Simple Qualitative Modelling of Particle Size Analysis using Ray Tracing Method

Abstract

Understanding particle size analysis is essential for pharmaceutical, mining, environmental, coatings, and other industries. Although there are numerous technologies that can be utilized to take particle size measurements, the results of those measurements are presented automatically and are sometimes difficult to understand. In this study, using the ray-tracing method, simple qualitative modelling of particle size analysers can be developed. The laser is positioned as the initial position of the light source in x and y directions. The cell is pictured by cuvettes with four surfaces clear, and the particle is modelled as a sphere. Reflection of a single ray of the laser beam on many spheres can be performed using single ray reflection on a single sphere consecutively until the beam leaving the observation region or arriving at a light sensor. Then with vector formulation of ray direction after reflection on many spheres system we can define with n = 1,2,3,… where . As a test of the particle size analysis model, the results are compared with measurements of the monodisperse polystyrene latex. Interesting patterns in FFT and autocorrelation function results are found. Unfortunately, this finding is still considered inconclusive, due to the pattern obtained is not completely like the experimental results.