Recovery Of Particles Research Articles

Calibration and Testing of Parameters for the Discrete Element Simulation of Soil Particles in Paddy Fields

The parameters of the discrete element simulation model for rice field soils serve as valuable data references for investigating the dynamic characteristics of the walking wheel of high-speed precision seeding machinery in paddy fields. The research specifically targets clay loam soil from a paddy field in South China. Calibration of essential soil parameters was achieved using EDEM_2022 software (and subsequent versions) discrete element simulation software, employing the Edinburgh Elasto-Plastic Adhesion (EEPA) nonlinear elastic-plastic contact model. The tillage layer and plough sub-base layer underwent calibration through slump and uniaxial compression tests, respectively. Influential contact parameters affecting slump and axial pressure were identified through a Plackett–Burman test. The optimal contact parameter combinations for the discrete element model of the tillage layer and plough sub-base layer were determined via a quadratic rotational orthogonal test. The accuracy of the discrete element simulation model’s parameters for paddy field soils was further validated through a comparative analysis of the simulation test’s cone penetration and the field soil trench test. Results indicate that the Coefficient of Restitution, surface energy, Contact Plasticity Ratio, and Tensile Exp significantly influence slump (p < 0.05). Additionally, the Coefficient of Restitution, Contact Plasticity Ratio, coefficient of rolling friction, and Tangential Stiff Multiplier significantly impact axial pressure (p < 0.05). Optimal contact parameters for the plough layer were achieved with a particle recovery coefficient of 0.49, a surface energy of 18.52 J/m2, a plastic deformation ratio of 0.45, and a tensile strength of 3.74. For the plough subsoil layer, optimal contact parameters were a particle recovery coefficient of 0.47, a coefficient of interparticle kinetic friction of 0.32, a plastic deformation ratio of 0.49, and a tangential stiffness factor of 0.31. Results from the cone penetration test reveal no significant disparity in compactness between the actual experiment and the simulation test. The calibrated discrete element model’s contact parameters have been verified as accurate and reliable. The findings of this study offer valuable data references for understanding the dynamic characteristics of the walking wheel of the entire machinery in high-speed precision seeding in paddy fields.

Recyclable epoxy resins with different silyl ether structures: structure–property relationships and applications in diverse functional composites

In this work, three liquid silyl ether-containing cycloaliphatic epoxides (CESI1, CESI2 and CESI3) with different numbers of pendent phenyl groups were synthesized and cured by methylhexahydrophthalic anhydride. The high glass transition temperatures of the cured epoxy resins range from 150 to 184 °C, which increase with the increasing number of pendent phenyl groups. However, the tensile strengths of the cured epoxy resins decrease as the number of pendent phenyl groups increase. Incorporating dynamic silyl ether bonds enables the cured epoxy resins to be reprocessable and degradable. It is demonstrated that the pendent phenyl groups have a significant impact on the dynamic behaviors and degradation rates of cured epoxy resins. The reprocessing efficiencies and degradation rates of the three epoxy resins monotonously decrease with increasing the number of pendent phenyl groups. Finally, the CESI1 resin with the lowest viscosity was used as the polymer matrix for carbon fiber reinforced composites, electromagnetic wave absorbing coatings and silver-filled conductive adhesives. Notably, non-destructive recovery of carbon fibers, ferromagnetic particles and silver flakes can be achieved through the degradation of the epoxy matrix.

The collision behaviors of non-spherical regular particle-wall in three-dimensional space: Experimental investigation

The edges and corners of non-spherical particles cause random bounces in three-dimensional space after the particle-wall collision. To study the collision behaviors, four kinds of non-spherical regular particles are prepared, and the collision test system with a dual-camera is built. The collision process is characterized by introducing the lateral velocity and lateral angle. The rebound angle, lateral angle, and recovery coefficients under different particle diameters and impact angles are obtained. The results show that the rebound angle, lateral angle, and recovery coefficients of non-spherical regular particles are highly dispersed. The mean rebound angles of non-spherical regular particles are significantly smaller than that of spherical particles. The particle diameter, impact angle, and recovery coefficients are in negative correlation. The normal recovery coefficients of non-spherical particles are greatly reduced, and the tangential recovery coefficients change slightly. The recovery coefficients can be applied to multi-phase flow simulations to improve the simulation accuracy.

