Experimental Investigation on the Multistage Particle Classification in a Zigzag Air Classifier
—In most industrial solid processing operations, the separation of particles is important and designed based on the terminal settling velocity as the chief operating parameter. This settling velocity is dependent on characteristic particle properties like size, density, and shape. In this work, multi-stage separation experiments of sand and gravel have been performed using different channel velocities and mass loadings of the air. The performance has been analyzed and discussed with respect to the separation functions, and characteristic parameters as separation sharpness and product quality. Furthermore, the SMART analysis is used to evaluate different parameter configurations.
AIRFLOW FIELDS SIMULATION ON PASSIVE PULSING AIR CLASSIFIERS
Synopsis Early research showed that the separation of particles based upon their density was not possible in steadily rising air streams. The terminal velocities of moving spheres are determined by their aerodynamic characteristics. This prevents particle separation by density in standard air classifiers. Passive pulsing air classifiers have accelerated airflow in certain regions, which achieves density- dominant separation. Numerical simulation of airflow within passive pulsing air classifiers was done to estimate airflow patterns near a damper. Analysis of those results shows the significant acceleration of the airflow above the damper. Laboratory trial
Submicron polymer structures with X-ray lithography and hot embossing
This article describes the process chain for replication of submicron structures with varying aspect ratios (AR) up to 6 in polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) by hot embossing to show the capability of the entire LIGA process to fabricate structures with these dimensions. Therefore a 4.7 μm thick layer of MicroChem 950k PMMA A11 resist was spin-coated on a 2.3 μm Ti/TiOx membrane. It was patterned with X-ray lithography at the electron storage ring ANKA (2.5 GeV and λc ≈ 0.4 nm) at a dose of 4 kJ/cm3 using a Si3N4 membrane mask with 2 μm thick gold-absorbers. The samples were developed in GG/BDG and resulted in AR of 6–14. Subsequent nickel plating at 52°C resulted in a 200 μm thick nickel tool of 100 mm diameter, which was used to replicate slit-nozzles and columns in PMMA. Closely packed submicron cavities with AR 6 in the nickel shim were filled to 60% during hot embossing.