(488b) Particle Formation as the Foundation of Processes to Produce Particulate Products

Reg Davies recognized the importance of viewing the overall production of particulate products as the sum of individual operations from particle formation, through downstream processing, operations to tailor particle properties, particle conveying, and finally packaging. This talk will focus on particle formation, the process step that creates particles in their most basic form. Significant efficiency and even improvement in particulate product performance are gained when particle formation is performed well, with the process establishing desired particle properties at the very start of the overall process. Designing high-performing particle formation processes requires an understanding of the mechanisms of particle formation science and how fundamental particle properties affect performance in use. Of course, it is not always possible to form particles with all the properties desired of the final product. In this case, we recognize the benefit of meshing particle formation with downstream processing that manipulates particles to provide those desired properties. I will review how fundamental particle characteristics established at formation affect particle performance properties, and how these characteristics are changed and manipulated during the overall process. Examples are drawn from multiple industries.