Error in the determination of the particle-size distribution of a powder with a laser analyzer

Conclusions Simple expressions have been obtained from known parameters of a flow-type chamber for estimating errors in laser analyzer measurements of the main numerical particle size distribution characteristics of powders obeying the logarithmic normal law. It is shown that, in spite of marked errors (Fig. 1) in size measurements on single particles whose trajectories are deflected from the laser beam center, it is possible to attain high accuracy in the measurement of numerical particle distribution characteristics by suitable choice of aero or hydrodynamic particle stream focusing 5] (Table 1: maximum error in the determination of the amount of the main fraction in a powder of particle size 3/2 _f = 1.9% at 2_j = 15 and _f = 4.3% at 2_j = 72 m). Without good particle stream focusing, measurements may be very inaccurate (Table 1: _f = 24% at 2_j = 120 m and _f = 55.5% at 2_j = 170 m). The accuracy of laser analyzer measurements grows with increasing curvature (coefficient n) of analyzer calibration characteristics and vice versa. The q/qt relationships obtained may find application in the assessment of errors in particle size analyses of powders with particle distributions differing from the logarithmic normal law.Translated from Poroshkovaya Metallurgiya, No. 12(288), pp. 15–20, December, 1986.