CHEMICAL AND PROCESS ENGINEERING

2009, 30, 443451

RADEK ULC*, PAVEL DITL

SCALE UP OF CLAY SLURRY FLOCCULATION

IN AN AGITATED TANK

Czech Technical University in Prague, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering,

Department of Process Engineering, Czech Republic

The effect of vessel size onto flocculation kinetics of clay slurry was investigated in three baffled
tanks of diameter 0.15, 0.20 and 0.30 m agitated with a Rushton turbine. Based on literature review and
our previously published results the scale up criteria for flocculation were formulated. The proposed
scale-up rules were successfully verified experimentally. It was found that the flocculation efficiencies for
vessels of the diameters 0.20 and 0.30 m are practically the same, for D = 0.15 m the efficiency is slightly
lower, probably due to various hydrodynamic conditions in the impeller region.

Badano wpyw rozmiarw zbiornika na kinetyk flokulacji zawiesiny gliny w trzech zbiornikach
z przegrodami o rednicach 0,15, 0,20 i 0,30 m mieszanej za pomoc turbiny Rushtona. Na podstawie
danych literaturowych i wczeniejszych bada autorw sformuowano kryteria skalowania dla procesu
flokulacji i zweryfikowano je eksperymentalnie. Stwierdzono, e wydajno flokulacji jest jednakowa
w zbiornikach o rednicy 0,2 i 0,3 m, nieco mniejsza za w zbiorniku 0,15 m, prawdopodobnie ze wzgl-
du na odmienne warunki hydrodynamiczne w rejonie mieszada w tym zbiorniku.

1. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

Flocculation is one of the most important operations in solidliquid separation

processes in water supply and wastewater treatment. The purpose of flocculation is to
transform fine particles into coarse aggregates flocks that will eventually settle for
achieving efficient separation. Operation conditions for industrial flocculation tanks
are being commonly pre-determined by simple laboratory tests. As far as the stabiliza-
tion effect of equalization tank is not sufficient, the quality of water treated changes
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and the laboratory tests have to be carried out day-to-day. Therefore the knowledge of
proper scale up criteria is desirable.
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*
Corresponding author, e-mail: radek.sulc@fs.cvut.cz
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 444 R. ULC, P. DITL

Two scale up criteria [1] have been proposed for mixing, called G value (average
velocity gradient) and for flocculation time estimation called Gt value, for which floc-
culation performance should be the same, regardless the tank size. Gt value is the product
of the velocity gradient and flocculation time. This criterion has been often called the
Camp number, although this approach has been discussed and criticized by many authors
(cf. [25]) it has been still in use in industrial practice for design and control.
The effect of impeller speed onto residual turbidity [6] was investigated in two
tanks of the diameters 460 and 760 mm stirred by a Rushton turbine and an axial im-
peller A212. The flocks were separated by sedimentation. The G value, flocculation
time and settling time were kept the same in both tanks. Ducoste et al. [7] investigated
the effect of impeller type and tank size onto the flocculation process in three tanks of
the volumes of 5, 28 and 560 dm3 stirred by a Rushton turbine and an axial impeller
A 310. The experiments were carried out at a constant average velocity gradient and
constant flocculation time in all three tanks. After flocculation, the sample was with-
drawn and the final particle size distribution was determined. Both studies [6, 7] have
shown that the flocculation performance decreases with an increasing tank scale.

2. SCALE UP RULES FOR FLOCCULATION

Many processes such as gas dispersion, suspendation, emulsification, crystallisa-

tion and their important process variables such as e.g. drop and bubble size distribu-
tions have been strongly affected by energy dissipation rate. We discussed practical
and theoretical aspects of energy dissipation rate onto different processes occurred in
agitated tanks in [8]. For all-most processes constant specific power input (P/V =
const) has been used as a scale up criterion for mixing.
Since the flocculation is very complex process consisting of many particular
mechanisms affected by numerous variables, scale up criteria for each phenomenon
must be formulated, i.e. the multidimensional approach must be applied. Fulfilling the
scale up criteria for all mechanisms, the same flocculation results might be expected.
From participated mechanisms we consider the following ones as important for floc-
culation performance for which the scale up criteria must be formulated: mixing, floc-
culation time, chemical environment and flock separation.
We investigated the effect of mixing onto flocculation kinetics of amorphous SiO2
slurry in a vessel agitated with a Rushton turbine and a pitched six-blade turbine at
various mixing intensities in [9, 10, 13]. Based on the results, we found that the scal-
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ing up rule used for the flocculation time, i.e. flocculation time t = const, has been
incorrect. During flocculation, the flocks are formed due to particle or forming flocks
collisions. Mixing intensity increase promotes particle and flock collisions thus acce-
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lerating flock formation. However, if agitation is too intense, the turbulent shear forces
can break up the flocks into smaller particles decreasing the separation efficiency.
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Flock size reduction occurs mainly in the impeller region, in which the turbulent ener-
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 Scale up of clay slurry flocculation in an agitated tank 445

