CL 333 Chemical Engineering Lab-2 [2019]

Experiment Number FM 302

Title Batch Settling of Solid Slurries

Sub-group Code A8b

Date of Experiment 29/08/19

Date of Report Submission 09/09/19

Roll Number Name Responsibility owned

(data, analysis, plots, report, none)

170020024 Sachit Shanbhag Data,Discussion,Sources of error,Plots

170020030 Manish Hasmukh Mehta Observations,Calculations,Plots

170020036 Kapil Mandavkar Aim,Theory,Procedure,Formula,Hypothesis

170020083 Abhinav Mahawar Calculations,Error analysis,Result

(For use by examiners only)

Criterion Faculty assigned marks

Calculations [35]

Graphical plots [20]

Hypothesis testing [35]

Report quality [10]

Initials with date

R&P TA initials with date

 BATCH SETTLING OF SOLID SLURRIES

Aim

● Vertical Cylinders: Obtain the batch settling data for the given calcium carbonate
slurry (i.e. the settling rate versus concentration of slurry), and demarcate the
different settling regimes. (‘free settling’ and ‘hindered settling’)
● Titled Vessels: Obtain the batch settling data in the free settling regime for
different angles. Observe the flow patterns during the settling.

Theory and Formula

1. Vertical Cylinders:
Depending on the concentration of the slurry, two regimes of settling are
possible, free settling and hindered settling.

In free settling, each particle is unaffected by the motion of the neighboring ones
and its terminal velocity is given by

1/2
U​t​ = ((4g (⍴​p -​ ⍴) D​p​) / 3C​D ⍴)​
​

​ Where,
⍴​p​ and ⍴ are the densities of particle and the suspended medium respectively
D​p​ is the diameter of the particle
C​D is
​ the drag coefficient

In the hindered settling regime due to particle-particle interactions and updraft of

liquid, the velocity of individual particles is considerably smaller. The settling
velocity (U​0​) may be estimated by an empirical equation of the form.

n
U​0 =
​ U​t 𝜀​
​

Where,
𝜀 is the volume fraction unit of the fluid
 n is a constant

Plot settling velocity i.e. U​s​ = -(dh/dt) versus concentration

and hence find the concentration where free settling regime changes to hindered
settling

Assuming that the concentration is nearly uniform over the cylinder, the concentration at
any time is given by

​C = (C​0​h​0​)​ /​ h

where C0 is the initial concentration and h0 is the initial height of the

suspension-clear liquid interface

If the acceleration of the particles during the start of their fall is neglected,
the rate of change of height is simply given by

​dh/dt = -U​t

Find the equivalent diameter of the particles. Using the equivalent diameter found by
this method, calculate the exponent ‘n’ in the empirical equation for hindered settling

2. Tilted Vessels:
The theory for an increased rate of settling for inclined cylinders was proposed by
Ponder-Nakamura and Kuroda (PNK) based on the increased projected area
available for settling. The Volumetric rate of increase if the clear fluid (S)
according to the PNK theory is given by

​ S= U​t W
​ (b secθ + H tanθ)

Where
 W = width of the cylinder. See the below figure for the definition of θ, b, H.

If δ (below figure) is small, the rate of change of height with time is given by

​dH/dt = -U​t​ (1 + (H/b)sinθ)

Compare your data with the above expression.

δ is the distance travelled by suspension in time dt.

Procedure
1. Vertical Cylinder:
● Initially, write down the concentration of slurry in each cylinder
● Mix the solution with a given rod till 5 to 10 minute so that slurry should be
uniform throughout the cylinder
● Just after that start the stopwatch and take the readings of suspension height at
every minute including at 0th minute until the constant height is obtained
● Do the same for the second cylinder simultaneously

2. Tilted Vessels:
● Initially, write down the of concentration in each vessel and the inclined angle
● Mix it properly with a given rod for 5 to 10 min so that slurry should be uniform
throughout the vessel
● Just after that start the stopwatch and take the readings of suspension height at
every minute including 0th minute until the constant height is obtained
● Repeat the above procedure of tilted vessel for angle greater(by 10°) than the
previous one
● Do the same for the second vessel simultaneously
● Data Sheet
●
Graph
Observations
● The height of the suspension was decreasing therefore the slope of
the best fit line comes out to be negative
● Time taken by suspension of particles for settling in inclined cylinders
was less than that of vertical cylinders
 ● In vertical cylinders with different concentrations, we noted two
regimes i.e. free settling and hindered settling
● The average diameter of the particle obtained is 1​ .795 x 10−5 m​ ​and
stokes law is found to be valid
● The average value of dh/dt is higher in case of lower concentration in
vertical cylinder, and it is found higher in case of larger angle in tilted
cylinder

Error Analysis
Least count of measuring cylinder = 1mm
Least count of stopwatch = 1sec =1/60 min = 1.67 x 10−2 m
Derived Data

To get vertical height of the cylinder(25g/L) we use the formulae

us = dh dt
us is velocity of the falling particles.
 h ​is height of the cylinder.
● us can be calculated by the slope of the best fit line in h vs t graph.
● Equation of best-fit line = -20.2500x + 424.2833
Hence us is = 20.25 mm/min = 20.25/60 mm/sec = 0.3375 mm/sec
● To calculate concentration at every points we use conservation of mass-
By conservation of mass,
C h Ac = Co ho Ac
where
Co is the initial concentration of slurry
Ho is the initial height of the interface
H is the height of interface at time t
Ac is the cross-section area of the cylinder

