Any design for solids suspension, distribution or continuous withdrawal must inevitably be a compromise.

Propellers, hydrofoils (or 45 ~ angle blade turbines) offer advantages in that less power is required to completely suspend the particles than in other systems and the addition of a draught-tube reduces it further, lso-kinetic withdrawal (or at least co-linear withdrawal) is also made much easier. If, as a further complexity, a contoured-bottom is introduced, lower power still is required and scale-up should be simplified. The physical property parameter causing the most difficulty in achieving particle suspension is density difference. Though a number of correlations have been put forward for calculating the agitator speed required to achieve complete suspension, on balance that proposed by Zwietering in 1958 is still recommended. This is because it covers the widest range of variables, is dimensionally consistent and the dependencey of Njs on physical properties and geometry are generally very similar to those reported by other workers. Nearly all workers who have measured the specific power on different scales have shown it to fall. However, the precise relationship has not been established. Recent experimental work suggests and one manufacturer recommends. (~)Js ~ (scale-factor)- o.z s Clearly, the old rule of constant power/unit volume is conservative. In a threephase system, upward pumping agitators are preferred except at very low gassing rates. In this case, least power is required if these are high solidity ratio hydrofoils of relatively large D/T ratio and with a clearance of ~ off the vessel base (particularly if flat-bottomed). A simple one-dimensional diffusion sedimentation model works quite well for solids distribution. This model shows that large settling velocity solids at high concentration are much more difficult to homogenize than those with a low settling velocity at low concentration. Experimental data fit this model quite well and probably help explain the old rule of thumb, 'solids with a settling velocity less than 5 mm/s represent an easy suspension problem and if greater than 30 mm/s, a difficult one 'z4.