gy dissipation rate is maximum. Therefore the effect of number of passage of flocks

through the impeller region onto flocculation can be expected and should be respected.
Number of passage through the impeller region is proportional to the circulation time.
Upon increasing the vessel size, the circulation time increases. Therefore applying the
scale up rule t = const in vessels of various sizes, the same flocculation efficiency
cannot be obtained due to different numbers of flock passages through the impeller
region. Similar effect of circulation time was observed in liquidliquid dispersion
process occurring in stirred vessels. Since the circulation time is indirectly proportion-
al to the impeller rotational speed, this implies that dimensional flocculation time t*F ,
being proportional to the number of passages of flocks through the impeller region,
must be defined as a product of the impeller speed N and the flocculation time tF. As a
scale up criterion for mixing, the specific power input can be used. We investigated
[1114] the effect of the flocculent dosage onto flocculation of amorphous SiO2 slurry
in an agitated vessel at various conditions. It was found that the flocculent dosage can
be used for a given water quality as a scale up criterion for chemical environment. The
flocks will be separated by sedimentation so that sedimentation time has been set up.
Since the size of particles separated by sedimentation was affected by the sedimenta-
tion velocity, it has been used as a scale up criterion for sedimentation.
Based on the above findings, we proposed the following scale up rules:
Criterion for mixing intensity: P/V = const. The same specific power input in the
tank of the diameter D2 as a specific power input in the tank of the diameter D1 to pro-
vide the same average mixing intensity.
Criterion for flocculation time: t*F = NtF = const. The same dimensionless floc-
culation time in the tank of the diameter D2 as the dimensionless flocculation time in
the tank of the diameter D1 to provide the same number of passages of flocks through
the impeller region.
Criterion for chemical environment: DF = const. The same flocculent dosage in
the tank of the diameter D2 as a flocculent dosage in the tank of the diameter D1 for
a given flocculent type and water quality to provide the same chemical environment.
Criterion for flock separation: used = const. The same sedimentation velocity in
the tank of the diameter D2 as the sedimentation velocity in the tank of the diameter D1
to provide flock removal of the same size.
We believe that after fulfilling these conditions, the same flocculation perfor-
mances should be reached.
The objective of this paper is to verify experimentally proposed scale up rules for
flocculation kinetics of clay slurry in a vessel agitated with a Rushton turbine. During
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flocculation tests of amorphous SiO2 slurry, we observed the maximum flocculation

efficiency at the mixing intensity of 40 W/m3 [9]. The optimum flocculent dosage DF
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equal to 1.53.5 cm3/dm3 was found within the flocculation time tF in the range
47 min to obtain the turbidity removal Z e* in the range 9095% [10]. Therefore we
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decided to carry out tests at similar conditions.

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 446 R. ULC, P. DITL

3. EXPERIMENTAL

The flocculation experiments were conducted in a fully baffled cylindrical tanks

(4 baffles per 90 tank, baffle width B/D = 0.1) of the diameters D of 150, 200 and
300 mm, filled to the height H = D by a model wastewater (clay slurry, clay concen-
tration 0.58 g/dm3). The tank was agitated with a Rushton turbine of the diameters d of
60, 80 and 120 mm, respectively, that was placed at an off-bottom clearance of H2/d
equal to 0.85. The experiments were conducted for the following scale up conditions:
P/V = 40 W/m3, DF = 2.48 cm3/dm3 and used = 0.03 m/min. The dependences of resi-
dual turbidity on the flocculation time were recorded at these conditions in vessels of
the diameters D = 150, 200 and 300 mm. Residual turbidity in a vessel of the diameter
D = 150 mm was measured at the flocculation times of 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 and 10 min. In
vessels of the diameter D = 200 and 300 mm residual turbidity was measured at the
same dimensionless flocculation time, i.e. at the flocculation time satisfying the condi-
tion NtF = const.
The model wastewater was flocculated by an organic polymer flocculent Sokoflok
16A (0.1 wt. % aqueous solution; Sokoflok Ltd., Czech Republic). The generated
flocks were separated by sedimentation and then the clarified water samples were
withdrawn. The sampling point was located at the level of the upper impeller edge.
The experimental parameters are summarized in Table 1.