Study on inhibition mechanisms of detachment of coal particles from oily bubbles in flotation column

The cyclonic microbubble flotation column is an efficient separation equipment in the beneficiation process of metallic and non-metallic minerals. However, the higher detachment rate of coarse particles in the pulp, pulp-froth interfacial zone, and froth zone is an issue that needs to be addressed urgently in column flotation. Compared with traditional air-water bubbles, oily bubbles have higher hydrophobicity, which is beneficial for strengthening the bubble-particle attachment and inhibiting the bubble-particle detachment. Therefore, oily bubbles were introduced into the cyclonic microbubble flotation column to reduce the particle detachment rate. Firstly, an improved cyclonic microbubble flotation column was set up, and traditional air-water bubbles were placed by oily bubbles through the combined use of an atomizer and a bubble generator during experiments. Subsequently, we investigated the feasibility of using oily bubbles as a flotation carrier to regulate the particle detachment rate, improve the particle recovery, and explore the mechanism behind this. Column flotation results showed that recovery rates generated from experiments with oily bubbles are higher than those with air-water bubbles under different operation conditions, and the particle detachment rate in the interfacial region was significantly reduced with the use of oily bubbles. Recoveries and flotation rate constants generated from collection zones for each particle size range indicated that the use of oily bubbles can increase the upper limit of flotation particle size compared with the use of air-water bubbles. Calculated detachment rates showed that the use of oily bubbles can effectively reduce the detachment probability of particles with different sizes in the collection zone. Combined with the observation of ultrasonic-assisted oscillation, it is proved that the oil coating film on the oily bubble significantly improves the resistance of oily bubbles to turbulent disturbance. In addition, the increase in hydrophobic force between oily bubbles and particles and the growth of the three-phase contact periphery are beneficial to reducing the particle detachment probability due to turbulent disturbance in the collection zone. Results from bubble coalescence experiments showed that the existence of oily bubbles significantly reduced bubble coalescence time and increased the damping coefficient. Compared with air-water bubbles, oily bubbles have a stronger damping effect on the oscillation caused by bubble coalescence, inhibiting the violent bubble surface deformation and the induced particle detachment during bubble coalescence. Therefore, the introduction of oily bubbles is a promising idea to reduce the detachment probability of coarse particles and increase the upper limit of particle size in column flotation.

Air-through-precursor suction-augmented replica molding for fabrication of anisotropic microparticles in gas-impermeable molds.

Replica molding (REM) is a powerful technique for fabricating anisotropic microparticles. Current REM methods rely on the use of gas-permeable molds for defect-free castings and facile particle recovery. However, they often encounter limitations on either technical accessibility or producible particle diversity. While the use of gas-impermeable molds presents a promising solution to these challenges, particle production within such molds necessitates addressing two critical issues: precursor loading and particle recovery. This study introduces a REM methodology specifically tailored to enable the production of anisotropic microparticles within gas-impermeable molds. To address the issue of precursor loading, our approach incorporates the air-through-precursor suction method, employing a degassed polydimethylsiloxane block to effectively eliminate air bubbles trapped in microwells. Additionally, fluorosilane pretreatment of the mold surface, along with the polyvinyl alcohol film formation, significantly enhances particle recovery up to 249-fold while ensuring particle homogeneity. This methodology demonstrates high adaptability to various gas-impermeable molds and curing techniques. The practical feasibility is illustrated through the successful production of functional composite microparticles that can be effectively utilized for oxygen sensing and self-assembly, challenging in conventional REM.

Extended-height magnetic matrices to increase ultra - fine mineral particle recovery

Extended-height magnetic matrices to increase ultra - fine mineral particle recovery

Maximizing the recovery and throughput of a rougher flotation bank by improving the recovery of composite particles

With decreasing ore grades, the cost of mineral processing has been escalating due to the high costs associated with grinding larger volumes of ores for liberation. To minimize the embodied cost, mined ores are usually coarse ground for rougher flotation, in which much of the waste (or ‘dead’) rocks are removed before regrinding the rougher concentrate to obtain the final product. Thus, the feed to a rougher flotation bank frequently consists of coarse particles that are poorly liberated and, hence, are not hydrophobic enough to be collected by air bubbles in the pulp phase and survive the froth phase without being detached.In the present work, we explored the possibility of improving the flotation of composite particles using Super Collectors that can increase the water contact angles (θ) of the copper-bearing mineral grains well above 90°. The efficacy of this approach has been tested in laboratory flotation tests, followed by a series of simulations using a flotation model. The model has been derived from first principles using the surface forces in wetting films as kinetic parameters. The major input to the simulator was the liberation matrix (mij) of a flotation feed and the various operating parameters. The simulations were carried out to obtain the grade vs. recovery curves for a low-grade (0.24 %Cu) porphyry copper ore feed with d80 = 288 µm. The simulations were carried out using a Super Collector that can increase θ of the chalcopyrite grains to 150°. The grade vs. recovery curves obtained from the simulation showed that the Super Collector can substantially increase the recovery of composite particles over the case of using potassium amyl xanthate (PAX) as a collector at approximately 40 % shorter retention times. The simulation results also showed that Super Collectors help minimize bubble coarsening and hence contribute to improving the coarse particle recovery.

