MECHANICAL OPERATIONS (3330502)

Experiment No.____ Date:

Settling and Sedimentation
AIM: To study the settling characteristics of a given material for different concentrations.
Apparatus: two cylinders, glass rods and stop watch.
Chemicals: Lime (CaCO3), water
Theory:
The particle heavier then the suspending fluid may be settled by gravity that is known as settling.
When settling is continuous and sludge has reached its ultimate height is known as sedimentation.
Free settling:
The particle is at sufficient distance from the boundaries of the container and from other particles, so
that its fall is not affected by them.
Hindered settling:
If the motion of particles is impeded by other particles, which will happen when the particles are near
to each other even though they may not actually be colliding, the process is called hindered settling/
Settling velocity:
The particle will settle at a definite constant velocity during remainder of its fall. This ultimate
constant velocity is called terminal settling velocity.
Flocculation:
Much slurry consist of particles that carry electric charges, which may be either positive or negative,
and such particles, because of the mutual repulsion of like charges, tend to remain dispersed. If an
electrolyte is added, the ions formed in solution neutralize the charges on the particles. The
neutralized particles may then agglomerate to form flocs, each containing many particles.
When the original particles are negatively charged, the cation of the electrolyte is effective, and when
the charge is positive, the anions active.
Other methods of flocculation include the use of surface active agents and the addition of materials
such as glue, lime, alumina, or sodium silicate, that drag down the slime particles with them.
The Dorr thickener is a common piece of equipment used for sedimentation. The sedimentation is one
of most widely used processes in the treatment of water.
Procedure:
 Prepare slurries of 5% (wt) and 10% (wt) concentrations of CaCO3 in water in two different
cylinders.
 Add 3-4 drops of KMnO4 in each cylinder, so that interface can be clearly seen during settling.
 Stirrer the slurries by glass rod so that initial composition is uniform through out the cylinders.
 Allow the solid particles of CaCO3 to settle and measure height of interface of different intervals.

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MECHANICAL OPERATIONS (3330502)

Figure :1 Schematic representation of settling test experiment

(https://www.researchgate.net)
Observations:
(1) Weight/ volume of CaCO3 for 5% slurry = _____gm /____ml
(2) Weight/ volume of CaCO3 for 10% slurry = _____gm /____ml
Observation Table:
Height of Time of Settling
Concentration Settling flux
Interface settling Rate
dz dt (C) (Gs)
(z) (t) (dz/dt)

(cm) (sec) (cm) (sec) (cm/sec) (gm/cc) (gm/cm2.sec)

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MECHANICAL OPERATIONS (3330502)

Calculation:
dZ
(1) Settling Velocity: cm/sec
dt
Z0
(2) Concentration: C i  C 0 (gm/cm3)
Zi
dZ
(3) Settling Flux: Gs  C (gm/cm2 sec)
dt
Graph:
Z vs. t

Result:

Conclusion:

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