Particle characteristics: Critical at every step

A prime example of the importance of particle characteristics throughout a product’s lifecycle lies in the production of nutritional and food products for both human and animal consumption. 

The generation of products that are conducive to agitation and agglomeration is a valuable tool in recovering lost resources such as in the form of dust that would otherwise be unusable, in optimizing shipping and logistics costs, and in maintaining physical integrity for further blending and storage.

These Physical and Chemical Characteristics Determine

The ability to control these basic parameters lends further control over more advanced qualities; by manipulating basic particle characteristics, chemical producers can also then control:

• Attrition

• Flowability

• Dissolution/Solubility

• Surface-area-to-volume ratio

• Melting capabilities

• Segregation

• Bed permeability (for liquid or gaseous flow)

• Potential for caking

• Accuracy of application

• Product look, feel and perception

• Potential for inhalation hazards

• Coating capabilities

• Control overactive ingredient delivery/release

• Rate of reaction

• Packing density

These Mechanical particle characteristics

The most basic parameters that can be controlled through the agitation agglomeration process include:

• Particle size distribution (PSD)

• Crush strength

• Compression strength

• Bulk density

• Chemical composition

• Uniformity (UI and SGN)

• Moisture content

• Green/Wet strength

• Particle shape

• Surface quality

• Porosity