Comparison Analysis of the Calculation Methods for Particle Diameter

Abstract

Accurately obtaining the particle diameter is a chief prerequisite to calculating the growth dynamics of metallic iron during the deep reduction of Fe-bearing minerals. In this work, spherical copper powder with a volume moment mean of 70.43 μm was used as a benchmark for measuring the authenticity of the data of the main calculation methods, including the Feret, diameter, equivalent diameter, and equivalent diameter plus correction factor methods. The results show that the measured particle count was less than the theoretical particle count. The particle diameters obtained through the Feret, diameter and equivalent diameter methods were all less than the benchmark, with deviations of 11.15 μm, 14.09 μm, and 12.71 μm, respectively. By contrast, the particle diameter obtained through the equivalent diameter plus correction factor method was slightly higher than the benchmark, with a deviation of 3.09 μm. Therefore, the equivalent diameter plus correction factor method is the most suitable for accurately obtaining the particle diameter, because most profiles do not pass through the particles’ centroid during sample preparation.