SEDIMENTATION

Forces acting on the settling particle

gravity force buoyancy force drag force

In case of floating: their sum is zero.

Fs  Ff  Fk
u2 
V  p  g  V    g  f  A 
2
where p density of particle
 density of fluid
A cross section perpendicular to the direction of motion

Rearrangement of the equation

Assuming spherical particle of diameter d, rearrange the equation, and define F(d)
and F(u) as:
p     3  d  B  d
1
4
 
1
Fd   f  Re 2 3
  g 
2
p p
 3 
1
 Re  3 u 
Fu     
u

 f  B B

Generalized settling plot

Y=F(u) against X=F(d)
Stokes: laminar region
Newton: turbulent region, rarely used because of the very high impulse
Approximation of the Newton region:
X
Y
0.44
Exact formula for the Stokes region:
X2
Y
24
Problem 1
Sandy sludge is settled in a chanel of base area 1 m  25 m. Sand density is 2800 kg/m3, water
density is 1100 kg/m3, its viscosity is 10-3 Pas.
a) What is its capacity if the diameter of smallest particle to be settled is 2·10-2 mm?
b) 40 m3/min of the same sludge is to be treated in another settler of base area 10 m2.
What diameter particles will be settled?
c) In the case of b), i.e. 40 m3/min of the same sludge, how many trays are to be applied
to settle out particles with diameter 150 m?
Solution:
A = 1 m  25 m = 25 m2
p = 2800 kg/m3
k = 1100 kg/m3
k = 10-3 Pas
dp = 2·10-2 mm = 2·10-5 m

V =?

a) What is its capacity if the diameter of smallest particle to be settled is 2·10-2 mm?
Capacity of the settler means the maximum flow rate acceptable.
First compute B.
1
  kg kg  kg  3
p     3  2800 3  1100 3  1100 3 
1
4 4
   9.81 2  
m m m  m 1
B   g    2.9 10 4
 3 2  3 s  
10 3 Pas
2
 m
 
Then, since velocity is to be calculated from known diameter, calculate F(d):
X  Fd   B  d p  2.9 104  2 105 m  0.58
1
m
This falls to Stokes regime (according to the plot), thus Y can be calculated with a
formula:
X 2 0.582
Y  Fu     0.014
24 24
u 
Fu  
B
1
10 3 Pas
0.014  2.9 10 4
Fu   B   m m
u   3.7 10 4
 kg
1100 3 s
m
Settling capacity depends on the base area and the settling velocity only.
 m m3 m3
V  A  u  25m 2  3.7 104  9.26 103  33.32
s s h

b) 40 m3/min of the same sludge is to be treated in another settler of base area 10 m2. What
diameter particles will be settled?
A’ = 10 m2

V ' = 40 m3/min

2
 Settling velocity (its minimum) can be calculated from the given capacity.

V'  A'u '
 m3
40
V' min m
u'    6.67 10 2
A' 10m 2  60 min s
h
Now unknown diameter is to computed from know velocity. B is the same as earlier
because the material is the same.
m kg
6.67 10 2 1100 3
u '
Y'  Fu '   s m  2.53
B 1
2.9 10 4 10 3 Pas
m
This value fall to the transient region, thus X' is read from the plot.
X'  Fd '  13
Fd ' 13
dp '    4.48 10 4 m  0.448mm
B 1
2.9 104
m
Thus, particles with diameter at least as large as 0.448 mm will be settled.

c) In the case of b), i.e. 40 m3/min of the same sludge, how many trays are to be applied to
settle out particles with diameter 150 m?

A’ = 10 m2

V ' = 40 m3/min
dp’’ = 150 m = 1.5·10-4 m
n=?
Velocity is to be computed from known diameter.
X' '  Fd ' '  B  d' '  2.9 104 1.5 104 m  4.35
1
m
This value fall to the transient region, thus Y'' is read from the plot.
Y' '  Fv' '  0.6
u ' '
Fv ' ' 
B
1
0.6  2.9 10 4 10 3 Pas
Fu ' 'B   m m
u' '    1.58 10 2
 1100 3
kg s
m
How many trays?

V'  n  A'u ' '
 m3
40
V' min
n   4.22
A'u ' ' 10m 2 1.58 10  2 m  60 s
s min
Thus, at least 5 trays are needed. 5 is more than 4.22 but no problem if even smaller
particles are also settled out.

