Tailoring particle shape for enhancing the homogeneity of powder mixtures: Experimental study and DEM modelling--颗粒学报PARTICUOLOGY

Asachi, M., Behjani, M. A., Nourafkan, E., & Hassanpour, A. (2021). Tailoring particle shape for enhancing the homogeneity of powder mixtures: Experimental study and DEM modelling. Particuology, 54, 58-68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.partic.2020.03.006

Tailoring particle shape for enhancing the homogeneity of powder mixtures: Experimental study and DEM modelling

Maryam Asachi ^a *, Mohammadreza Alizadeh Behjani ^a, Ehsan Nourafkan ^b, Ali Hassanpour ^a *

a School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
b School of Maths and Physics, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln, LN6 7TS, UK

10.1016/j.partic.2020.03.006

Volume 54, February 2021, Pages 58-68

Received 15 October 2019, Revised 1 March 2020, Accepted 2 March 2020, Available online 23 May 2020, Version of Record 28 January 2021.

E-mail: m.asachi@leeds.ac.uk; m.asachi87@gmail.com; a.hassanpour@leeds.ac.uk

Highlights

• Segregation of enzyme particles was evaluated experimentally and computationally.

• Structural shape modification was applied to mitigate the segregation of enzymes.

• Seeded granulation process was used to alter the surface properties of enzymes.

Abstract

The effect of particle shape modification on the segregation reduction of enzyme granules in laundry detergent powder mixtures was investigated, both experimentally and computationally using Deseret Element Method (DEM). The shape of modified enzyme particles was in such a way that the large and dense enzyme particles were layered by other fine particles in the detergent powder, by means of a process known in the literature as “seeded granulation”. It is found that the homogeneity of modified enzyme particles could be improved significantly comparing to the original spherical enzyme particles in powder mixtures. Overall, the results of this research demonstrated that the segregation-induced properties of the dense/spherical enzyme particles could be lowered by altering their shape, which could enable the enzyme particles to behave almost similar to other ingredients during the pile formation process.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Segregation minimisation; Particle shape modification; Seeded granulation; Near-infrared spectroscopy; Laundry detergent powders; Discrete Element Method

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