Table 1. Experimental conditions

Parameter D150 D200 D300

D, m 0.150 0.200 0.300
d, m 0.060 0.080 0.120
P/Va, W/m3 40 40 40
N, rev/min 180 150 115
DF, cm3/dm3 2.48 2.48 2.48
cC0, g/l 0.58 0.58 0.58
tsed, s 300 400 600
Number of date 6 6 6
a
Specific power input (per unit volume) P/V calculated for adjusted impeller speed.

4. ANALYSIS OF THE EXPERIMENTAL DATA

The turbidity measurement has been used and recommended for flocculation per-
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formance assessment in a routine control in the industry. The flocculation efficiency

was expressed as the rate of turbidity removal:
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Z e (tF ) Z 0 Z r (t F )
Z e* (t F ) = = = 1 Z r* ( t F ) (1)
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Z0 Z0
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 Scale up of clay slurry flocculation in an agitated tank 447

where Z e* is the turbidity removal degree, Z r* is the residual turbidity degree, Z0 is the
turbidity of suspension before flocculation starting, Zr is the residual turbidity of clari-
fied water after flock separation, tF is the flocculation time. The turbidity was meas-
ured by the transmitted light method using MultiLab5 (WTW Ltd., Germany). The
built-in photometer uses the reference beam technique. The accuracy was 0.1 FAU in
the range 099 FAU and 1 FAU for the turbidity not lower than 100 FAU.
We proposed and successfully tested [13] a generalized correlation for floccula-
tion kinetics in an agitated tank that takes into account the flock breaking as follows:

Z r* = A* ( [ Nt F ]*log )
2
(2)

where
Z r* Z r*min
Z r* = (3)
Z r*min

log( Nt F ) log([ Nt F ]min )

[ Nt F ]log =
*
(4)
log([ Nt F ]min )

where Z r* min is a minimal residual turbidity degree reached at the time [NtF]min, being
the dimensionless flocculation time in that Z r* min can be reached, A* is the residual
turbidity shift coefficient, tF is the flocculation time, n is the impeller rotational speed.
The generalized correlation parameters Z r* min , [NtF]min and A* depend generally on the
flocculation process conditions such as mixing intensity, flocculent dosage, etc.).
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Fig. 1. Experimental dependence of the turbidity removal degree

on the flocculation time tF
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 448 R. ULC, P. DITL

Fig. 2. Experimental dependence of the turbidity removal degree

on the dimensionless flocculation time NtF

Fig. 3. Generalized correlation Z *r = f ([ Nt F ]*log

The dependences of the calculated turbidity removal degree on the flocculation

time and on the dimensional flocculation time are shown in Figs. 1 and 2, respectively.
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The measured data were fitted according to generalized correlation (2). The general-
ized correlation parameters are presented in the Table 2.
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The comparison of experimental data and generalized correlation is shown in

Fig. 3. The effect of the vessel size onto generalized correlation parameters was inves-
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 Scale up of clay slurry flocculation in an agitated tank 449

tigated with hypothesis testing. It was found that all parameters can be statistically
taken as constant and independent of the vessel size.

Table 2. Generalized correlation Zr* = f([NtF]*log)

D tF min
A* [NtF]min Zr*min Ze*max Iyx |r | ave/maxa
[m] [min]
0.150 36.4045 1364 7.58 0.0484 0.9516 0.9988 0.6/1.45
0.200 44.7335 1570 10.47 0.0288 0.9712 0.9977 0.26/0.35
0.300, 26.2507 1811 15.8 0.0322 0.9678 0.9990 0.04/0.07
Average 35.7962 1582 0.0364 0.9636
a
Relative error of turbidity removal degree Ze*: average/maximum absolute value.

5. CONCLUSIONS

Based on literature data and our previously published results, the scale up criteria
for flocculation have been formulated. The applicability of the proposed scale up crite-
ria has been tested in three baffled tanks of various diameters agitated with a Rushton
turbine. Clay slurry was used as a model wastewater.
It was found the flocculation efficiency on vessels of various sizes is practically
the same when applying the proposed scale up criteria. For vessel of the lowest diame-
ter D = 0.15 m, the efficiency is slightly lower, probably due to partially different var-
ious hydrodynamic conditions in the impeller region.
The measured data were fitted according to generalized correlation (2) with para-
meters given in Table 1. The maximum turbidity removal degree 96.4 1% was found
for dimensionless flocculation time 1582 230 min. The effect of vessel size onto
generalized correlation parameters was investigated with a hypothesis testing. Accord-
ing to the result, all correlation parameters can be statistically taken as constant and
independent of the vessel size.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This Research has been subsidized by The Grant Agency of Czech Republic No. 101/07/P456 Inten-
sification of Flocculation in Wastewater Treatment.