3
Problem 2
After grinding of coal and mullock, a fraction of particle scale 1.2 mm to 1.5 mm have been
separated by classifying the particles with sieve.

a) What water velocity must be maintained in a siphon separator in order to separate the
two materials?
b) Due to an operation failure, smaller particles of both kinds has got to the system. What
is the minimum particle size at which the separation can be performed?

water = 0.95 mPas water = 1020 kg/m3 coal = 1200 kg/m3

mullock = 2500 kg/m3

Figure: pótvíz:water supplement, szén: coal, meddő: mullock

Solution

a) What water velocity must be maintained in a siphon separator in order to separate the two
materials?
Solution path
Velocity relations
If d1 < d2 and A < B then

Condition of separation

megengedett sebességtartomány: acceptable (feasible) range of velocity

Coal is lighter, teherfore it goes through whereas the heavier mullock settles out. Our
target is to settle out even the smallest particles of the heavy mullock and, in the same
time, to prevent even the largest particles of the lighter coal from settling out.

p,smaller   u min 
d p ,l arg er

  u min  u  u max
p,l arg er   u max 
d p ,smaller


4
Coal
Calculate Bcoal
1
  kg kg  kg  3
1200 3  1020 3  1020 3 
1
4 3 
  water  water    4  9.81 m   m m  m
Bcoal    g  coal  
3 water
2
 3 s 2

0.95 10 3 Pas
2
 
 
1
Bcoal  1.39 104
m

diameter  velocity:
X coal  Fd coal  Bcoal  d p,l arg er  1.39 104
1
1.5 103 m  20.79
m
Transient region, plot:
Ycoal  Fu coal  4.2
u 
Fu coal  min water
Bcoal  water
1
4.2 1.39 10 4  0.95 10 3 Pas
Fu coal  Bcoal  water m m
u min    0.054
 water kg
1020 3 s
m

Mullock
Calculate Bmullock .
1
  kg kg  kg  3
 2500 3  1020 3  1020 3 
1
4       
Bmullock    g  mullock 2 water water     9.81 2  
3
4 m m m  m

3 water  3 s 0.95 10 3 Pas 
2
 
 
1
Bmullock  2.8 104
m

diameter  velocity
X mullock  Fd mullock  Bmullock  d p,smaller  2.8 104
1
1.2 103 m  33.56
m
transient region, plot.
Ymullock  Fu mullock  6.5
u 
Fu mullock  max water
Bmullock  water
1
 0.95 10 3 Pas
6.5  2.8 10 4
Fu mullock  Bmullock  water
m m
u max    0.170
 water 1020 3
kg s
m
Thus, velocity of the water supplement must be kept in the range of
0.054 m/s < u < 0.170 m/s.

5
b) Due to an operation failure, smaller particles of both kinds has got to the system. What is
the minimum particle size at which the separation can be performed?

If rather small particles with diameter d0 are present then the following extreme situation
may happen:

Minimum water velocity was determined in problem a) by the settling velocity of the
larger particle of the lighter material (coal). At a velocity smaller than this minimum,
particles of the lighter material are also settled out.
Now the question is what diameter particles of the heavier material (mullock) will be
settled out at the earlier minimum velocity.
m
u  u min  0.054
s
dp,mullock = ?

Diameter is to be computed to known velocity. Bmullock is the same as earlier.

m kg
0.054 1020 3
u   water
Y'mullock  Fv 'mullock   s m  2.07
Bmullock  water 2.8 10 4 1  0.95 10 3 Pas
m

transient region, plot.

X'mullock  Fd 'mullock  10.5
Fd 'mullock 10.5
d p,mullock    3.75 104 m  0.375mm
Bmullock 4 1
2.8 10
m

Thus, settling velocity of mullock particles of diameter 0.375 mm equals the settling
velocity of the largest coal particles. If such or smaller mullock particles get in the
siphon separator then the separation becomes infeasible.

6
Problem 3

Maximum steam velociy, determined experimentally, is uN = 0.5 m/s at an evaporation

process at normal boiling point. Cross section of the vapor channel is 2 m2, and the pressure in
the evaporator is 26664 Pa.
What is the mass flow rate of the steam (water vapor) leaving the evaporator?

Material data at the given and normal pressures:

26664 Pa 101325 Pa
tbp [°C] 66.5 100
 [kg/m3] 0.1720 0.5977
 [Pas] 1.065·10-5 1.20·10-5

Water: p = water = 1000 kg/m3.

Note:
Solvent is removed from a solution in an evaporation process. Solvent vapor is removed and
more concentrated solution remains in the vessel. During the boiling and the emergence of
vapor, however, liquid droplets are also dragged by the vapor flow and carried away.

For answering the question given in the problem, we assume that the ratio of droplets of
different scales are the same in the two cases if the droplet sizes are equal.

