Prof. José A.

Pérez

MECHANICAL SEPARATIONS
●
Separation of heterogeneous mixtures of solids particles or liquid
drops. They are based on the physical differences among size,
shape and density of the solid particles. It can separate solids or
liquid drops from gases, solids from liquids and solids from solids.
●
Mechanical separations can be classified into two main categories:
a) sizing separation and b) concentration separation.

Figure 1. Classification of mechanical separations

Sizing
separation Sedimentation
Mechanical
separations Gravity concentration Centrifugation
Concentration Magnetic separation Filtration
separations Electrostatic separation
Flotation

1
 Sizing and Concentration Separations

●
Sizing separation: screening and classification are analysed unit
operations in sizing separation processes. Screening is essentially
mechanical separations based on particles size.
●
Concentration separations: these unit operations have as chief
objective to obtain valuable solids usually minerals in more concentrate
forms.
●
Classification is the separation of solid particles founded on their terminal
velocities. It exists a remarkable influence of the specific gravity and size
range of the solids particles on the final products of the classification.
●
For example, the gravity force or centrifugal forces are generally involved
in the concentration separation process.

2
 Classification
●
In classification the medium more used is water, though other
liquids and, air or other gases may also be employed. There
are several methods to reach the separation by classification,
where the terminal velocity relies on the gravity or centrifugal
forces, the medium used, the density and size particles. The
equipments used in classification are called classifier.
Figure 2. Types of Classifiers

●
Crossflow
●
Hydraulic
●
Hydrocyclone
Classifiers ●
Cyclones
●
Spitzkasten
●
Double cone
●
Elutriators

3
 Classifiers
Figure 3. Crossflow classifier (a), hydraulic classifier (b), hydrocyclones (c) and
cyclones (d).

4
 Figure 4.

Foust A, Wenzel L, Clump C, Maus L and Andersen L. Principios de Operaciones Unitarias. 2 nd ed. Cesca. 2006. 5
 Figure 5. Double-cone and elutriators-vertical columns classifiers

Foust A, Wenzel L, Clump C, Maus L and Andersen L. Principios de Operaciones Unitarias. 2 nd ed. Cesca. 2006. 6
Sink and float method: a liquid with a density intermediate
between the densities of the heavy a light solids is used. The
heavy solids will settle and the light solids float in the
medium. In this method is independent of the size of the
particles and depends only upon the relative densities of two
materials.

Differential settling methods: the separation of two

different solids into several fractions can carry out depending
on their settling velocities. In this method both heavy and
light materials will settle in the medium, therefore a mixture
of both solids each with a range of particle size will be
obtained.

7
Differential settling methods
Consider two solid materials A (heavy) and B (light) with different
densities that settling through a medium of density ρ. The terminal
velocities for both particles A and B can be written:

4 D pA g( ρ A −ρ )
v tA =
√ 3 C DA ρ
4 D pB g( ρ B −ρ )
v tB=
√
3 C DB ρ
Notice that : ρ A > ρ B > ρ
For particles of A and B with equal settling velocities :

4 D pA g( ρ A −ρ ) 4 D pB g( ρ B −ρ )
√ 3 C DA ρ
=
√3 C DB ρ
D pA ( ρ A −ρ ) D pB ( ρ B −ρ )
=
C DA C DB
D pA ( ρ B− ρ ) C DA
( ) =
D pB ( ρ A −ρ ) C DB ( )
8
Case I. Laminar flow or Stokes' law
24 24 μ
C D= =
Re p D p ρ v t
24 μ
(
D pA (ρ B −ρ) D pA ρ v tA
=
)
D pB ( ρ A − ρ ) 24 μ
(
D pB ρ v tB )
D pA 2 (ρ B −ρ)
( )
D pB
=
( ρ A− ρ)
1/2
D pA ρ B−ρ
( ) (ρ
D pB
= −ρ
A )
Case II. Turbulent flow or Newton's law
C DA ≈C DB =constant
D pA ρ B −ρ 1
( )(
D pB
= ρ −ρ
A )
Case III. Transition flow
D pA ρ B −ρ n
( )
D pB (
= ρ −ρ
A )
1
where <n<1.0
2
1
The exponent n is and 1.0 for laminar and turbulent pattern respectively
2
9
 Figure 6. Differential settling separation
of two substances A and B
An analysis similar for D pA =D pB
2
2 ρ v tB 3 C DB ρ
v tA 3 C DA =
4 g ( ρ A −ρ ) 4 g ( ρB − ρ)
v tA ρ A −ρ n
( )v tB (
= ρ −ρ
B )
Where n=1 for laminar pattern .
1
n= for turbulent pattern
2
1
<n<1 for transition pattern
2
Geankoplis C. Transport Process and Unit
Operations. 3rd ed. Prentice Hall 1993.

In figure 6 shows two particles (A and B) with a diameter range from Dp1 to Dp4. For particle sizes of
Dp3<Dp<Dp4 the settling velocity of the particles of A (heavy) are faster than any particles of B (light),
therefore a fraction of A pure into this diameter range can be obtained in the bottom of settler (underflow),
and a mixture of A and B float (overflow) with sizes of Dp1<Dp<Dp3 for A and Dp1<Dp<Dp4 for B. In this
overflow, the light and heavy substances settle with same terminal velocity in their diameter ranges
specified for them. When the diameter range is between Dp1 and Dp2 the light substance (B) has a slower
settling velocity than the heavy particles (A), then it is possible a complete separation of B with following
diameter Dp1<Dp<Dp2. In this new underflow there is B pure and the another underflow is a mixture of A
(Dp1<Dp<Dp3) and B (Dp2<Dp<Dp4).
10
 Figure 7. Feature of the differential settling

Slurry in Slurry out

A pure

v t 1= v w 1 v t 2 =v w 2

B pure

Coarse Intermediate Fine

particles particles particles

A binary mixture of solids A and B

v tB|D =v tA|D =v t 1
pB 4 pA 3

For A : D p > D pA 3 will sink , a fraction of pure B is obtanined ( D pA 3 < D p < D pA 4 )

For B : all particles will float . D pB 1 < D p < D pB 4

v tB|D =v tA|D =v t 2
pB 2 pA 1

For A : D pA 1 < D p < D pA 3 and for B : D pB 2 < D p < D pB 4 will sink , a mixture of A and Bis obtained .
For A :all particles will D p < D pB 2 will float and a fraction of A pure is obtained .
11
 References

Foust A, Wenzel L, Clump C, Maus L and Andersen L. Principios de

Operaciones Unitarias. 2nd ed. Cesca. 2006.

Geankoplis C. Transport Process and Unit Operations. 3rd ed. Prentice Hall
1993.

McCabe W, Smith J and Harriot P. Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering. 5th

ed. McGraw Hill. 1993.

12