Vaal University of Technology

Faculty of Engineering and Technology

Department of Metallurgical Engineering

Sedimentation
Mineral processing 3
Group 4

Complied by : Kg Matshitse 217230245

: P Shikwambana 217238076
: NP Langa 217229654
: LA Mphelo 217237938

Complied for : Mr Jeli

Date : 05/06/2021
DECLARATION

We group 4 hereby declare that all the below information is correct and accurate. We
solemnly declare that all the information furnished in this document is free of errors to
the best of our knowledge. We hereby declare that all the information contained in this
document is in accordance with facts or truths to our knowledge

Date: 2021/06/18

: Kg Matshitse 217230245

: P Shikwambana 217238076

: NP Langa 217229654

:LA Mphelo 217237938

ABSTRACT

Sedimentation is the process of letting suspended material settle by gravity.

Sedimentation of suspension is usually done in a jar/ cylindrical container as it was
done in this experiment. During the test, a suspension is allowed to settle and the height
of the clear liquid (water) suspension interface is measured as a function of the settling
time. The suspension used in this experiment is a very fine sand particles. The
sedimentation test with a flocculent suspension of sand particles the fundamentals for
the design of settling tank can be found. For this purpose the chances of particles
concentration in time and with depth should be measured. At a fixed time intervals
samples are taken for the suspension at different depths. the settling rates are done at
20g,40g ,60g. it was found that the settling rate at 20g is faster than the others. the time
interval used is 3,6,9,12,15.

This test is done in a transparent pipe and as the sand is poured into the pipe then
shaken, we mark by a marker outside the pipe as the settling of particles happens. The
particles are observed to settle in any several quite different way dependent on their
concentration and tendency to cohere. The different models of sedimentation make
different depth on the size and shapes of the settling tank and different test procedures
are used for evaluating them( Fitch and Stevenson .196 ).In a more concentrated
suspension like 60g, the particles are closer together and they take time to settle. When
looking at the settlings behavior, the interval height can be plotted against time. The
sedimentation process is used to reduce particle concentration in the water.
Contents
ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................................... 3

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 5

LITERATURE REVIEW .................................................................................................................. 6

Factors affection sedimentation .................................................................................................. 6

Characteristics types o sedimantation (fitch 1958)..................................................................... 6

Types of sedimentation tanks ..................................................................................................... 7

Types of sedimentation ............................................................................................................... 7

METHODOLOGY.......................................................................................................................... 11

DISCUSSIONS .......................................................................................................................... 12

CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................. 14

RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................................. 15
INTRODUCTION
Sedimentation is a process where a physical separation of small particles or sediment in
water it uses gravity to remove the suspended solids, further this process takes place
when the water settles as the gravity will pull the heavier down in a water treatment
known as sludge, as the sediment settle the thicker ones are known as consolidation.
Sedimentation in water treatment can be used to reduce the particle concentration
suspended before the application of coagulation. In order for the coagulation to take
place there are chemicals are required. The chemicals used for the coagulation and
flocculation process are known as aluminum coagulants and iron coagulants, for the
aluminum these can include aluminum sulfate, Aluminum Chloride and sodium
aluminates, iron coagulants include ferric sulfate, ferrous sulfate, ferric chloride, ferric
chloride sulfate and other types include the hydrated lime and magnesium carbonate.

In mineral processing sedimentation can also be called thickening, sedimentation

compared to filtration, it offers the advantage of low operational cost, but its biggest
disadvantage is that it leaves a high moisture content in the pulp. Thickening Of finely
grained pulps is often aids by using flocculation agents. Sedimentation can be used
where particles is being reduced from the concentration of water. Also the advantage
sedimentation is that is minimizes the need for coagulation and flocculation. Further
sedimentation is used again after coagulation and this increases the effectiveness of
ongoing Filtration in the Process. And although sedimentation is accepted process in
the water treatment industry, sedimentation is still a theoretical process. And this can
vary depending upon the particle concentration. The more the concentration increases
the more the hindrances to settling and additionally Support will be needed to aid the
process
LITERATURE REVIEW

Sedimentation is the process of separating small particles and sediments in water. This
process happens naturally when water is still because gravity will pull the heavier
sediments down to for a sludge layer. The sedimentation advantage of sedimentation is
that it minimizes the need for coagulation and flocculation. Typically, chemicals are
needed for coagulation and flocculation, but need improved sedimentation controls the
need for additional chemicals. Sedimentation is used to remove solids form water with
high sedimentation content/ turbidity. The process of plain sedimentation is easy to
prepare and requires a minimum of material and skills and requires a minimum material
and skills. It is very time consuming and requires considerable large chambers or basins
to operate effectively.

