Obtaining Particle Size Distribution from Chord Length Measurements (original) (raw)
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Chemical Engineering Science, 2015
Information about size and shape of particles produced in various manufacturing processes is very important for process and product development because design of downstream processes as well as final product properties strongly depend on these geometrical particle attributes. However, recovery of particle size and shape information in situ during crystallisation processes has been a major challenge. The focused beam reflectance measurement (FBRM) provides the chord length distribution (CLD) of a population of particles in a suspension flowing close to the sensor window. Recovery of size and shape information from the CLD requires a model relating particle size and shape to its CLD as well as solving the corresponding inverse problem. This paper presents a comprehensive algorithm which produces estimates of particle size distribution and particle aspect ratio from measured CLD
Chord length distribution to particle size distribution
AIChE Journal, 2016
A simple model is presented to extract the Particle Size Distribution (PSD) from the Chord Length Distribution (CLD) measured using a Focused Beam Reflectance Measurement (FBRM) probe. The model can be implemented using simple spread sheeting tools and does not require the description of additional parameters as opposed to previous models. The model was validated for two systems consisting of spherical ceramic beads by comparing model predicted PSD against the PSD obtained through image analysis (IA). Then, the model was evaluated by considering various systems consisting of irregularly shaped particles (sand/zinc dust/plasma alumina). Model predictions accurately predicted the mean but over-predicted the variance of the PSD in comparison with the PSD obtained from IA. However, overall, a reasonable agreement was observed. Finally, the model was shown to be accurate in predicting PSD in comparison with the measured PSD for systems of practical relevance such as for paracetamol and p-aminophenol crystals.
Comparison of Particle Size Distributions Measured Using Different Techniques
Particulate Science and Technology, 2005
In this article, particle size distributions (PSDs) measured by different techniques, including image analysis (IA), laser diffraction (LD), ultrasonic attenuation spectroscopy (UAS), and focused-beam reflectance measurement (FBRM), are compared for spherical glass beads and nonspherical silica flakes. It is shown that particle shape strongly affects the results obtained by different techniques. For spheres, the PSDs obtained by IA, LD, and UAS agree well. There is no consistent result among different particle measurement techniques for nonspherical particles. The conversion between PSDs obtained by IA, LD, and UAS has been based on particle shape factors. Caution must be exercised when a measured chord length distribution (CLD) is used to indicate the PSD during a process because the CLD result obtained by FBRM is complex, depending not only on the PSD, but also on particle optical properties and shape. Keywords Particle size distribution (PSD), image analysis (IA), laser diffraction (LD), ultrasonic attenuation spectroscopy (UAS), focused-beam reflectance measurement (FBRM), chord length distribution (CLD)
Estimating Average Particle Size by Focused Beam Reflectance Measurement (FBRM)
Particle & Particle Systems Characterization, 2002
The Lasentec focused beam reflectance measurement (FBRM) probe provides in situ particle characterisation over a wide range of suspension concentrations. This is a significant advantage over conventional instruments that require sampling and dilution. However, FBRM gives a chord distribution, rather than a conventional diameter distribution. Both theoretical and empirical methods for converting from chord to diameter data are available, but the empirical method was found to be more successful.
Chemical Engineering Science, 2008
The accuracy of the focused beam reflectance measurement (FBRM) probe, which measures a chord length distribution, from Mettler-Toledo Lasentec ᭨ has been explored. A particle video microscope (PVM) probe, which provides in situ digital images, was used as a direct visual method to test the reliability of the FBRM results. These probes can provide in situ particle characterization at high pressures. The FBRM has been used to study emulsions and ice and clathrate hydrate formation. The ability of the FBRM to accurately characterize unimodal and bimodal distributions of particles and droplets and to measure agglomeration events was investigated. It was found that while the FBRM can successfully identify system changes, certain inaccuracies exist in the chord length distributions. Particularly, the FBRM was found to oversize unimodal distributions of glass beads, but undersize droplets in an emulsion and was unable to measure full agglomerate sizes. The onset of ice and hydrate nucleation and growth were successfully detected by the FBRM, but quantitative analysis of the particle and agglomerate sizes required simultaneous PVM measurements to be performed.