Effect of the protrusion of the mining chamber on particle recovery performance in solid-state fluidization mining for natural gas hydrate

Solid-state fluidized mining is a promising method for the development of natural gas hydrate (NGH), in which hydrate recovery is a key technology. Following the water jet, circular protrusions appeared on the inner wall of the mining chamber, having a substantial effect on the recovery of hydrate particle. In order to improve the particle recovery rate, this paper uses experimental and modeling methods to investigate the effects of protrusion height (h) and protrusion spacing (s) on particle recovery performance. The results show that the resistance of protrusion and gravity results in the formation of three types of recovery flow fields, each of which contains circulating flow, supplementary flow, and recycling flow. The third type of flow field is beneficial for particle recovery. When s is 90 mm or more, the recovery flow field changes from the first type of flow field to the third type of flow field as h increases. The particle recovery rate gradually increases as h increases when s is 90 and 120 mm, and the maximum recovery rates can reach 44.6 % and 46.2 %, respectively. When h is 40 mm or more, the recovery flow field gradually transforms into the third type of flow field as s increases. The particle recovery rate gradually rises and then declines with increasing s, with the turning points occurring at s = 110 mm. The results further enrich the mechanism of hydrate recovery and help optimize the design of recovery tools.

Fine and ultrafine flotation with the Concorde CellTM – A journey

The Concorde Cell is a high-intensity pneumatic flotation cell dedicated to fines and ultrafines. Its development by Professor Graeme Jameson and later on by Metso was driven by two considerations: a reduction in bubble size and an increase in the shear rate and energy dissipation rate increases the particle–bubble collision and attachment efficiencies of fine particles. The Concorde Cell is a technology which produces fine air bubbles with high carrying capacity, thereby allowing increased capacity per unit; smaller footprint and a greater recovery of valuable fine particles which can be lost in other flotation cells. In addition, with a smaller number of flotation stages or less recycle required to achieve the desired recoveries, operational expenditures like power, water and reagents can be reduced.In this article, the potential of the Concorde Cell is explored through six cases, from base metals to metallurgical coal. Its main operating parameters, Air-to-Pulp Ratio, froth washing, froth depth and tailings recycle ratio, are investigated and show that the metallurgical performance of the Concorde Cell follows expectations based on the literature. Amongst others, higher APR leads to higher mass pulls and higher recoveries but lower grades, deeper froth depth increases selectivity… But the data also demonstrate the typical complexity of flotation, whereby the negative impact of increased APR can be compensated with froth washing to maintain high grades at high recoveries for example.About ten industrial scale flotation projects worldwide are deploying the Concorde CellTM. The examples of a metallurgical coal washing plant in Australia and of a copper plant in Zambia prove the capacity of the Concorde Cell to better recover the fines and ultrafines while providing high selectivity. In the two case studies, the Concorde Cell outperformed the previous technology specifically on the finest fractions of the processed streams.

The use of ethyl cellulose film lifts to collect particle traces from exposed adhesive on the edges of duct tape

