<p>Agglomeration (the sticking together of particles) is often the major growth mechanism in granulation processes. The population balance equation (PBE) is a mathematical framework that is often applied to systems to describe how the particle size distribution changes as a function of time. Different kinetic terms are included in the PBE to describe the different particle growth mechanisms. In this work, a new kinetic model framework is proposed for the growth mechanism binary agglomeration. Binary agglomeration means that only two particles are involved in an agglomeration event. The generality of the new model framework is an advantage over the previous coalescence kernel framework. It is shown that an existing coalescence kernel model can be expressed by means of the new framework.</p><p>The new model framework is then adapted to the special case of fluidized bed granulation (FBG) by proposing/choosing expressions for the three submodels in the model framework. An advantage of the new FBG model is that a maximum number of agglomeration events per unit time can be estimated. This means that the model is one step closer to being used predictively. At the moment, no population balance models can predict granulation processes where agglomeration is the dominant growth mechanism. It is shown that both the new FBG model and an existing model could fit experimental data well, however, the new model reflects the situation that the presence of surface liquid is rate limiting for the agglomeratio process.</p><p>Experiments in a laboratory batch fluidized bed granulator were carried out. Samples of the particle size distribution were taken at intervals during an experiment. These data were used to fit the model parameters of the FBG model. The dissertation includes a discussion of the effect of certain operating conditions such as bed temperature and liquid spray rate on a model parameter.</p>

Agglomeration (the sticking together of particles) is often the major growth mechanism in granulation processes. The population balance equation (PBE) is a mathematical framework that is often applied to systems to describe how the particle size distribution changes as a function of time. Different kinetic terms are included in the PBE to describe the different particle growth mechanisms. In this work, a new kinetic model framework is proposed for the growth mechanism binary agglomeration. Binary agglomeration means that only two particles are involved in an agglomeration event. The generality of the new model framework is an advantage over the previous coalescence kernel framework. It is shown that an existing coalescence kernel model can be expressed by means of the new framework. The new model framework is then adapted to the special case of fluidized bed granulation (FBG) by proposing/choosing expressions for the three submodels in the model framework. An advantage of the new FBG model is that a maximum number of agglomeration events per unit time can be estimated. This means that the model is one step closer to being used predictively. At the moment, no population balance models can predict granulation processes where agglomeration is the dominant growth mechanism. It is shown that both the new FBG model and an existing model could fit experimental data well, however, the new model reflects the situation that the presence of surface liquid is rate limiting for the agglomeratio process. Experiments in a laboratory batch fluidized bed granulator were carried out. Samples of the particle size distribution were taken at intervals during an experiment. These data were used to fit the model parameters of the FBG model. The dissertation includes a discussion of the effect of certain operating conditions such as bed temperature and liquid spray rate on a model parameter.

