Size Reduction: Presented By: Ms Priya Tiwari Asst. Professor Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Rama University Kanpur
Size Reduction: Presented By: Ms Priya Tiwari Asst. Professor Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Rama University Kanpur
Size Reduction: Presented By: Ms Priya Tiwari Asst. Professor Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Rama University Kanpur
Presented by:
Ms PRIYA TIWARI
Asst. Professor
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Rama University Kanpur
Content
Size reduction
Objectives of size reduction
Mechanism of size reduction
Laws governing of size reduction
Hammer mill
Ball mill
Edge runner mill
End runner mill
Fluid energy mill
Pharmaceutical engineering
It is concerned with the study of industrial process in which raw material are changed into
pharmaceutically useful products.
Size reduction
Size reduction is a process of reducing large solid unit masses - vegetables or chemical substances into
small unit masses, coarse particles or fine particles. Size reduction is commonly employed in
pharmaceutical industries. Size reduction process is also referred to as Comminution and Grinding.
When the particle size of solids is reduced by mechanical means it is known as Milling. The size reduction
operation can be divided into two major categories depending on whether the material is a solid or a
liquid. If the material is solid, the process is called grinding and cutting, if it is liquid, emulsification or
atomization.
Objectives of size reduction
Pharmaceutical capsules, insufflations (i.e. powders inhaled directly into the lungs),
suppositories and ointments require particles size to be below 60 mm size.
To increase the therapeutic effectiveness of certain drugs by reducing the particle size.
Size reduction produces particles in narrow size range. Mixing of powders with narrow
size range is easier and uniform .
Compression- particle crushed b/w rollers by the application of force (roller mill).
Attrition - arising from particles scraping against one another or rubbing action (fluid
energy mill).
Laws governing size reduction
Griffith theory -The amount of force to be applied depends on the crack length.
Kick's law- Work required to reduce the size of a given quantity of material is constant
for the same reduction ratio regardless of the original size.
Rittinger's law -Worked use for particulate size reduction is directly proportional to the
new surface produced.
Bond's law -Worked used to reduce particle size is proportional to the square root of
the diameter of the particle produced.
Factors affecting Size Reduction
Hardness - It is easier to break soft material than hard materials. Ex: For iodine hammer
mill is used.
Fibrous - These are tough in nature. A soft, tough material has more difficulty than a hard,
brittle substance. Ex: Raowulfia, Ginger. Here cutters can be used.
Elastic / Sticky - Become soft during milling. Ex: synthetic gums, waxes, resins. Low
melting substances should be chilled before milling. These are milled using hammer,
colloid or fluid energy mill.
Melting point - Waxy substances, fats and oils are softened during size reduction due
to heat generated. This is avoided by cooling the mill and the substance.
Hygroscopic - Certain substances absorb moisture content rapidly. This wet mass
hampers the milling process. Ex: Potassium carbonate. Closed system such as porcelain
ball mill is used.
Hammer Mill
Principle
It operates on the principle of impact between rapidly moving hammers mounted on
rotor and the stationary powder material.
Parts
Consists of a metal casing, enclosing a central shaft, to which 4 or more swinging
hammers are attached. Lower part of casing consists of a screen, through which
material can pass and collected in a suitable receiver.
Construction & Working
The rotor is rotates at a high speed inside the drum while material is fed into a feed
hopper.
The material is put into the hopper which is connected with the drum.
The material is powdered to the desired size due to fast rotation of hammers and is
collected under the screen
This are mainly operated at 1000 to 2500 rpm for the reduction of the large sized
particles. High speed rotor uses 10000 rpm speed.
Uses
Brittle material is best fractured by impact from blunt hammers.
There is little contamination of the product with metal abraded from the mill as surface
move against each other.
The particle size of the material to be reduced can be easily controlled by changing the
speed of the rotor, hammer type, shape and size of the screen.
Disadvantages
Heat build up during milling is more, therefore, product degradation is possible.
Hammer mills cannot be employed to mill sticky, fibrous and hard materials.
The screens may get clogged.
Ball Mill
Principle
It operates on the principle of impact and attrition between the rapidly moving balls and
the powder material, both enclosed in a hollow cylinder.
Parts
Consists of a hollow cylinder mounted on a metallic frame such that it can be rotated
along its longitudinal axis. Cylinder contains balls occupying 30–50 % of mill volume.
Weight of ball is constant; Size depends on the feed quantity and diameter of mill.
Working:
At low speeds, the ball roll over each other and attrition (rubbing action) will be the predominate
mode of action.
Thus, in the ball mill, impact or attrition or both are responsible for the size reduction.
Advantages:
Ball mill is used for both wet and dry grinding processes.
Principle
The size reduction is done by crushing due to heavy weight of stone.
Construction
It consist of two heavy rollers and may weigh several tons.
The roller move on a bed which is made up of granite or stone.
Each roller has a central shaft and revolve on its axis.
The rollers are mounted on horizontal shaft and move around the bed
Working:
The material to be ground is placed on the bed with the help of the scrapper in such a
way that it comes in the path of the stone wheel.
These stones revolve on its own axis and at the same time travel around the shallow
stone bed.
The powder is collected and passed through a sieve to get powder of required size.
Advantages
Disadvantages
More space than other mill, Contamination, Time consuming, Not use for sticky
materials.
Uses
Principle
Size reduction is done by crushing due to heavy weight of steel pestle. Shearing stress is also involved
during movement of mortar and pestle.
Construction
It is considered as mechanical mortar pestle.
The construction of mortar is connected to horizontal shaft bearing a pulley so the plate with mortar can
be rotated at high speed.
Construction of pestle is done in such a way that it can be raised from mortar for cleaning and emptying
Working
The material to be ground is placed in the mortar. The mortar revolves at a high speed. The
revolving mortar causes the pestle to revolve during this process, size reduction is achieved.
Advantages
End runner mill provides moderately fine powder and operates successfully with fibrous
materials, bark, woods fruits, leaves, etc. Wet grinding with very viscous material such as
ointments and paste is also possible
Disadvantages
Principle
Parts
Consists of a loop of pipe with diameter 20-200 mm. The overall height of the pipe is 2 m.
Inlet for feed and a series of nozzles for air, inert gas. Outlet with classifier which prevents the
particles to pass until they become sufficiently fine.
Construction
There is an inlet for the feed and a series of nozzles for the inlet of air or an inert gas.
It also has an outlet with a classifier which allow the air to escape but prevents the particles
to pass until they become sufficiently fine.
Working
The air or inert gas is introduced with a very high pressure through the nozzles .Solids
are introduced into air steam through inlet .due to high degree of turbulence, impact and
attritional forces occurs between the particles.The fine particles are collected through a
classifier .Fluid energy mill reduces the particles to 1 to 20 micron. To get a very fine
powder ,even upto five micron, the material is pretreated to reduce the particle size to
the order of 100 mesh and then passed through fluid energy mill.
Uses
The mill is used to grind those drugs in which high degree of purity is required.
Advantages
The particle size of powder can be controlled due to the use of a classifier.
There is no wear of the mill and hence there is no contamination of the product.
It is useful for grinding heat sensitive substances such as sulphonamides, vitamins and antibiotics.
Disadvantages