Serial classification

Summary: The macroshape of particles in material mixes or fractions has considerable influence on a wide range of product properties. For this reason, in numerous industries there are potential applications for particle shape sorting methods in order to improve product properties. One of these potential applications is the production of high-grade chippings, with cubic particles complying with the technical specifications (e.g. TL Gestein-STB 04 in Germany). At the Institute of Mineral Processing Machines at Freiberg University of Mining and Technology a sorting method was ­developed with which it is possible to sort particles by shape.

1 Motivation for particle shape sorting

In many production processes the particle shape has a significant influence on the quality of the products produced. Many material properties, for example conveying and flow behaviour, permeability or the reactivity, depend on the particle shape [2, 4, 7, 9]. For instance, in material recycling, with the various process stages (comminution, compaction), mixes of various material groups are formed, in which the individual material groups differ significantly in their particle shape. This is the case, for example, in the shredding of various types of waste,...