Factors affection sedimentation

• Particle size – the size and type of particles to be removed have a significant
effect on the operation of the sedimentation tank. Because of their density, sand
can be removed very easily. Small particles that stay in suspension make the
water seem cloudy, will not settle until the material is coagulated and flocculated
by the addition of chemical, such as iron salt.
• Water Temperature – Another factor to consider in the operation of a
sedimentation basin is the temperature of the water. Hence the temperature
decreases, the rate of settling becomes slower. The results as the water cools
the detention time in the sedimentation tanks must increase.
• Current - Density currents caused by the weight the solids in the tank, the
concentration of solids and temperature of the water of the water in the tank

Characteristics types of sedimentation (fitch 1958)

• Class-I- Clarification or Discrete settling
• Lass-II-Clarification or Flocculant settling
• Zone settling
 • Compressing settling

Types of sedimentation tanks

• Horizontal flow tanks

• Radial flow tanks
• Inclined settling
• Ballasted sedimentation
• Floc blanket sedimentation

Types of sedimentation

Plain sedimentation

Preliminary sedimentation, for instances when the water is suspended impurities of

large size, and it is economically to remove them. These impurities suspended make
the water- turbid. Plain sedimentation is a process where suspended materials are
removed from water by means of keeping it in inactive tanks.by doing so the suspended
matter settle down at the bottom due to force of gravity.

Plain sedimentation may have the following advantages

• In the subsequent process it lightens the load

• Because plain sedimentation provides less variable quality of water the operation
of subsequent processes can be controlled better.
• Reduced costs of cleaning the chemical coagulation basins.
• There’s no loss in chemical with sludge discharge from the plain settling basin
Figure 1 sedimentation tank

Sedimentation with coagulation

Coagulation is a process where there is addition of iron and aluminum salts, such as
aluminum sulphate, ferrite sulphate, ferric chloride or polymers, to water. Containing a
positive charge the chemicals are known coagulants, and this charge neutralizes the
dissolved and suspended particles in water. The binding of the particles is known as
coagulation. There are large particles also known as floc are heavy and quickly settle to
the bottom of the water supply this is called sedimentation

Figure 2sedimentation

Types of sedimentation

Discrete settling
Discrete settling, settling of discrete particles also known as Class-I clarification. The
aforementioned process removes the discrete particles in a very low concentration with
no interference from nearby particles. If it so happens that the concentration of the
solution is lower than 500mg/l total suspended solids , therefore this type of
sedimentation can be called discrete. In this type of settling the particles settle as
individual entities, whereby no interactions with occur with neighboring particles. Upon
contact with each other discrete particles have a tendency to flocculate or coalesce and
hence they do not change their size, shape or mass during settling. On the other hand
discrete settling refers sedimentation where low solid concentrated particles are
suspended.

Flocculent settling

Settling of flocculent particles, also known as Class-II clarification.in the process of

flocculent settling the particles flocculate and coalesce during settling. Particles increase
on mass and settle in faster rates due to flocculation and coalesce. Further in this type
of sedimentation process the particles are in dilute suspension with concentrates that
are less than 1000mg/l. in the tanks horizontally orientated the particles may not abide
to the diagonal line rather settle faster as they grow. As they grow the velocity at which
they settle also increases if a greater depth with longer retention time. The flocculent
rate depends on the contact opportunities which are affected by the surface overflow
rate, the depth of the basin, the concentration of the particles.

Zone settling

Hindered or zone settling this type of sedimentation process when the concentration of
the previous process particles are in intermediate range, they are closely packed so the
inter-particles forces are sufficient to hinder the settling of neighboring particles hence
hindered settling. Further the concentration particles in a suspension is increased, to a
point where the particles are close that they no longer independent on the settling of
individual particles.