Chemical Engineering Science, 2016
Efficient processing of particulate products across various manufacturing steps requires that particles possess desired attributes such as size and shape. Controlling the particle production process to obtain required attributes will be greatly facilitated using robust algorithms providing the size and shape information of the particles from in situ measurements. However, obtaining particle size and shape information in situ during manufacturing has been a big challenge. This is because the problem of estimating particle size and shape (aspect ratio) from signals provided by in-line measuring tools is often ill posed, and therefore it calls for appropriate constraints to be imposed on the problem. One way to constrain uncertainty in estimation of particle size and shape from in-line measurements is to combine data from different measurements such as chord length distribution (CLD) and imaging. This paper presents two different methods for combining imaging and CLD data obtained with in-line tools in order to get reliable estimates of particle size distribution and aspect ratio, where the imaging data is used to constrain the search space for an aspect ratio from the CLD data.
arXiv (Cornell University), 2018
The in situ measurement of the particle size distribution (PSD) of a suspension of particles presents huge challenges. Various effects from the process could introduce noise to the data from which the PSD is estimated. This in turn could lead to the occurrence of artificial peaks in the estimated PSD. Limitations in the models used in the PSD estimation could also lead to the occurrence of these artificial peaks. This could pose a significant challenge to in situ monitoring of particulate processes, as there will be no independent estimate of the PSD to allow a discrimination of the artificial peaks to be carried out.
Powder Technology, 2013
This paper highlights the fact that particle size distribution (PSD) is not unique for the same product, and is dependent on the chosen measurement technique, especially for asymmetric shapes. Laser diffraction and 2D image analysis are commonly used PSD measurement techniques. However, the results may not be representative of the true physical dimensions of the particles. The influence of particle shape on PSD results obtained from 2D/3D image analysis and laser diffraction was investigated. Two metallic powders presenting extreme shape properties (round and elongated particles) were analyzed, as well as a blend of the two pure products. 2D image analysis and laser diffraction results were compared to 3D image analysis (measuring the true particle size). This paper compares the PSD results obtained from the three methods. Some commonly used size parameters in image analysis software did not give meaningful results in regard of the true physical dimensions of the particles. The existence of the two populations (products with extremely different shape and size characteristics) could not be identified with such size parameters, and laser diffraction also performed poorly. The PSD obtained from more precise size parameters (image analysis) better corresponded to the true dimensions of the particles. This study highlights the strengths and weaknesses of particle size analysis techniques when studying products presenting diverse particle shapes, and points out that caution is required in the choice of the size parameters, and in the interpretation of PSD results.
Determination of Particle Size Distribution by Par-Tec® 100: Modeling and Experimental Results
Particle & Particle Systems Characterization, 1998
Some particle size analyzers, such as the Par-Tec® 100 (Laser Sensor Technology, Redmond, WA, USA), measure the so-called cord length distribution (CLD) as the laser beam emitted from the sensor randomly crosses two edges of a particle (a cord length). The objectives of this study were to develop a model that can predict the response of the Par-Tec® 100 in measuring the CLD of a suspension for spherical and ellipsoidal particles and to infer the actual particle size distribution (PSD) using the measured CLD output. The model showed that the measured CLD is reasonably accurate for the spherical particles. However, this measurement progressively deteriorates as the shape of particles changes from spherical to ellipsoidal with large ratios of major to minor diameters. Experimental results obtained with spherical particles having a normal and a non-normal PSD indicated that the Par-Tec® 100 measurements deteriorate as the PSD deviates from a normal distribution. The information obtained from these experiments also showed that the model can reasonably predict the Par-Tec® response. Use of the inferred PSD rather than the measured CLD made a major improvement in estimating the actual PSD. Mean particle size analysis revealed that the Par-Tec® 100 volume-weighted mean particle size is closest to the unweighted mean particle size measured by sieve analysis.
AAPS PharmSciTech, 2006
The purpose of this paper is to describe results from the use of a set of Excel macros written to facilitate the comparison of image analysis (IA) and laser diffraction (LD) particle size analysis (psa) data. Measurements were made on particle systems of differing morphological characteristics including differing average aspect ratios, particle size distribution widths and modalities. The IA and LD psa data were plotted on the same graph treating both the weighting and the size unit of the LD psa data as unknowns. Congruency of the IA and LD plots was considered to indicate successful experimental determination of the weighting and size unit. The weighting of the resulting LD psa data (so-called volume-weighted) is shown to be better correlated with IA area-weighted data. The size unit of LD psa data is shown to be a function of particle shape. In the case of high aspect ratio particles characterized by approximately rectangular faces the LD psa data is shown to be a function of multiple particle dimensions being related to IA size descriptors through a simple variation of the law of mixtures. The results demonstrate that successful correlations between IA and LD psa data can be realized in the case of non-spherical particle systems even in the case of high aspect ratio particles; however, the inappropriateness of the application of the Equivalent Spherical Volume Diameter and the Random Particle Orientation assumptions to the interpretation of the LD psa results must first be acknowledged. Correlation permits cross validation of IA and LD psa results increasing confidence in the accuracy of the data from each orthogonal technique.