Experiment No.

11
SEDIMENTATION
1. Objective:
To determine the effect of initial concentration and initial height on sedimentation characteristics.
2. Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs):
The students shall be able to:
2.1 understand the different types of sedimentation.
2.2 determine the settling velocity and the solid concentration in a batch settling test.
3. Discussion:
When a dilute slurry is settled by gravity into a clear fluid and a slurry of higher solids concentration, the process
is called sedimentation or sometimes thickening. To illustrate the method for determining the settling velocities and
the mechanisms of settling, a batch settling test is carried out by placing a uniform concentration of the slurry in a
graduated cylinder. At the start, as shown in Figure 11.1-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 Fig.11.1-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 zone B to that in zone D. After further
settling, zones B and C disappear as shown in Fig. 11.1-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.

Fig. 11.1 Batch sedimentation results: (a) original uniform suspension, (b) zones of settling after a given time,
(c) compression of zone D after zones B and C disappears, (d) clear liquid interface height z versus time of settling.

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In Fig. 11.1-4d the height z of the clear-liquid interface is plotted versus time. As shown, the velocity of settling,
which is at slope of the line, is constant at first. The crtitical point is shown at point C. Since sludges vary greatly in
their settling rate, experimental rates of each sludge are necessary.
The settling velocity v is determined by drawing a tangent to the curve in Fig. 11.1-d at a a given time t1, with
slope dz/dt = v1. At this point the height is z1, and zi is the intercept of the tangent of the curve. Then,
v1 = (z1 - zi) / t
The concentration c1 is, therefore, the average concentration of the suspension if zi is the height of the slurry.
This is calculated by
c1zi = cozo or c1 = (zo / zi) co
where co is the original slurry concentration in kg/m3 at zo height and t = 0. This is repeated for other times, and plot
of settling velocity versus concentration is made.
4. Resources:
Apparatus: 4 - 250 ml Garduated Cylinder
Stopwatch
Analytical Balance
Spatula
Watch Glass
Stirring Rod
Ruler

Materials: Calcium Carbonate

5. Procedure:
I.

Effect of Initial Concentration on Sedimentation

1. Place 100 ml of water separately in each four 250 ml graduated cylinder. Add 3g, 5g, 8g, and 10g
calcium carbonate simultaneously in each graduated cylinder. Stir the resulting mixture
2. Observe the interface developed after 15 min; 30 min; 45 min; and 60 min. measure and record
what happen to the rise of sludge interface at the base of the cylinder at these convinient time
intervals.
3. Allow the mixture to attain ultimate height and composition readings.
4. Tabulate the attained data and plot the height of suspended solids against time. Determine the
settling velocity, and compute for the solid concentration.

II.

Effect of Initial Height on Sedimentation Characteristics

1. Prepare a 10% concentration by weight of calcium carbonate of about 200-ml solution. stir the
solution.
2. Place the solution into four separate graduated cylinders with different initial heights.
3. Repeat procedure 2 to procedure 4 from Procedure I.

125

6. Data and Results:

Course:
Group No:
Group Members:

Experiment No:
Section:
Date Performed:
Date Submitted:
Instructor:

Effect of Initial Concentration on Sedimentation

Height of interface, cm
3g CaCO3

Time, min
0
15
30
45
60
Settling velocity:
Solid concentration:

____________________________________
____________________________________
Height of interface, cm
5g CaCO3

Time, min
0
15
30
45
60
Settling velocity:
Solid concentration:

____________________________________
____________________________________
Height of interface, cm
8g CaCO3

Time, min
0
15
30
45
60
Settling velocity:
Solid concentration:

____________________________________
____________________________________

126

Height of interface, cm
10g CaCO3

Time, min
0
15
30
45
60
Settling velocity:
Solid concentration:

____________________________________
____________________________________

Effect of Initial Height on Sedimentation Characteristics

Time, min

z, cm

0
15
30
45
60
Settling velocity:
Solid concentration:

____________________________________
____________________________________

Time, min

z, cm

0
15
30
45
60
Settling velocity:
Solid concentration:

____________________________________
____________________________________

127

Time, min

z, cm

0
15
30
45
60
Settling velocity:
Solid concentration:

____________________________________
____________________________________

Time, min

z, cm

0
15
30
45
60
Settling velocity:
Solid concentration:

