Project staff and support

Louise Smith (Intern, University of Strathclyde)
Hong Sing Tan (Company Supervisor, P&G)
Wilson Lamb (Academic Mentor, University of Strathclyde)
Tristram Armour (Technology Translator, Industrial Mathematics KTN)

This Internship project was carried out at P&G, in conjunction with the University of Strathclyde. It was part of the KTN's Industrial Mathematics KTP Programme and funded by EPSRC. Start date: April 2010; duration: 6 months.

Understanding how particles collide and agglomerate in a detergent spray drying tower is very important to P&G. Being able to determine which operating conditions affect the agglomeration will allow P&G to decide which operating conditions will produce the ‘best’ size range of particles coming out of the tower. A mathematical population balance model has been developed to describe the agglomeration in the spray zone of the tower. Analytical and numerical solutions of this model have been investigated. There is scope to develop the numerical model further to incorporate other processes occurring in the tower.

A numerical technique has been implemented to solve a population balance model for the agglomeration process in the spray zone. Quantitative physical data can be input and the output can be used to help decide which operating conditions affect the agglomeration process. It is possible that the model can be adapted further to include other processes such as breakage and drying. The model could also be used to investigate agglomeration in other areas of the tower.

“By taking a simplified approach to the problem Louise’s work has established a framework which will lead to insights into the key factors affecting agglomeration in industrial spray towers. This was our first collaboration with a Mathematics department. It has given us a fresh perspective on the problem, which complemented our engineering view, and has both helped us understand the problem and its potential solutions," said industrial supervisor, Andrew Bayly.

"This project has given me an insight into what it would be like to work as part of a global company. I have also learned a number of mathematical techniques which were previously unknown to me. One of the main plus points is that I have gained expertise in writing numerical codes using MATLAB which is relevant to many areas of applied and industrial mathematics,” said intern, Louise Smith.

“The Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Strathclyde has a strong research base in the mathematical analysis of population balance equations arising in coagulation-fragmentation processes and also has one of the largest research groups in Numerical Analysis and Scientific Computation in the UK. Through the KTN internship with P&G, we were able to carry out analytical and numerical investigations into a population balance model of particle agglomeration in a spray drying tower. The opportunity to work with P&G has given us valuable insight into the type of coagulation-fragmentation problems that arise in an industrial context,” said academic mentors, Wilson Lamb and John MacKenzie.