Trommelling is one of the techniques commonly used for size separation. The trommel is a screening device that incorporates a rotating perforated drum as its main component. Perforations or holes in the cylinder allow smaller materials to drop out during the rotation process. Larger-sized materials pass through the trommel to be moved by a conveyer belt or other means.
The choice of the trommel screening device in the present investigation of the separation of particulates was based on its advantages over other separation techniques for the current application. One of the advantages of the trommel screen is its simplicity and that it allows variations in driving speed and inclination angle of the drum. The screening action is also excellent for providing lifting and cascading action for the material, which is particularly useful when handling hard to untangle materials, as well as materials having a very wide size range. Furthermore, the trommel is relatively inexpensive, requiring little in the way of operating and maintenance costs compared to other separation systems.