____________________________________
____________________________________

7. Calculations:

128

129

8. Conclusion:

130

9. Questions/Problems:
1. Differentiate batch and continuous sediementation.
2. What is free settling?
3. What is hindered settling?
4. Determine the terminal seetling velocity of dust particles having a diameter of 60 microns at 294.3 K and
101.32 kPa. The dust particles can be considered spherical with a density of 1280 kg/m 3. For air: =
0.01828 x10-3 Pa-s and = 1.202 kg/m3.
5. A gravity settling tank is to be used to clean waste water from an oil refinery. The waste water contains 1%
oil volume as small droplets ranging in size from 100 to 1000 microns which will be removed from the
water before the latter is to be discharged into the river. The tank is rectangular section 2 ft wide by 4 ft
deepwith provisions for smooth continuous discharge of clean water and skimming off of oil at the surface
of the discharge end. If 10000 gal/min of waste water is to be cleaned of oil droplets, specific gravity of oil
is 0.87, calculate the length of the settling tank.
6. A laboratory test on a suspension of a solid in a liquid gave the following information:
Original height of sludge before settling
10 in.
Free settling rate
0.10 in./min
Height of sludge at the end of free-settling period
6.5 in.
Height of the sludge at the end of 120 minutes
4 in.
Height of sludge when settled completely
1.5 in.
One thousand cubic feet of similar sludge is to be settled in a vertical cylindrical tank, the diameter of
which is equal to the depth of the liquid suspension in it. What is the time it would take for the solid to
settle to a height of 20% of the original height of the sludge?
10. Answers:

131

11. Further Readings:

Cao, E. (2010). Heat transfer in process engineering. Boston: McGraw-Hill Professional.
Cengel,Y.A. and Ghajar, A.J. (2011). Heat and mass transfer: fundamentals and applications (4th ed.). New York:
McGraw-Hill.
Hellemans, M. (2009). The safety relief valve handbook: design and use of process safety valves to ASME.
Massachusetts: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Kakac,S., Liu, H., and Pramuanjaroenkij, A. (2012). Heat exchangers: selection, rating and thermal design. Boca
Raton, Florida: CRC Press.
Kothandaraman, C.P. and Rudramoorthy, R.(2011). Fluid mechanics and machinery (3rd ed.). United Kingdom:
New Academic Science.
Strathmann, H. (2011). Introduction to membrane science and technology. Germany: Wiley-VCH Verlag & Co.

132

12. Assessment (Rubric for Laboratory Performance):

BEGINNER
1

CRITERIA

ACCEPTABLE
2

PROFICIENT
3

I. Laboratory Skills
Manipulative
Skills

Members do not
demonstrate needed
skills.

Experimental
Set-up

Members are unable to

set-up the materials.

Process Skills

Members do not
demonstrate targeted
process skills.

Safety
Precautions

Members do not follow

safety precautions.

Members occasionally
demonstrate needed
skills.
Members are able to
set-up the materials with
supervision.
Members occasionally
demonstrate targeted
process skills.
Members follow safety
precautions most of the
time.

Members always
demonstrate needed
skills.
Members are able to
set-up the material with
minimum supervision.
Members always
demonstrate targeted
process skills.
Members follow safety
precautions at all times.

II. Work Habits

Time
Members do not finish
Management /
on time with incomplete
Conduct of
data.
Experiment
Members do not know
their tasks and have no
Cooperative
defined responsibilities.
and Teamwork Group conflicts have to
be settled by the
teacher.
Neatness and
Orderliness
Ability to do
independent
work

Members finish on time

with incomplete data.

Members have defined

responsibilities most of
the time. Group conflicts
are cooperatively
managed most of the
time.
Clean and orderly
workplace with
Messy workplace during
occasional mess during
and after the experiment.
and after the
experiment.
Members require
Members require
supervision by the
occasional supervision
teacher.
by the teacher.

Members finish ahead of

time with complete data
and time to revise data.
Members are on tasks
and have defined
responsibilities at all
times. Group conflicts
are cooperatively
managed at all times.
Clean and orderly
workplace at all times
during and after the
experiment.
Members do not need to
be supervised by the
teacher.

Other Comments / Observations:

TOTAL SCORE
RATING
100%

133

TotalScore
) x
24

SCORE