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FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
CHNG 2009 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
LABORATORY 2 2010
NAME OF EXPERIMENT: MIXING OF
LIQUIDS
(F5)
INFORMAL
DATE CONDUCTED: 11TH OCTOBER, 2010
DATE SUBMITTED: 25TH OCTOBER, 2010
NAME OF STUDENT: TERRANCE ALI
STUDENT ID: 809000670
LAB GROUP: B
ABSTRACT
The aim of this experiment was to determine the relationship
between the mixing speeds and power consumption of three
impellers namely the Flat Paddle, the Propeller and the 6 Blade
Turbine and to determine the relationship between mixing speeds
and mixing time. For the first objective, the rpm of the motor was
adjusted and the power consumed was read off the power meter.
For the second objective, a KCl solution containing ions was added
to the system and the time taken for the conductivity of the
solution to remain constant at different rpm values was measured.
It was seen that the power consumption increased with impeller
speed and the mixing time decreased with impeller speed. The
flat paddle was the most efficient impeller in terms of mixing time
while the propeller was the most efficient in terms of power
consumption. However, as an impeller becomes more efficient in
terms of mixing times, it does so at the expense of increased
power consumption. The value of K was largest for the propeller
and smallest for the flat paddle, with the values being 1.62 x 10 5,
2.74 x 107 and 4.53 x 107 for the flat paddle, 6-blade turbine and
propeller respectively with respect to the power consumption. The
flat paddle produced the smallest average value of k from the
Fox and Gen equation, while the propeller gave the largest. These
values were 1570.09, 1360.65 and 722.57 for the propeller, 6blade turbine and flat-paddle respectively.
EXPERIMENTAL
APPARATUS
PROCEDURE
Part A - Power Consumption
1. The baffle was removed and the vessel filled until the level
specified on it.
2. The 6 Blade Turbine mixer was then attached to the shaft and
the shaft inserted into the vessel.
3. The plate was then screwed into position on the vessel with the
aid of nuts. The level of the plate was adjusted by the use of
the nuts to ensure that it was perfectly horizontal.
4. The Tachometer and Speed Controller were then connected.
5. The rpm was set initially to 200 rpm and the power
consumption was recorded.
6. Step 5 was repeated for the following rpm values: 400, 600,
800, 1000.
7. The entire procedure was then repeated for the Propeller and
Flat Paddle Impellers.
7.
8.
Steps (4) to (7) were then carried out for agitator speeds of
Power Consumption
Impeller
200
rpm
400
rpm
600
rpm
800
rpm
1000
rpm
6 Blade Turbine
6.25
7.5
9.5
12.5
15.5
Propeller
5.75
8.5
9.8
12.7
Flat Paddle
6.25
11.75
21
23
28.5
500 rpm
Avera
2
ge
37.4 35.1
5
2
33.5 35.1
0
4
22.3 10.1
7
8
36.29
34.32
16.28
300 rpm
Avera
2
ge
53.9 56.8
3
6
71.4 66.4
5
0
32.8 31.9
0
0
55.40
68.93
32.35
1
73.3
9
108.
62
44.1
2
200 rpm
Averag
2
e
92.6
4
101.