Solution

Data:

vN = 0,5 m/s
A = 2 m2

Solution path

Acceptable droplet size carried over by the vapor are the same at the two pressures.

uN 

B
Fu  Plot
 Fd  

B
d p 
B'
Fd ' Plot
 Fu ' 
B'
u '  m'

Atmospheric (normal) pressure

Calculate B.
1
  kg kg  kg  3
1000 3  0.5977 3   0.5977 3 
1
4  3 
      4  9.81 m   m m  m 1
B   g    3.79 10 4
 3  2
 3 s 2
 
1.20 10 Pas
5

2
 m
 

7
 velocity  diameter
m kg
0.5  0.5977 3
vN  
Y  Fu    s m  0.658
B   3.79 10 4 1 1.20 10 5 Pas
m

transient region, plot.

X  Fd   4.5
Fd  4.5
dp    1.19 10 4 m
B 1
3.79 10 4
m

Thus, maximum acceptable droplet size is 1.19·10-4 m.

Lower pressure
First calculate B’.
1
  kg kg  kg 
3

 p  ' '  3  4 1000 3  0.172 3   0.172 3 

1
4 m  m m  m 1
B'    g      9.81 2    2.7110 4
 3 ' 2
 3 s  
1.065 10 Pas
5 2
 m
 
diameter  velocity
X'  Fd '  B'd p  2.71104 1.19 104 m  3.22
1
m
transient region, plot.
Y'  Fu '  0.375
u '
Fu ' 
B'
1
0.375  2.7110 4 1.065 10 5 Pas
Fu 'B'' u m m
u'    0.63
' u kg
0.172 3 s
m
Volumetric flow rate
 m m3
V'  u 'A  0.63  2m 2  1.26
s s
Mass flow rate
  m3 kg kg kg
m'  V''  1.26  0.172 3  0.216  779
s m s h

Thus, the vapor velocity must not exceed 779 kg/h. At a higher velocity larger droplets
would be carried on.

Note: Mass flow rate at atmospheric pressure is

  m kg kg kg
m  V   v N  A    0.5  2m 2  0.5977 3  0.5977  2152
s m s h

8
Problem 4
Sandy sludg is to be settled in a channel of base area 2 m  4.5 m and 2 m depth.
 p = 2800 kg/m3  = 1000 kg/m3  = 10-3 Pas

a) In case of flow rate 6 m3/min, how many trays are to be installed to settle out sand
particles larger than 50m? In what region is the settling process performed?
b) If the trays are installed as determined in problem a/ and then the flow rate is doubled
then what will be minimum diameter of the settled partices? In what region is the
settling process performed?

Data:
A = 2 m  4.5 m = 9 m2
H=2m
p = 2800 kg/m3
 = 1000 kg/m3
 = 10-3 Pas

a) In case of flow rate 6 m3/min, how many trays are to be installed to settle out sand
particles larger than 50m? In what region is the settling process performed?

V = 6 m3/min = 0.1 m3/s
dp = 50 m = 5·10-5 m
1
  kg kg  kg  3
 
p       4  9.81 m   m3
1
 2800 1000  1000
4 3
m3  m3  1
B   g    2.87 10 4
 3  2
 3 s 2
 3
10 Pas 
2
 m
 
diameter  velocity:
X  Fd   B  d p  2.87 104
1
 5 105 m  1.433
m
Stokes region, formula.
X 2 1.4332
Y  Fu     0.0856
24 24
u 
Fu  
B
1
10 3 Pas
0.0856  2.87 10 4
Fu   B   m m
u   2.46 10 3
 1000 3
kg s
m
The needed number of trays, including the bottom of the channel:

V  nAu
 m3
0.1
V s
n   4.52  5 (Only 4 trays are needed to be installed
A  u 9m 2  2.54 10 3 m
s
over the bottom of the channel.)

9
b) If the trays are installed as determined in problem a/ and then the flow rate is doubled then
what will be minimum diameter of the settled partices? In what region is the settling
process performed?

The total area is changed:

A'  n  A  5  9m2  45m2

The new flow rate:

  m3
V'  2  V  0.2
s

Settling velocity determined from the flow rate:


V'  A'u '
m3
0.2
V' s  4.44 10 3 m
u'  
A' 45m 2 s

velocity  diameter , B does not change, it depends on the materials only.

m kg
4.44 10 3 1000 3
u '
Y'  Fu '   s m  0.155
B   2.87 10 4 1 10 3 Pas
m

Stokes region, formula.

X 2 Fd '2
Y'  
24 24
Fd '  24  Y'  24  0.155  1.93

Fd ' 1,93

dp '    6.72 10 5 m  67.2m
B 1
2.87 104
m

Thus, sand particles larger than 67.2 m will be settled out.

10