SYMBOLS
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A* residual turbidity shift coefficient; model parameter (2)

B baffle width, m
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cC clay concentration, g/dm3

d impeller diameter, m
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D tank diameter, m
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 450 R. ULC, P. DITL

DF flocculent dosage, cm3/dm3

H tank height, m
H2 off bottom clearance, m
Iyx correlation index
N impeller rotational speed, rpm
[NtF]min model parameter (2)
P/V specific impeller power input (per volume unit), W/m3
tF flocculation time, min
tsed sedimentation time, min
Z0 turbidity before flocculation, FAU
Zr residual turbidity after flocculation, FAU
Z*e turbidity removal degree
Z*r residual turbidity degree
Z*r min model parameter (2)
GREEK SYMBOLS

r relative error, %
[NtF]*log variable
Z*r variable

REFERENCES

[1] CAMP T.R., Trans. ASCE, 1955, 120, 1.

[2] CLEASBY J.L., J. Environ. Eng.ASCE, 1984, 110, 875.
[3] CLARK M.M., J. Environ. Eng. ASCE, 1985, 111, 741.
[4] GLASGOW L.A., KIM Y.H., J. Environ. Eng. ASCE, 1986, 112, 1158.
[5] KRAMER T.A., CLARK M.M., J. Environ. Eng. ASCE, 1997, 123, 444.
[6] OLDSHUE J.Y., MADY O.B., .Chem. Eng. Prog., . 1978, 74, 103.
[7] DUCOSTE J.J., CLARK M.M., Environ. Eng. Sci., 1998, 15, 215.
[8] ULC R., DITL P., Czas. Techn. Ser. Mech., 2003, 97, 341.
[9] ULC R., DITL P., Effect of Mixing onto Flocculation Kinetics, Proc. 14th Int. Congress Chemical and
Process Engineering CHISA 2000, Prague, Czech Republic, August 2000.
[10] ULC R., DITL P., Effect of Mixing and Flocculation Time onto Flocculation Kinetics and Flocculant
Dosage Rushton turbine, Proc. Conf. CHISA 2002, Prague, Czech Republic, August 2002.
[11] ULC R., Flocculation in a turbulent stirred vessel, PhD Thesis, Czech Technical University, Faculty
of Mechanical Engineering, 2003 (in Czech).
[12] ULC R., DITL P., Czasop. Techn. Ser. Mech., 2008, 105, 341.
[13] ULC R., DITL P., Simple Semiempirical Flocculation Kinetics Model, Proc. 16th Int. Congress
Chemical and Process Engineering CHISA 2004, Prague, Czech Republic, August 2004.
[14] ULC R., DITL P., Flocculation of Clay Slurry in a Vessel Agitated by Rushton Turbine: Effect of Clay
Concentration at Mixing Intensity 40 W/m3, Proc. 34th Int. Conf. the Slovak Society of Chemical
Engineering SSCHI 2007, Tatranske Matliare, Slovak Republic, May 2007.
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 Scale up of clay slurry flocculation in an agitated tank 451

RADEK ULC, PAVEL DITL

SKALOWANIE FLOKULACJI ZAWIESINY GLINY W ZBIORNIKU Z MIESZANIEM

Badano wpyw rozmiarw zbiornika na kinetyk flokulacji zawiesiny gliny w trzech zbiornikach
rednicy 0,15, 0,20 and 0,30 m mieszanej za pomoc turbiny Rushtona. Na podstawie danych literaturo-
wych i wczeniejszych wynikw autorw sformuowano kryteria skalowania, ktre nastpnie weryfiko-
wano eksperymentalnie. Jako modelowego cieku uyto zawiesiny gliny. Moc mieszania wynosia
40 W/m3, stenie gliny 0,58 g/dm3. Uyto organicznego flokulantu Sokoflok 16A (roztwr 0,1 wt. %)
w dawce 2,48 cm3/dm3. Zawiesin po flokulacji rozdzielano przez sedymentacj. Stwierdzono, e
w zbiornikach o rednicy 0,20 i 0,30 m wydajno flokulacji bya taka sama, w zbiorniku 0,15 m za
nieco mniejsza, prawdopodobnie ze wzgldu na odmienne warunki hydrodynamiczne w rejonie miesza-
da. Maksymalny stopie flokulacji 96,4 1% uzyskano po bezwymiarowym czasie flokulacji 1582
230.

Received 7 April 2009

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