End of Semester 1, 2020

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CHEN3009 Fluid and Particle Processes
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WASM: Minerals, Energy and Chemical Engineering

EXAMINATION
End of Semester 1, 2020

CHEN3009 Fluid and Particle Processes

This paper is for Bentley Campus and Miri Sarawak Campus students

This is an OPEN BOOK examination

Examination Duration 4 hours

For Examiner Use Only
Total Marks 100
Q Mark
Supplied by the University
1
N/A
2

Supplied by the Student 3

Materials 4

Any written materials permitted 5

Calculator 6

7
A calculator displaying 'Engineering Approved Calculator' sticker
8
Instructions to Students
9
Please refer to the instructions on Blackboard
10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18
Examination Cover Sheet

Total
 End of Semester 1, 2020
CHEN3009 Fluid and Particle Processes

Answer FOUR out of 6 questions

Question 1 [25 Marks]

A finely ground mixture of galena and limestone spherical particles in the proportion
of 1 to 4 (by mass) is subjected to elutriation by an upward current of water flowing at
5 mm/s. The mass concentration of the mixture in the water is 800 kg/m3. Assuming
that the size distribution of each material is same, and is shown in the following
table. Estimate the percentage of galena in the material carried away and in the
material left behind. (The absolute viscosity of water as 1×10-3 Pa s. The densities of
galena and limestone are 7500 and 2700 kg/m3, respectively).
Diameter (µm) 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 100
Percentage mass of 15 28 48 54 64 72 78 88
undersize

Question 2 [25 Marks]

A catalytic reformer contains a packed catalyst bed of 5000 kg of cubic catalyst

particles with density 2500 kg/m3 and side length 1 mm. The volume of the packed
catalyst bed in the reformer is 3.4 m3. The reactor feed is a gas of molecular weight
45 g/mol and viscosity 2 × 10-5 Pa s flowing at a volumetric rate of 100 m3/h
(measured at 25 oC and 1 atm). The reactor is operated at a temperature of 200 oC
and an inlet pressure of 1 MPa. To make sure the pressure loss through the reactor
is restricted to 200 kPa, calculate the required cross-sectional area and the depth of
the catalyst bed. [25 marks]

Question 3 [25 Marks]

A laboratory test of a slurry sample (10% mass concentration) using a leaf filter (with
a total filter area 200 cm2) covered with a cloth can collect 0.003 m3 of filtrate in the
first minute and further 0.0014 m3 in the next minute, when the leaf filter is operated
at an absolute pressure of 17 kPa. To filter the same slurry at 10 tonnes per hour, a
rotary vacuum filter with the same cloth to that of the leaf filter is designed. The drum
filter has a diameter of 2 m and a length of 2.5 m. The bulk density of the dry cake is
2000 kg/m3, and the cake porosity is 0.4. The density of the filtrate is 1000 kg/m3.
The rotary filter operates at an absolute pressure of 17 kPa and 40% of its surface is
immersed in the slurry. The drum scraper knife reduces the cake thickness to 5 mm.
Estimate the rotation speed of the drum filter.

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 End of Semester 1, 2020
CHEN3009 Fluid and Particle Processes

Question 4 [25 Marks]

An experiment is carried out to study the effect of rotation speed on activated carbon
cut size D50 in a centrifuge. A suspension sample of activated carbon (S.G = 2.1) in
water with viscosity of 1 cP and density 1000 kg/m3 is to be settled by a lab-scaled
centrifuge. The volumetric throughput of the process is 480 cm3/min and the radius
of liquid surface is 0.015 m. The centrifuge bowl has a length of 0.35 m and an
internal radius of 0.03 m.

(a) If the experiment is carried out with 4 different speeds: 5,000 RPM, 10,000
RPM, 15,000 RPM and 20,000 RPM, what are the cut sizes (d50) obtained at
these rotation speeds? Tabulate the results and explain the observation from
the calculation. [20 Marks]
(b) The lab-scale centrifuge with a rotation speed of 15,000 RPM is scaled up to a
pilot-scale tubular centrifuge which is 15 times of the throughput of the lab-
scale centrifuge. The tubular length is 0.85 m and the liquid surface is 0.025 m.
The pilot-scale tubular centrifuge is to be operated at 22,000 RPM. Estimate
the diameter of the pilot-scale tubular centrifuge. [5 Marks]

Question 5 [25 Marks]

An engineer is assigned to conduct a performance test for a gas cyclone unit based
on solid particles collected. The results of particle size analysis (by weight %) are
shown in the table below:

Size range (μm) 0-5 5-10 10-15 15-20 20-30 30-40 40-50 >50
Feed size 2.0 2.3 3.5 7.3 12.5 19.0 25.0 28.4
analysis, (wt%)
Overflow size 29.5 19.0 13.5 9.5 13.7 7.5 5.3 2.0
analysis, (wt%)

(a) In the performance test, a solid-laded gas with the particle mass flow rate of 9
kg/min is used. Given the overflow rate is 0.5 kg/min, plot the grade efficiency
curve based on the underflow solid collection and determine the cut size (d50)
of this cyclone. [10 Marks]
(b) The inlet gas flow is 1.5 m /s at 2 bar and 50 C. The Mw of gas is 86 g/mol
3 o

and the gas viscosity is 0.025 cP. The density of the laden solid particle is 2000
kg/m3. The available cyclone provided by manufacturer has specification of Eu
= 500 and St50 = 1.0x10-3. The optimum pressure drop stated is 150 m gas.
Determine the number of parallel high efficiency gas cyclones to achieve the
cut size (d50) in Part (a)? [10 marks]
(c) Sketch a diagram to show the equipment layout of cyclone units in part (b).
[5 Marks]

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 End of Semester 1, 2020
CHEN3009 Fluid and Particle Processes

Question 6 [25 Marks]

A diluted pneumatic transport system is designed to transport 950 kg/h of sand

particles using ambient air. The pipeline between two points in a plant is separated
by 15 m vertical distance and 35 m horizontal distance pipes. In addition, there are
eight 90 degree bends connecting the whole transport lines. The particles (mean
size 100 µm and density 2500 kg/m3) are transported using ambient air (density 1.2
kg/m3 and viscosity 1.8 x 10-5 Pa s) in the pipeline. Given ε = 0.98; gas-phase friction
factor fg = 0.005; design superficial velocity V is 1.5 times of saltation velocity Vsalt.

(a) Calculate the total pressure drop of the pneumatic transport system if the pipe
diameter is 63 mm. [10 marks]
(b) What is the total pressure drop if the pipe diameter increases to 101 mm?
Compare the total pressure drop and explain which pipe diameter is more
suitable for this pneumatic transport system? [15 marks]

END OF EXAMINATION

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