Practice Exercises

9. An initial suspension of 15% by volume spherical particles in water, having an

equivalent surface-volume diameter of 1.6 mm, is allowed to settle in a large
basin until complete sedimentation is achieved. Analysis of the sediment showed
that it contains 10% water by volume. The density of the particle, as measured
using volume-displacement method, is 2385 kg/m3. The density and viscosity of
water can be taken as 1000 kg/m3 and 0.001 Pa s, respectively.

(a) Determine the type of settling that occurred.

(b) What is the velocity of the layer with 15% solid by volume
Solution:
Terminal velocity
Assume Intermediate Region is valid.
Calculating the drag coefficient,
24
𝐶𝐷 = ( ) (1 + 0.14𝑅𝑒 0.70)
𝑅𝑒
Substituting the formula for Reynold’s number,
0.7
24𝜇 𝜌𝑓 𝑑𝑝 𝑢𝑇0
𝐶𝐷 = ( ) [1 + 0.14 ( ) ]
𝜌𝑓 𝑑𝑝 𝑢𝑇0 𝜇

The terminal velocity for a sphere is given by

4𝑔𝑑𝑝 (𝜌𝑝 − 𝜌𝑓 )
𝑢𝑇0 = √
3𝜌𝑓 𝐶𝐷

Substituting the drag coefficient,

4𝑔𝑑𝑝 (𝜌𝑝 − 𝜌𝑓 )
𝑢𝑇0 =
√ 24𝜇 𝜌𝑓 𝑑𝑝 𝑢𝑇0 0.7
3𝜌𝑓 (𝜌 𝑑 𝑢 ) [1 + 0.14 ( ) ]
𝑓 𝑝 𝑇0 𝜇

Substituting the given and solving for 𝑢𝑇0 ,

𝑢𝑇0 = 0.21 𝑚/𝑠

Solving the Reynold’s number,
 𝜌𝑓 𝑑𝑝 𝑢𝑇0
𝑅𝑒 = = 335.72
𝜇
Since it is within the range of intermediate region, the assumption is valid. Thus,
𝑢𝑇0 = 0.21 𝑚/𝑠. For the hindered settling coefficient, n, can be determined by
using figure 6-58, page 6-53 of the Handbook. At Re = 335.72, n = 2.7.
Approximately, the value of n can be calculated by using the equation given by
Khan and Richardson (1989) for the entire range of Reynold’s number.

4.8 − 𝑛 0.57 [1
𝑑𝑝 0.27
= 0.043𝐴𝑟 − 2.4 ( ) ]
𝑛 − 2.4 𝐷
3 𝜌 (𝜌 −𝜌 )𝑔
𝑑𝑝 𝑓 𝑝 𝑓
where Ar is the Archimedes number (𝐴𝑟 = ); D is the diameter of the
𝜇2
vessel. If the diameter of the vessel is not given, it can be assumed that the
𝑥
diameter of the vessel is far larger than the particle. Thus, 𝐷 ≈ 0. Using the
equation, the value of n is 2.505, which is 7.2% off from the value obtained from
the graph.
The volumetric settling flux can then be written as

𝑈𝑝𝑠 = 0.21𝐶 (1 − 𝐶 )2.7

(a) Determine the type of settling that occurred.
The type of settling can be determined by comparing the initial concentration
with CB1 and CB2. CB1 and CB2 are determined as follows:

𝑈𝑝𝑠 = 0.21𝐶 (1 − 𝐶 )2.7

𝑑𝑈𝑝𝑠
= 𝑚𝑡 = 0.21𝐶 (2.7)(1 − 𝐶 )1.7 (−1) + (1 − 𝐶 )2.7(0.21)
𝑑𝐶
𝑚𝑡 = 0.21(1 − 𝐶 )1.7(1 − 3.7𝐶)

(𝐶𝐵2 , 𝑈𝑝𝑠,𝐵2 ) and (𝐶𝑠 , 0)

𝑦 − 𝑦1 = 𝑚(𝑥 − 𝑥1 )
𝑈𝑝𝑠 = [0.21(1 − 𝐶 )1.7 (1 − 3.7𝐶)](𝐶 − 𝐶𝑠 )

𝑈𝑝𝑠 = 0.21𝐶 (1 − 𝐶 )2.7

At the point of tangency, 𝑈𝑝𝑠𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑣𝑒 = 𝑈𝑝𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑡

0.21𝐶 (1 − 𝐶 )2.7 = [0.21(1 − 𝐶 )1.7(1 − 3.7𝐶)](𝐶 − 0.9)

𝐶𝐵2 = 0.833

𝑚𝑡 = 0.21(1 − 𝐶𝐵2 )1.7(1 − 3.7𝐶𝐵2 )

𝑚𝑡 = −0.0208

At the CB1, 𝑈𝑝𝑠𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑣𝑒 = 𝑈𝑝𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑡

0.21𝐶 (1 − 𝐶 )2.7 = −0.0208(𝐶𝐵1 − 0.9)

𝐶𝐵1 = 0.1065

CB1 <Initial concentration = 0.15 < CB2, type 2 settling

(b) What is the velocity of the layer with 15% solid by volume
The velocity of the layer with 15% solid is just the tangent line to the curve at C = 0.15.
𝑑𝑈𝑝𝑠
Thus, this also corresponds to the derivative, at C = 0.15.
𝑑𝐶

𝑑𝑈𝑝𝑠
𝑢𝑇@15% = = 0.21(1 − 0.15)1.7 [1 − 3.7(0.15)] = 0.071 𝑚/𝑠
𝑑𝐶

If the value of n is determined using the equation of Khan and Richardson (1989), note
CB1 and CB2 will be calculated as
𝐶𝐵1 = 0.1598; 𝐶𝐵2 = 0.8224
The type of settling is Type 1 since the initial suspension concentration is less than C B1.
Also, the velocity of the layer with 15% solid is 0.078 m/s.
Since the equation of Khan and Richardson (1989) is a correlation, it is less accurate
than the graph given in the Handbook. Thus, as much as possible use the graph in the
handbook.