Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan, Chemical Engineering Department, 9000 Corrales St., Cagayan de Oro
City
*moranbonn@gmail.com
Abstract Sedimentation is the separation of suspended material from a slurry by gravitational forces acting on the particles. Settling of
suspended materials is accomplished by decreasing the velocity of the fluid being treated to a point below which the particles will no
longer remain in suspension. The objective of the experiment was to determine the relationship between the setting rate and solids
concentration, to investigate the settling characteristics of a certain suspension, and to explain the mechanism of sedimentation. Three
slurry concentrations 10, 20, and 30 grams of chalk per liter were subjected to gravity settling into a sedimentation apparatus for 15
minutes. From the data gathered, the researchers were not able to draw a conclusion about the relationships of the settling velocity and solid
concentrations since it varies from 10g/L, 20 g/L and 30 g/L. The researchers, however, conclude that the approach of the experiment, as well
as, the apparatus was ineffective.
Keywords: sedimentation, gravitational settling, slurry concentration, settling velocity
I. INTRODUCTION
Many mechanical separations are based on the
sedimentation of solid particles or liquid drops through a fluid,
impelled by the force of gravity or by centrifugal force. Settling of
suspended materials is accomplished by decreasing the velocity of
the fluid being treated to a point below which the particles will no
longer remain in suspension. Applications of settling and
sedimentation include removal of solids from liquid sewage wastes,
settling of crystals from the mother liquor, settling of food particles
from a liquid food, and settling of a slurry from a soybean leaching
process. This experiment deals with gravity settling in which slurry
of chalk dust is separated into a clear fluid and slurry of higher solid
content. (1)
When dilute slurry is settled by gravity into a clear fluid
and slurry of higher solids concentration, the process is called
sedimentation or sometimes thickening. To illustrate the method for
determining settling velocities and the mechanisms of settling, a
batch settling test is carried out by placing a uniform concentration
of the slurry in a tall cylinder. At the start, as shown in Figure 1-a,
all the particles settle by free settling in suspension zone B. The
particles in zone B settle at a uniform rate at the start, and a clear
liquid zone A appears in Figure 1-b. The height z drops at a constant
rate. Also, zone D begins to appear, which contains the settled
particles at the bottom. Zone C is a transition layer whose solids
content varies from that in the zone B to that in zone D. After
further settling, zones B and C disappear, as shown in Figure 1-c.
Then compression first appears; this moment is called the critical
point. During compression, liquid is expelled upward from zone D
and the thickness of zone D decreases.
1=
z i z1
t 1t i
Eq.1
z i c L=C 0 Z 0
Eq. 2
15
II. EXPERIMENTAL
52.14285
7
Height, H
(cm)
Settling
velocity, v
(cm/min)
Solids
Concentration, c
(g/L)
36.5
20
26
2.1
28.076923
10
15
2.2
48.666667
15
1.2
81.111111
Height, H
(cm)
Settling
velocity, v
(cm/min)
Solids
Concentration
, c (g/L)
36.5
30
28
1.7
10
18
15
2.6
39.10714
3
60.83333
3
219
Height, H
(cm)
Settling
velocity, v
(cm/min)
0
5
36.5
22.5
0
2.8
10
12
2.1
Solids
Concentration
, c (g/L)
10
16.22222
2
30.41666
7
Figure 4: Plot of Settling Velocity vs. Concentration for 10, 20 and 30 g/L
Appendix:
Sample Calculat ions:
Trial 1
Solid concentration- 10g/L
Time, t (min.)
Height, H (cm)
0
5
10
15
36.5
22.5
12
7
Solution:
v
v
1=
zi z1
t 1t i
1=
36.522.5
=2.8 cm/min
50
z i c L=c o z o
22.5 c L =(10)(36.5)
c L =16.22 g / L
PROBLEMS:
Determine the area and the depth of a continuous thickener that is to handle 100 tons of solids per
day. Initial solids concentration in the feed is 3% by weight and the final concentration is to be 40% by
weight.
Given:
xi = 0.03
Required: A and H
Solution:
xf = 0.4
z i c L=c o z o
c o z o 0.03176
=
zi
0.4
c L =13.2 cm
mixture =0.4 ( 2.63 ) +0.6 ( 1.00 )
c L=
100
Q u=
( )(
1 day
1mL
cm3
=84,605.8
1440 mins 2.052 g
min
)(