Compression settling
This sedimentation this is where the settling particles contact each other and rise as
soon as they reach the bottom of the sedimentation tank at very high particle
concentration. Settling further will occur in an adjacent matrix as sedimentation rate
decreasing. Further this type the concentration of the particles is so high that they are in
physical contact with each other due to that a structure with lower layers are formed
and support the upper layers,
METHODOLOGY

1. Apparatus
▪ 3×1000mL weighing cylinder
▪ Stopwatch
▪ Distilled water
▪ Beach sand
▪ Weighing balance
2. Experimental Procedures
▪ Weigh 20g, 40g, and 60g of beach sand
▪ Fill the 3 cylinders with 1000ml of distilled water carefully to ensure that the
readings are taken below meniscus
▪ The 3 weighed beach sand should then be poured into the water cylinders
▪ One end, the opening should be covered by hand and the cylinder be
vigorously shaken but avoiding water loss
▪ After shaking, solids should be allowed to settle and interphases marked at
3 seconds interval to get the settling rate
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Time(s) Interface Height(cm) Interface Height(cm) Interface Height(cm) Settling rate(cm/s) Settling rate(cm/s) Settling rate(cm/s)
20g 40g 60g 20g 40g 60g
0 35.37 35.37 35.37 0 0 0
3 28.3 31.84 31.84 25.93667 24.75667 24.75667
6 21.22 26.88 28.26 24.76333 27.36 27.13
9 14.27 24.05 21.58 19.63444 24.20778 25.86222
12 0 19.46 19.46 14.27 22.42833 19.95833
15 0 17.33 14.5 18.30467 18.49333

(Graph of time vs settling rate)

Calculations

𝜋 𝜋
𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 = × 𝐷2 = × 62 = 28.27𝑐𝑚2
4 4

▪ For the interface height, 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 = 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑣𝑜𝑙. 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑦𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎
1000
= 28.27

= 35.37𝑐𝑚3
ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 2
▪ For settling rate, 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 = ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 1 − 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑝𝑠𝑒𝑑

DISCUSSIONS

Low concentrations, such as one in 20g, particles are scattered, with less physical
contact between them, or not at all, concentration is too dilute and particles can’t
influence each other’s settling behaviour. Each particle settles on its own velocity
without the effect of the next particle. This settling depends on the particle shape
and size, porosity and density.

During settling, each settling rate decrease on each concentration and for larger
concentration, for 40g and 60g the settling rate is slower than in that of 20g on the
1st 3 second interval, then faster because particles are progressively impacted to
surrounding particles.
CONCLUSION

The concentration of solid particles suspended in water affects the settling rate, and
larger concentrations tends to have a faster settling rate compared to lower
concentrations as observed on the experiment. The relationship between time and
settling rate is that settling rate slows as time passes.
RECOMMENDATIONS

• During shaking of the cylinder, one end must be carefully closed to avoid slurry
losses
• During shaking of the cylinder, careful handling is required to avoid equipment
breakage
• The use of permanent markers should be avoided to be able to wipe and reuse
the equipment repeatedly
• Thin tip markers should be used to obtain accurate interfaces
• It is recommended that the data would have been taken at the same time for
all the three samples in order to evaluate its settling rates. This would assist in
order to evaluate the time versus setting rate for each sample, to see which
one settled first and which one didn’t
REFERENCE

Kynch, G.J., 1952. A theory of sedimentation. Transactions of the Faraday society, 48,
pp.166-176.

Stumpf, R.P., 1983. The process of sedimentation on the surface of a salt

marsh. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 17(5), pp.495-508.

Frising, T., Noïk, C. and Dalmazzone, C., 2006. The liquid/liquid sedimentation process:
from droplet coalescence to technologically enhanced water/oil emulsion gravity
separators: a review. Journal of dispersion science and technology, 27(7), pp.1035-
1057.

Xing, Z.P. and Sun, D.Z., 2009. Treatment of antibiotic fermentation wastewater by
combined polyferric sulfate coagulation, Fenton and sedimentation process. Journal of
Hazardous Materials, 168(2-3), pp.1264-1268.

Nieto, L.M., Hodaifa, G., Rodríguez, S., Giménez, J.A. and Ochando, J., 2011.
Flocculation–sedimentation combined with chemical oxidation process. CLEAN–Soil,
Air, Water, 39(10), pp.949-955.
STUDENT NAME………………………………………………… STUDENT
NUMBER……………………………………………………..

Total Mark Actual Mark

Cover Page 2

Table of content 2

Declaration page 1

Executive Summary 15

Introduction 10

Literature Review 15

Methodology 10

Results and findings 10

Discussion 10

Conclusion 10

Recommendations 5

References 5

Overall neatness 5

Total 100

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