SCREENING

CEDELYN L. INTANO
Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering

Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering and Architecture

Cebu Institute of Technology – University, N. Bacalso Ave. Cebu City, 6000 Philippines

Date Performed: February 4, 2016

Date Submitted: February 11 , 2016

ABSTRACT

Screening is a method of separating particles according to size. It is one of the oldest and most
commonly used methods of sorting materials. The goal of sieving is to control or measure the
particle size distribution. Sieving may be a direct part of a production process, a quality control
procedure, or a sample characterization. This experiment aims to perform the differential
cumulative analysis of a given sample. It also aims to determine the particle population, and the
average particle size of a sample through screen analysis
I. Introduction

Sieves are constructed through the use of a wire mesh or cloth. This results in
square aperture. The diameter of the wire controls the size of the aperture and the
percent of the total area that is open.

Sieves are available in standard sizes. The sieve openings are given in a mesh
number or nominal diameter of the opening.

Particles placed on a sieve may not sort or pass through the openings unless
some form of agitation is used. Typically, a large mass of soil placed on a sieve will
allow particles to bridge, thus restricting their passage through the openings.
Agitation breaks the bridges, shuffles the particles and provides an opportunity for
particles to present themselves to an opening.

The particle influences the time and efficiency of sieving. The sample’s
mass, particle size distribution, density, shape, friability, and the tendency to
aggregate and other electrostatic properties are the factors that affect the efficiency
of sieving.

II. Materials and Methods

Materials
Standard Tyler testing sieves (with cover and pan)
Sieve shaker
Beakers
Analytic Balance
Mass of Ca2CO3
Methods
A 200 g sample of Ca2CO3 is weighed. The sieves are made sure to be clean and arranged
in decreasing order of sieve number. The weighed Ca2CO3 is places into the top sieve and
covered. The sieve stack is placed in the mechanical sieve and is shaken at a preferred time
interval. The sieve stack is carefully removed from the shaker and the retained sample is
weighed and recorded. The procedure is repeated from the start at another time interval.

III. Results
TEST NUMBER
ITEM 2 minutes 4 minutes 6 minutes
Trial 1 Trial2 Trial 1 Trial2 Trial 1 Trial2
Feed
Material Ca2CO3 Ca2CO3 Ca2CO3 Ca2CO3 Ca2CO3 Ca2CO3
Quantity (g)
Through Retained 192.69 197.11 200.16 195.42 201.42 197.38

- 20 mesh 8.56 2.41 3.03 4.63 0.13 0.5

-20 mesh 40 mesh 0.51 18.31 21.36 17.42 10.11 12.59

-40 mesh 60 mesh 39.04 33.18 49.63 29.75 20.12 23.92

-60 mesh 80 mesh 69.18 66.59 59.57 54.17 43.33 34.54

-80 mesh 100 mesh 45.52 48.15 47.57 61.21 49.19 65.02

-100 mesh 200 mesh 26.58 24.4 17 24.98 58.31 50.51

-200 mesh Pan 3.3 4.07 2 3.26 20.23 10.3

Total (g) 192.69 197.11 200.16 195.42 201.42 197.38

 2 minutes
0.4000

Mass Fraction Retained

0.3500
0.3000
0.2500
0.2000
0.1500 Trial 1
0.1000 Trial 2
0.0500
0.0000
0.84 0.63 0.34 0.21 0.16 0.11 0.04
Particle Size

4 minutes
0.3500
Mass Fraction Retained

0.3000
0.2500
0.2000
0.1500 Trial 1
0.1000 Trial 2
0.0500
0.0000
0.84 0.63 0.34 0.21 0.16 0.11 0.04
Particle Size

6 minutes
0.3500
Mass Fraction Retained

0.3000
0.2500
0.2000
0.1500 Trial 1
0.1000 Trial 2
0.0500
0.0000
0.84 0.63 0.34 0.21 0.16 0.11 0.04
Particle Size
IV. Discussion

According to the data collected from the experiment, the mass fraction of the
retained solids in each sieve is plotted against the particle size. These particle sizes
were estimated using the equivalent aperture diameter from the Tyler mesh number.
As seen from the graph and calculations, the estimated average mass mean diameter
at 2 minutes is 0.2449 mm, at 4 minutes is 0.2638 and at 6 minutes, 0.1959mm. The
calculated average particle size is 0.2349 mm.

V. Conclusions

Screening is a method of separating particles according to size. It is one of the

oldest and most commonly used methods of sorting materials. Sieving is important
and widely used tool for both sorting and particle size determination. This is cheaper
than any other methods and can give a reproducible result. There are a lot of factors
that affect the results of sieving are particles’ properties such as density, mass, size
and shape. While the time of sieving affects the efficiency of the data obtained.

It was determined in the experiment that the average particle size of the Ca2CO3 is
around 0.2349 mm. Then most of the sample was found between mesh number 60
and 80.

VI. References

o Foust, et al., Principles of Unit Operations. John Wiley & Sons; Revised edition
(December 1960)

o Geankoplis, Transport Processes and Unit Operations. John Wiley & Sons