Steel, brass and ceramic sieves are used in labs to understand the physical and chemical properties of a wide range of solids. In order to study and determine the size and shape of the particles, flow characteristics, fineness, etc labs need sieves of different grades to carry out ‘gradient’ or ‘particle size distribution’ tests. The sieves used in research labs are referred to as ‘analytical’ sieves since their mesh is typically small at 200 mm or less.
Organic and inorganic samples of coal, sand, soil, feldspars, crushed rock, seeds and grain, granite, clay, etc undergo sieve analysis as it is a very simple method of deducing particle sizes. Cleaning sieves with larger mesh dimensions is very easy. All it requires is a gentle tapping on the sides of the frame of the sieve, cleaning it with a sieve brush followed by running a fine cloth over it. So, a few small and easy steps are enough to get these sieves all set for future tests.
On the other hand, fine and coarse particles tend to get stuck in the fine mesh of smaller analytical sieves. This could lead to inaccuracy of future analyses unless they flushed out regularly. Constant use can cause these cleaners to become extremely dirty depending on the intrinsic properties of the materials that are studied for experimental purposes.
Analytical sieves require vigorous cleaning due to their extremely small crevices. Most commonly used are the 200mm diameter sieves. They are mainly used for sieving chemical compounds, a variety of industrial products, soil and cement. The best way to clean them is through ultrasonic cleaning. These cleaners effectively remove contaminants of all sizes. They use ultrasonic waves that creates powerful vibrations by a process called cavitation to eliminate the particles lodged in the sieve.
These ergonomic units allow full-immersion cleaning that are extremely easy to operate. For a very long time, most of the ultrasonic cleaners didn’t have the required space to accommodate a 200mm sieve for thorough cleaning . Fortunately, state-of-the-art and efficient ultrasonic cleaners manufactured today have have simplified the normally tedious task of cleaning analytical sieves. A 200 mm diameter, eight-inch sieve can easily be placed in these stainless steel-made cleaners. Their average volume is nearly a gallon and a half or nearly six liters.
One of the high-end units currently available in the market is the ultrasonic sieve cleaner that comes with a built-in rotation holder. This will greatly improve the lab productivity . It can hold and clean four four sieves simultaneously. It has a volume of nearly seven and a half gallons or twenty eight liters. The added function of rotation produces better results because it makes the entire cleaning extremely intensive. The cleaning process is also faster using this ultrasonic cleaner. When compared with cleaners that lack rotation holders, this combined technology designed into one unit saves the lab a lot of time and money.
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