38
48.6
8
83.02
105.00
46.40
6.25%
Angular Velocity,
2f
= [2 x x
= 20.94 rads-1
Power Consumed, P
P
= 0.2381 Ia
P
= 0.935 W
Power Number
Where,
P
Power (Watts)
Density of Water @ 30 C
= 995.71 kgm-3
Di
=
N
= 3.33 rps
Power Number
Power Number
= 23.51
Reynolds Number, Re
=
= Viscosity of Water @ 30C =
0.000798 kg/ms
Re
Re
=17036
Determination of a and K
=K
Where
Power Number
Reynolds Number
A plot of log (Power Number) versus log (Reynolds Number) should
yield a straight line of gradient a and y-intercept log K. This is
shown below:
= K
Taking logs on both sides of equation yields:
P
3
5
N Di
log
= log
P
3
5
N Di
log
= log K + log
P
3
5
N Di
log
= log K + a log
These two values are obtained from the line plotted on Microsoft
Excel which also gives
= -1.4427
= 7.4375
log K = 7.4375
K
= 107.4375
= 2.74 x 107
Spee
d
(rpm)
Armature
Current
(A)
Angul
ar
Veloci
ty
(rad/s
)
200
0.188
20.94
0.935
23.61
1.37
17036
4.23
400
0.225
41.89
2.244
7.08
0.85
34072
4.53
600
0.285
62.83
4.264
3.99
0.60
51108
4.71
800
0.375
83.78
7.480
2.95
0.47
68144
4.83
1000
0.465
104.7
2
11.594
2.34
0.37
85180
4.93
Power
Consum
ed (W)
Power
Numb
er
log
Power
Numb
er
Reynol
log
ds
Reynold
Numbe
s
r
Number
Spee
d
(rpm)
Armature
Current
(A)
Angul
ar
Veloci
ty
(rad/s
)
200
0.173
20.94
0.860
18.63
1.27
18117
4.26
400
0.180
41.89
1.795
4.86
0.69
36235
4.56
600
0.255
62.83
3.815
3.06
0.49
54352
4.74
800
0.294
83.78
5.864
1.98
0.30
72470
4.86
1000
0.381
104.7
2
9.500
1.65
0.22
90587
4.96
Power
Consum
ed (W)
Power
Numb
er
log
Power
Numb
er
Reynol
log
ds
Reynold
Numbe
s
r
Number
Spee
d
(rpm)
Armature
Current
(A)
Angul
ar
Veloci
ty
(rad/s
)
Power
Consum
ed (W)
Power
Numb
er
log
Power
Numb
er
Reynol
log
ds
Reynold
Numbe
s
r
Number
200
0.188
20.94
0.935
2.54
0.40
41592
4.62
400
0.353
41.89
3.516
1.19
0.08
83184
4.92
600
0.630
62.83
9.425
0.95
-0.02
800
0.690
83.78
13.763
0.58
-0.23
1000
0.855
104.7
2
21.318
0.46
-0.33
12477
6
16636
8
20795
9
6 Blade Turbine
-1.4427
2.74 x 10
Propeller
-1.5115
4.53 x 10
Flat Paddle
-1.0393
1.62 x 10
5.10
5.22
5.32
= (T1 + T2) / 2
= (73.39 + 92.64) / 2
= 83.02 s.
Determination of N
N
=
N
= 276.73
Fr
=
Where,
N
Impeller Speed
Di
Impeller Diameter
Fr
Fr
= 0.0725
= 9.81 ms-2
Determination of k
Recall
Let
= 0.1948
k = 1420.5
Determination of Average k
Average k =(k200 + k300 + k500) / 3
= (1420.5 + 1328.96 + 1332.49) / 3
= 1360.65
Speed
(rpm)
200
276.73
0.0725
17036
0.1948
300
277.00
0.1631
25554
0.2084
500
302.42
0.4531
42590
0.2270
Average
k
1420.
50
1328.
96
1332.
49
1360.65
Speed
(rpm)
200
350.00
0.0725
17036
0.1948
300
344.65
0.1631
25554
0.2084
500
286.00
0.4531
42590
0.2270
Average
k
1796.
59
1653.
52
1260.
15
1570.09
Froude
Numbe
Reynol
ds
Average
k
Numbe
r
200
154.67
0.0725
17036
0.1948
300
161.75
0.1631
25554
0.2084
500
135.67
0.4531
42590
0.2270
793.9
2
776.0
3
597.7
6
722.57
DISCUSSION
Mixing of two liquids refer to the random distribution, into and
through one another of two or more initial separate phases. A tank of
water alone can be agitated but it cannot be mixed since there is only
one component within the tank. Mixing is enhanced by the use of
materials with similar densities (reduces the effect of separation
induced by stratification), low interfacial tension and low viscosities.
The velocity of the fluid at any point in tank has three components,
and the overall flow pattern in the tank depends on the variations in
these three velocity components from point to point. The first velocity
component is radial and acts in a direction perpendicular to the shaft
of the impeller. The second component is longitudinal and acts in a
direction parallel with the shaft. The third component is tangential, or
rotational, and acts in a direction tangent to circular path around the
shaft. In the usual case of a vertical shaft, the radial and longitudinal
components are useful and provide the flow necessary for the mixing
action. The propeller is an axial flow impeller which means that it has
a longitudinal velocity component. The flat paddle pushes the liquid
radial and tangentially with almost no vertical motion at impeller
unless the blades are pitched. The turbine has radial and tangential
velocity components.