Environmentally acquired particles (EAP), trapped along the edges of duct tape in the exposed adhesive, are a possible source of information regarding prior exposures of the tape and a possible means to associate duct tape rolls to segments of duct tape that are collected as traces during the investigation of criminal activity. The recovery and separation of EAP is complicated by (1) the need to separate the particles from the adhesive, and (2) the presence of adhesive filler and pigment particles that are part of adhesive formulations. Approaches such as cutting the tape edge, followed by solvent extraction, or swabbing of the duct tape edges using solvents, result in thousands of adhesive filler/pigment particles, overwhelming much smaller numbers of EAP. A recovery method has been developed employing a 10% solution of ethylcellulose (EC) in ethanol. Duct tape segments are pressed onto a glass plate and a bead of the viscous EC solution is pipetted along the edge. After drying, the EC forms a robust film that is peeled away from the tape edge, lifting the EAP along with only very small amounts of adhesive. The film lift (containing EC, duct tape adhesive and EAP) can be examined directly by steromicroscopy and particles of interest can be removed by softening the film using locally applied ethanol. Particles can be examined in situ by transmitted light microscopy using glycerol as a mounting medium to match the EC film. Batch recovery of particles from the film can be achieved by dissolution of the film lift in xylene and washing to remove adhesive residues. Xylene is then removed by washing with ethanol, leaving an ethanol suspension of EAP along with the duct tape filler/pigment particles. Larger particles can be separated by sieving and smaller particles can be recovered by filtration. This method was found to efficiently collect EAP found trapped along the edges of duct tape in the exposed adhesive, as well as for the preparation of these particles for microscopical and instrumental analysis. Limitations, not fully evaluated, include the loss or alteration of some particle types by dissolution, agitation and filtration steps. Further development of this method is expected to provide a means to recover trace particles from the edges of other types of tape and from related adhesive products such as stamps and labels.

Recovery of Magnetic Particles from Wastewater Formed through the Treatment of New Polycrystalline Diamond Blanks

Cobalt’s pivotal role in global development, especially in lithium-ion batteries, entails driving increased demand and strengthening global trading networks. The production of different waste solutions in metallurgical operations requires the development of an environmentally friendly research strategy. The ultrasonic spray pyrolysis and hydrogen reduction method were chosen to produce nanosized magnetic powders from waste solution based on iron and cobalt obtained during the purification process of used polycrystalline diamond blanks. With specific objectives focused on investigating the impact of reaction temperature and residence time on the morphology, chemical composition, and crystal structure of synthesized nanosized cobalt powders, our research involved 15 experimental runs using two reactors with varying residence times (7.19 s and 23 s) and distinct precursors (A, B, and C). Aerosol droplets were reduced at 600 to 900 °C with a flow rate of 3 L/min of argon and hydrogen (1:2). Characterization via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction revealed that higher temperatures influenced the spherical particle morphology. Altering cobalt concentration in the solution impacted the particle size, with higher concentrations yielding larger particles. A short residence time (7.9 s) at 900 °C proved optimal for cobalt submicron synthesis, producing spherical particles ranging from 191.1 nm to 1222 nm. This research addresses the environmental significance of recovering magnetic particles from waste solutions, contributing to sustainable nanomaterial applications.

The influence of ball collision charging on carbon recovery of fly ash triboelectrostatic separation

ABSTRACT The recovery of unburned carbon particles from fly ash by triboelectrostatic separation can realize energy conservation and solid waste recycling. Collision charging by metal ball has been proposed to enhance the particle charging and improve the unburned carbon recovery efficiency. It can increase the particle contact area, shorten the contact time, and improve the charge–mass ratio of particles. The charging model of ball collision was established. The collision charging process between particles and ball was simulated by CFD-DEM coupling method. The influence of ball material and gas velocity on the charge–mass ratio was studied, and that of gas velocity and voltage on separation was evaluated by experiments. The results showed that the collision charge between particles and metal ball was greater than that between particles. With the gas velocity of 30 m/s, Cu ball collisions obtained a relative maximum charge–mass ratio of 0.393nC/g and 0.275nC/g for carbon and ash particles, respectively. The reasonable experimental conditions were gas velocity of 20 m/s and voltage of 15kV. The loss on ignition of 14.3% and carbon recovery of 90.36% were obtained. Compared with the no-ball system, the ball collision improved the carbon recovery rate by 55.20%.

High-gradient magnetic separation of colloidal uranium oxide particles from soil components in aqueous suspensions

The separation of uranium oxide (UO2) particles from soil-surrogate particles in aqueous suspensions was achieved using filtration enhanced by a magnetic field. Enhanced attraction of paramagnetic UO2 colloids to a ferromagnetic stainless-steel filter placed in a strong magnetic field arises because of the positive magnetic susceptibility of the particles and the high-gradient field generated near ferromagnetic fibers. Enhanced uptake of smaller particles over larger ones occurs through Brownian motion that promotes the collision of particles with the ferromagnetic fibers of the filter. Hence, this work focused on UO2 particles in the colloidal size range. Experiments used a water-cooled electromagnet and an array of permanent magnets. Chemical analysis showed that the magnetic field increased the capture efficiency of uranium particles from a range of 27–53% with the magnet off up to 98% with the magnet on after a single pass of the suspension through the filter. The recovery of the UO2 particles from the filter, however, was more difficult to achieve. Small amounts of UO2, together with significant amounts of background SiO2 particles, were removed from the filter during a first flush with the magnetic field on. A much larger recovery of UO2 was not observed until a second out-of-field flush was performed, which also released some SiO2. The degree to which particle separation was enhanced through the use of multi-stage filtration compared to single pass-through filtration was also examined. A design was suggested that could be used to optimize the separation efficiency for a continuous process.