Luossavaara-Kiirunavaara AB (LKAB) rullar järnmalmslig till råkulor, som sedan bränns till pellets. Råkulorna bildas i rullkretsar som består av rulltrummor och rullsiktar. Under 2017 färdigställdes en pilotskaleanläggning för kulrullning i LKAB:s Agglomeringslaboratorium i Malmberget. Syftet med anläggningen är att prediktera dynamiken i en storskalig rullkrets, under olika betingelser. Detta examensarbete är ett första försök att i forskningssyfte studera gensvaret i LKAB:s pilotrullkrets. Syftet var att undersöka om pilotrullkretsen kan prediktera dynamiken och råkulekvalitet i rullning i storskaliga rullkretsar och målet var att fastställa ett effektivt körsätt. Kulrullning är inom LKAB:s kärnkompetens och därför har reagensursprung och karaktär samt dimensionering av rullkretsen lagts med sekretess. Kodnamn används både för sliger och reagens. Arbetet inleddes med att skapa ett körschema med målet att så många olika blandningar som möjligt kunde köras i pilotrullkretsen under en normal arbetsdag. Fem olika blandningar kunde köras. Fyra olika tillsatser testades: bentonit, ett flotationsreagens (FLOT), ett organiskt bindemedel (OB) och en ny utvecklingsprodukt (UTV). Första körningen i pilotrullkretsen var med varierande doseringar av bentonit eftersom dess inverkan i kulrullning är välkänt hos LKAB. Försök två och tre, med FLOT respektive OB, kunde jämföras mot tidigare erfarenhet från storskaliga försök. Det fjärde och sista försöket var ett test hur pilotrullkretsen predikterade utvecklingsprodukten UTV. Varje typ av försök utfördes två gånger. Pilotrullkretsen predikterade väl både dynamik och råkulekvalitet i alla de tre försöken där erfarenhet från storskaliga körningar var tillgängligt. Den nya, okända, UTV-produkten visade en förbättrad råkulekvalitet, utan att dynamiken i kretsen påverkades negativt. UTV kan därför vara ett intressant alternativ för ett framtida storskaligt försök hos LKAB. Det framtagna körschemat fungerade mycket väl. Ett ”grundanalyspaket” har skapats för att underlätta planering och genomförande för framtida pilotrullkretsförsök hos LKAB. Antalet personer som behövs vid rullkretskörningar beror på antalet blandningar och analyser. Vid enklare körningar behövs minst fem personer, utöver försöksledaren. Mer komplexa körningar kan kräva sju personer. / Luossavaara-Kiirunavaara AB (LKAB) produce pellets from magnetite iron ore. Pellets are formed by balling moist iron ore concentrate to green pellets, which are then burned to pellets. The green pellets are formed in balling circuits consisting of balling drums and roller decks for screening. In 2017 a pilot scale balling circuit with a drum was completed in LKAB's agglomeration laboratory in Malmberget. The purpose of the pilot balling circuit is to predict the dynamics in a full scale balling circuit under different conditions. This master degree project is an initial attempt to study the response in LKAB's pilot circuit in terms of green pellet quality and dynamics in the circuit. The goal was to determine an effective way to run experiments and to investigate whether the pilot circuit can predict the dynamics of balling in large-scale circuits. Pelletizing production is within LKAB's core competence, and therefore the origin and character of the reagents, as well as the design of the pilot balling drum circuit, are confidential. Code names are used for both iron ore concentrates and reagents. The work began by creating a test procedure with the aim of running as many different mixtures as possible in the pilot balling circuit during a normal working day. Five different mixtures could be run. Four different additives were tested: bentonite, a flotation reagent (FLOT), an organic binder (OB) and a new development product (UTV). The first experiment in the pilot balling circuit was run with varying doses of bentonite because its impact in balling is well known at LKAB. Experiment two and three, with FLOT and OB, could be compared to previous experience from large scale test runs. The fourth and last experiment was a test of how the pilot circuit predicted the behavior of a new development product UTV. Each type of experiment was performed twice. The pilot balling circle predicted well both dynamics and green pellet quality in all three experiments where experience from large-scale runs was available. The new, unknown, UTV product showed improved green pellet quality, without affecting adversely on the dynamics of the circuit. UTV can therefore be an interesting option for a future large scale run at LKAB. The developed working schedule worked very well. A "basic analysis package" has been created to facilitate planning of future experiments in the pilot balling circuit. The number of persons needed to run the circuit depends on the number of mixtures and analyzes. For smaller experiments, at least five people is required, in addition to the leader of the experiments. More advanced experiments will demand seven people.

Nanopartiklar är partiklar med storlekar i området 1 till 100 nm, och som uppvisar nanospecifika egenskaper. Egenskaperna kan variera helt mellan olika typer av nanopartiklar, även bland partiklarna och deras respektive material i bulk format på grund av deras unika storlekar, former och strukturer. I denna studie har vi analyserat storlekarna och den kolloidal stabiliteten på tre nanopartiklar, Co, Y2O3, CeO2 i färskvatten och färskvatten med naturligt organiskt material med hjälp av sonifikation, NTA, AAS och ICP analys. Nanopartiklarna lät vara utsatta i lösningarna i upp till six timmar, där analys med hand av NTA skedde efter den nollte, första och sjätte timmen. Partiklarna uppvisade olika egenskaper, och alla tre partiklar varierade i storlek under experimentet. Kobalt hade tendensen att minska i storlek i bägge lösningar, medan storlekarna på yttrium- och cerium oxid tenderade att variera. För att främja vår förståelse av nanopartiklar, behövs fler studier för att få en full förståelse för de unika egenskaperna hos dessa partiklar. / Nanoparticles are particles with sizes in the range of 1 to 100 nm, which also have nanospecific properties. Their properties vary wildly between different types of nanoparticles, even among nanoparticles and their respective particles in bulk format heeding to their highly individual shapes, sizes and structures. In this study we analyzed the sizes and colloidal stability of three different nanoparticles, Co, Y2O3 and CeO2 in freshwater and freshwater with natural organic matter solutions using sonication, NTA-, AAS-, and ICP analysis. The nanoparticles were exposed to the solutions for up to six hours, with analysis being performed at the zero, first and sixth hour. The particles indeed showed different properties, as all three particles varied in size throughout the experiment. Cobalt had the tendency to decrease in size as time progressed in both solutions, while the mean size of yttrium- and cerium oxide varied. To further our understanding of nanoparticles, more studies need to be performed to properly understand the individual properties of these nanoparticles.