From the graph of power consumed against impeller speed, it can be
seen that as the speed of the impeller increases, the power consumed
also increases non-linearly. Furthermore, it is seen that the gradient if
the lines are increasing which means that as impeller speed increases
uniformly, more and more power would be required to effect this
uniform change. These results coincide with the theory on the subject
matter which indicates that as the speed of the impeller increases,
the vorticity and the turbulence within the mixture would be
increased and as such a greater force would need to be exerted by
the impeller to overcome this increase in resistive forces. Moreover, it
can be seen that the impeller which consumes the greatest of power
at a certain speed is the Flat Paddle making it the least efficient in
terms of power consumption. The most efficient impeller with respect
to power consumption is the Propeller since this impeller consumed
the least amount of power at a certain speed.
The Reynolds number is a dimensionless number that gives a
measure of the ratio of inertial forces to viscous forces, and is utilized
in the characterization of flow. A Reynolds Number less than 2000
indicates laminar flow while one greater than 4000 implies turbulent
flow and one lying in the range 2000 to 4000 indicates that the flow is
in transition. From the graph of log Power Number against log
Reynolds Number it is seen that the Flat Paddle produced the largest
Reynolds Number which indicated that it produced the most turbulent
stream. This accounts for the fact that the Flat Paddle is the least
efficient in terms of Power Consumption. It should be noted that the
vortex produced as a result of the Flat Paddle was visibly larger than
that of the Propeller and 6 Blade Turbine which had similar Reynolds
Numbers. In terms of the Power Number it was seen that the 6 Blade
Turbine had the largest Power Number and the Flat Paddle had the
lowest Power Number.
The graph of mixing time against impeller speed shows that as the
impeller speed increases the mixing time decreases. The mixing time
in this case represents the time it takes for the Potassium Chloride
ions to be evenly distributed and as such the time was measured with
the aid of a conductivity meter. The mixing time is expected to
decrease with an increase in the impeller speed since the faster the
impeller rotates the more the fluid particles are in motion and thus
the greater the likelihood that they will bombard against the KCl ions
leading to the even distribution of it. The lines representing the
mixing times for the 6 Blade Turbine and Propeller intersected at the
end which can be attributed to the under-mentioned sources fo errors.
It is seen that the Flat Paddle is the most efficient in terms of mixing
time and the propeller is the least efficient in this regard.
According to the Fox and Gen equation, a value for k can be
developed which gives an idea of the efficiency of the impeller used.
It is seen that the average value for k is the lowest with the Flat
Paddle (722.57) which implies that it is the most efficient impeller.
The value of k for the propeller (1570.09) which means that it is the
least efficient. The 6 Blade Turbine is more efficient than the Propeller
but it is far less than the Flat Paddle. This trend can be seen when the
k value for the 6 Blade Turbine is considered (1360.65).
From the results attained in this experiment it can be seen that for the
most efficient impeller a compromise needs to be made between the
mixing time and the power consumption. This is because the most
efficient impeller with respect to power consumption is the Propeller
and the least efficient impeller is the Flat Paddle but with respect to
mixing time it is the exact opposite in that the Flat Paddle is the most
efficient and the Propeller is the least efficient.
Safety Analysis
The motor was switched off when not in use to prevent
overheating.
The mixing jar should be properly secured since at high speeds
turbulence may occur causing vibration of the equipment.
The wires connecting the probe to the power meter must be
web insulated because if it comes in contact with the solution it
may cause a short circuit and hence a electrical hazard.
Sources of Errors
inaccurate.
Due to human reaction time, the time at which the stopwatch
was initiated would have varied from the time at which the
mixing actually started which would mean that the time
was greatest for the flat paddle and lowest for the propeller.
As mixing speed increases, there is a corresponding decrease
in mixing time.
From Graph 2, the value of K was largest for the propeller and
smallest for the flat paddle, with the values being 1.62 x 105,
2.74 x 107 and 4.53 x 107 for the flat paddle, 6-blade turbine
It is recommended that:
impeller speed.
Warm water should have been used to dissolve the KCl so as to
the surface.
The amount of water added to the tank should be lowered so
that none would need to be removed for the Flat Paddle
impeller and a constant volume would be used.
REFERENCES
http://www.thermexcel.com/english/tables/eau_atm.htm
http://202.44.47.77/tam/SubjectsbyWASAN/673331FoodProcessing
Machinery/Agitation%20equipment.pdf
http://www.scribd.com/doc/31120531/Agitation
Massey, B.S. Mechanics of Fluids, Longman Hill, 6th ed. (1993)
Coulson & Richardson, Backhurst and Harker- Chemical
Engineering Volume One, 3rd Ed.
APPENDIX
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract
1
Experimental
& Recommendations
16
References
17
Appendix
18