The Impact of Restricting Air Intake in Self-Aspirated Flotation Cells at Los Pelambres Concentrator

This article describes the impact of restricting the air intake in industrial 250 m3 WEMCO flotation cells at Los Pelambres concentrator. The influence of air restriction on the hydrodynamic and metallurgical performance of this type of machine was evaluated. The experiments were conducted in single flotation cells and entire rougher banks. In all cases, the gas holdup was measured to estimate the effectiveness of the obstruction system to decrease the air concentration. In single cells, axial profiles for solid percentage and particle size were evaluated. In addition, mass balances were conducted to assess the copper recoveries and concentrate features. In individual cells, air restriction led to a decrease in the gas holdup. However, this slight change was enough to obtain a more stable froth zone and a better solid suspension. The latter was observed as: (i) a higher P80 below the pulp–froth interface, (ii) a less diluted pulp at this level, (iii) a slightly higher Cu recovery, and (iv) a coarser concentrate product. A mineralogical analysis of the concentrate sample also showed the presence of coarser liberated Cu-sulfide particles. The results in single cells suggested an improvement in the recovery of coarse particles via more intense solid suspension. The air intake was also restricted in three rougher banks to assess the impact of air obstruction on the overall performance of the respective circuit. Eleven out of fourteen cells were operated with air restriction, which led to a significant improvement in recovery of 0.9%–1.6% (absolute), at a 95% confidence level. Size-by-size mass balances were also conducted for the rougher circuits, which proved that the recovery improvements were justified by the simultaneous increase in the recovery of coarse and fine particles. Thus, a restriction in the air intake showed that a decrease in the gas holdup (and in the bubble surface area flux) was compensated by better solid suspension and a higher collision efficiency in the draft tube. The former promoted the recovery of coarse particles in the quiescent zone, whereas the latter improved the interaction between bubbles and fine particles. Further developments are being made to implement a regulatory control strategy for the air intake in self-aspirated flotation cells and to use this approach for optimizing industrial flotation banks.

Study of new commercial collectors for the recovery of coarse quartz particles in iron ore flotation

Currently, a small range of commercial collectors is available for the use in reverse iron ore flotation at Vale. This input represents a considerable unit cost, being essential for the concentration of low content itabiritic iron ores. The present work evaluated the reverse cationic flotation of an itabiritic ore with low iron content (39.6 % Fe) from the Iron Quadrangle (BR) in bench scale tests, focusing on the use of new collectors to remove coarse quartz. The sample presents 19% of its particles as oversize in the 0.150 mm sieve. The poor flotation of coarse quartz particles (>0.150 mm) causes significant problems in various iron ore flotation circuits by contaminating the concentrate. The study evaluated the performance of 10 new collectors from the etheramine family with different degrees of neutralization and at different collector dosages. The flotation process variables were set as industrially practiced at the Cauê iron ore plant (BR). In tests varying the specific collector dosage, the non-neutralized etheramines showed improved performance compared to the current 50% neutralized etheramine used in the plant, achieving industrial targets: concentrate SiO2 content rate lower than 4.5% (1.4%), tailings iron content lower than 23% (18.94%), metallurgical recovery greater than 66% (74,8%), and Gaudin Selectivity Index greater than 6.6 (10.5). The 0.150 mm oversize in the concentrate, mostly coarse quartz particles, was reduced from 5.7% down to 1.2%, indicating the potential for the industrial application of non-neutralized etheramines in the recovery of coarse quartz.

