IN-LINE PARTICLE CHARACTERIZATION

The characterization of industrial slurries and emulsions has traditio nally relied upon off-line measurements of particle size and shape. Re cent advances in sensor technology have made it possible to implement in-line particle characterization on a number of industrial processes, including comminution, crystallization, and emulsification. This pape r presents several recent applications of two in-line instruments deve loped in our laboratory: an ultrasonic instrument used to monitor part icle size in slurries during milling operations and to determine dropl et sizes in emulsions, and a new in-line video camera for observing th e morphology of crystals produced in a commercial process.