2

Powder Flowability Determination

No flowability test is universally applicable.

Thus series of powder flow behaviour must be
tested experimentally according to the need of
industrial application such as powder streams
in industrial storage, transport and processing,
in terms of their range of applicability, cost and
difficulty of measurement.
Since the state of the powder varies for
different types of applications, the test chosen
has to reflect the state of powder in the actual
process.
Below are some of the tests commonly
required in determining flow behaviour in
selected process plant:

1.1.2.1 Compressibility (from bulk density)

Compression tests are mainly used for quality
control, product evaluation and to measure the
tendency for caking.
One of the way to express differences
between tap density and aerated density:
Compressib ility, C

tbd b
100%
t

Where tbd = tap density

b = bulk density

(1.2)

1.1.2.2 Angle of Repose

Definition: the angle of the free surface of a

pile of powder to the horizontal plane.

Whenever a heap of powder is being formed,

the angle of inclination of the free surface to
the horizontal can take any value up to a
maximum.

Any attempt to build up a heap with steeper

sides results in its collapse.

Depending on the condition under which the

pile has been poured and how the angle is
measured, different values of angle can be
obtained for the same powder.

When a mixture of uniformly sized granular

particles consisting of components with
different angle of repose is poured on a heap,
the particles having steeper angle of repose
tend to concentrate in the center of the heap.

1(1)

1.1.2.2 Hausner Ratio, HR

The ratio of tbd/abd is called the Hausner

ratio, HR (Grey and Beddow 1968/1979).

If the ratio:
o HR >1.4 : Group C
o 1.25 < HR < 1.4 : Transition AC
o HR < 1.25 : Group A, B or D
Other available types of test such as:
o Funnel/discharge est
o Fluidization index, deaeration, permeability
o Floodibility test
o Dispersibility
o Pick up velocity
o Pseudoviscosity and suspension-flow
behaviour index etc.