Las propiedades físicas y químicas de los sólidos varían en función de su distribución granulométrica. Por esta razón, para poder efectuar controles de calidad en polvos y granulados, es imprescindible conocer la distribución por tamaño de las partículas en los mismos. Sólo si la distribución granulométrica se mantiene igual, puede garantizarse una calidad constante del producto, como lo demuestran los siguientes ejemplos:
Many natural and manufactured materials occur in a disperse form, which means that they consist of differently shaped and sized particles. The particle size distribution, i.e. the number of particles of different sizes, is responsible for important physical and chemical properties.
Such as:
• mechanical bulk behavior
• surface reaction
• taste
• miscibility
• filtration properties
• conductivity
This list could be continued at great length. The examples clearly show how important it is to have a knowledge of the particle distribution, particularly within the context of quality assurance in the production of bulk goods. If the particle distribution changes during the manufacturing process then the quality of the finished product will also change. Only a continuous monitoring of the particle size distribution can guarantee a constant product quality.