Effect of energy input on flotation of particles with different sizes: Perspective of hydrodynamics characteristics

By employing a torque sensor to measure energy input in a flotation machine, this paper investigates the flotation behavior of modified quartz particles with different sizes but similar surface hydrophobicity under various energy input conditions. Numerical simulations of the mechanical flotation machine were conducted to obtain the fluid dynamic characteristics including the flow velocity, turbulence kinetic energy, and turbulent eddy scale. With the flotation results and numerical simulations combined, the potential collision, attachment, and detachment behaviors of fine particles (―45 µm), intermediate particles (45―74 µm), and coarse particles (74―125 µm) were analyzed. The results demonstrate that under different conditions of energy input, the recovery of intermediate-sized particles was optimal for the above size fractions. As the particle size increases, the energy input required to achieve optimal recovery decreases. The flotation rate constants increase nearly linearly with energy input. Compared to the medium-sized particles in the range of 45―74 µm, finer and larger particles exhibit lower floatability. When the energy input exceeds a certain range, no stagnation zone is observed. The rupture of bubble-particle aggregates becomes more pronounced, which may be a reason why flotation recovery begins to decrease. Increasing energy input enhances turbulence energy dissipation and reduces the Kolmogorov turbulence length scale, in this study, the ―45 µm, 45―74 µm, and 74―125 µm particle sizes reached the optimal flotation performance at dp / η values of 1.35, 1.83, 2.54, respectively. The particle diameter-to-integral length scale ratio (dp/L) is also discussed as an important parameter for turbulent dispersion.

Axial or turn-by-turn particle recovery in a spiral concentrator

ABSTRACT Spiral concentrators (“spirals”) are commonly used to separate valuable heavy minerals from light gangue minerals by gravity. This paper examines the classification of particles as they flow down a spiral concentrator and relates the results to the number of turns. The tests show the possibility of reproducing the performance of industrial spirals with a spiral operating in a closed circuit in a laboratory. Results show that knowing the mineral size distributions in the spiral feed is necessary to forecast spiral performance. Further, in the case of iron ore processing, the separation process is practically complete after four turns, with wash water affecting the process rate of recovery. This observation is readily explained by considering the mineral size distribution.

Mitigating the Recrystallization of a Cold-Worked Cu-Al2O3 Nanocomposite via Enhanced Zener Drag by Nanocrstalline Cu-Oxide Particles.

The strength of metals and alloys at elevated temperatures typically decreases due to the recovery, recrystallization, grain growth, and growth of second-phase particles. We report here a cold-worked Cu-Al2O3 composite did not recrystallize up to a temperature of 0.83Tm of Cu. The composite was manufactured through the internal oxidation process of dilute Cu-0.15 wt.% Al alloy and was characterized by transmission electron microscopy to study the nature of oxide precipitates. As a result of internal oxidation, a small volume fraction (1%) of Al2O3 particles forms. In addition, a high density of extremely fine (2-5 nm) Cu2O particles has been observed to form epitaxially within the elongated Cu grains. These finely dispersed second-phase Cu2O particles enhance the Zener drag significantly by three orders of magnitude as compared to Al2O3 particles and retain their original size and spacing at elevated temperatures. This limits the grain boundary migration and the nucleation of defect-free regions of different orientations and inhibits the recrystallization process at elevated temperatures. In addition, due to the limited grain boundary migration, a bundle of stacking faults appears instead of annealing twins. This investigation has led to a better understanding of how to prevent the recrystallization process of heavily deformed metallic material containing oxide particles.

Моделирование динамики контактных взаимодействий минералов во флотационной системе

Моделирование динамики контактных взаимодействий минералов во флотационной системе

Particle Separation in a Microchannel with a T-Shaped Cross-Section Using Co-Flow of Newtonian and Viscoelastic Fluids.

In this study, we investigated the particle separation phenomenon in a microchannel with a T-shaped cross-section, a unique design detailed in our previous study. Utilizing a co-flow system within this T-shaped microchannel, we examined two types of flow configuration: one where a Newtonian fluid served as the inner fluid and a viscoelastic fluid as the outer fluid (Newtonian/viscoelastic), and another where both the inner and outer fluids were Newtonian fluids (Newtonian/Newtonian). We introduced a mixture of three differently sized particles into the microchannel through the outer fluid and observed that the co-flow of Newtonian/viscoelastic fluids effectively separated particles based on their size compared with Newtonian/Newtonian fluids. In this context, we evaluated and compared the particle separation efficiency, recovery rate, and enrichment factor across both co-flow configurations. The Newtonian/viscoelastic co-flow system demonstrated a superior efficiency and recovery ratio when compared with the Newtonian/Newtonian system. Additionally, we assessed the influence of the flow rate ratio between the inner and outer fluids on particle separation within each co-flow system. Our results indicated that increasing the flow rate ratio enhanced the separation efficiency, particularly in the Newtonian/viscoelastic co-flow configuration. Consequently, this study substantiates the potential of utilizing a Newtonian/viscoelastic co-flow system in a T-shaped straight microchannel for the simultaneous separation of three differently sized particles.