Time Vertical Cylinder Tilted Cylinder

(in min)
C=25 C=37.5 C=25 (gm/L) C=37.5 (gm/L)
(gm/L) (gm/L) 20 degree

10 20 10 20
degree degree degree degree

0 25.00 37.5 25 25 37.5 37.5

1 25.81 38.05693 26.27119 27.32919 41.22807 38.85542

2 26.95 38.92405 28.18182 30.34483 42.46988 42.15686

3 28.28 42.70833 31.63265 33.58779 45.48387 46.73913

4 29.24 46.59091 35.76923 39.63964 48.62069 51.19048

5 32.06 61.5 40.78947 45.36082 53.00752 57.07965

6 33.96 73.21429 44.28571 58.66667 57.31707 63.86139

7 35.85 86.3764 62 80 62.38938 72.47191

8 38.67 88.36207 86.11111 110 68.4466 81.64557

9 40.17 89.91228 122.3684 162.963 76.63043 90.84507

10 47.36 91.51786 132.8571 183.3333 83.92857 99.23077

11 51.11 92.62048 150 200 91.55844 107.5

12 59.00 94.32515 160.3448 231.5789 99.29577 115.1786

13 67.92 95.49689 166.07 244.44 105.2239 121.6981

14 74.28 96.69811 178.8462 275 111.9048 129

15 76.48 99.83766 193.75 314.2857 117.5 134.375

16 78.81 101.1513 202.1739 366.6667 121.5517 143.3333

17 80.03 102.5 221.4286 400 128.1818 150

18 81.94 103.8851 - - 133.0189 161.25

19 83.26 105.3082 - - 138.2353 169.7368

20 84.63 106.7708 - - 143.8776 179.1667

21 86.76 108.2746 - - - -

22 87.50 109.8214 - - - -

23 89.70 111.413 - - - -

24 92.18 113.0515 - - - -

25 93.86 114.7388 - - - -

26 95.60 116.4773 - - - -

27 97.04 117.3664 - - - -

28 99.27 119.186 - - - -

29 101.22 121.063 - - - -

30 104.29 123 - - - -
 31 105.35 123.9919 - - - -

32 107.55 126.0246 - - - -

33 109.84 127.0661 - - - -

34 112.22 129.2017 - - - -

● To calculate the Diameter of the particle

Where
μ=8.9 * 10−4 gm/(mm-s)
ut = us = 0.3375 mm/s
g=981cm/ s2   
ρp =2.71 g​ / cm3
ρ = 1​g/ cm3
Dp = 1.795 x 10−5 m

● The settling velocity in the hindered region

 Calculating ε for time t=1min and initial conc. 37.5gm/L
C= 37.5* 410/ 409
= 38.05
ε = 1 - 38.05/2710
= 0.985
Now,​ us = ut ε
n
Taking log on both sides
log( us ) = log( ut ) + nlog(ε)
Fitting it in a straight line using linear regression, we obtain
y=35.764x + 2.1873

Where y= log( us )
x= log(ε)
Thus the slope of the line = n = 35.764

● Calculation for Tilted Vessel (37.5gm/L and 20 degrees)

From the PNK theory

dH H
dt = us (1+ b Sin Θ )
Where
b = width of the vessel
Θ = angle of the tilt
us = settling velocity
H = vertical Height
The actual height we measured is slant height
H = hCos Θ
Where ‘h’ is slant height.

Now for t=1min and H = 166(Cos20)

Solving Differential Equation we get-
ln(1+ Hb Sin Θ ) = - us Sin Θ
b t+c
Slope between ​ln(1+ Hb Sin Θ ) and t w
​ ill give ​ - us Sinb Θ
slope = − us Sinb Θ = -0.0268
us = -(slope)* b/Sin20
= -(-0.0157)*100/sin(20)
= 7.843 mm/min

● Calculation of Reynolds Number

For concentration = 25g/L in vertical cylinder
Re= ⍴ ut Dp / μ
= 1000*0.3375* 0.001* 1.795 × 10−5 /0.001
= 0.00605
Since Re<<1 ,stokes law is valid in the free settling region

For concentration = 37.5g/L in vertical cylinder

Re= ⍴ ut Dp / μ
= 1000*0.6158* 0.001* 2.425 × 10−5 /0.001
= 0.0149
Since Re<<1 ,stokes law is valid in the free settling region

Concentration(in g/L) Terminal Velocity(in mm/s) Diameter of particle(in m)

25 0.3375 1.795 × 10−5

37.5 0.6158 2.425 × 10−5

Concentration Angle Slope Settling velocity

( in g/L) ( in degrees) ( in min−1 ) ( in mm/s)

25 10 -0.0242 0.2321

25 20 -0.0418 0.2037

37.5 10 -0.0139 0.1332

 37.5 20 -0.0268 0.1307

Discussion
● What is the relation between n and Re?
n is a function of Re, since it depends on properties like v,rho, D and myu. As n
increases Re decreases, as shown by this graph:

● What is the general formula of F​D​?

F​D​ = ​C​D​* A​p​*(0.5*⍴* v​2​)
A​p​= Area of projection of solid in the direction of flow and C​D​=Drag coefficient

For a sphere, This turns out to be 6πղrv.

● What is δ in this problem?

δ is the distance travelled by suspension in time dt.

Sources of error

● Least count of angle of inclination, height scale, stopwatch.

● Human error in measuring of height using laser, time
● Turbulence in the tank initially due to fast mixing
● Random error: Formation of Eddys
Hypothesis

● Assumption of the particles to be approx spheres

● U​s​= U​t​ * ε​n
● Uniform concentration in the region
● n value is coming out to be very large
● Settling velocity in vertical cylinder is not same for both concentrations

Results and Conclusion

Hence we notice this:

Concentration(in g/L) Terminal Velocity(in mm/s) Diameter of particle(in m)

25 0.3375 1.795 × 10−5

37.5 0.6158 2.425 × 10−5

We find the properties of CaCO3