PARTICLE TECHNOLOGY ENGINEERING

Semester 2023

1. A particulate solid is formed by three different types of solids.

a. Solid A, 1.200cubes of 105micros of side length, density 4000Kg/m3
b. Solid B, 2.500 cylinders of 95microns in diameter and 165microns of height, density
5850Kg/m3
c. Solid C, 1.500 spheres of 50microns in diameter, Density 5000 Kg/m3
It is necessary to determine the following:
a. Assuming a void fraction of 0,4 for all three particulate bulk solids, what volume would the
total bulk solids occupy? (1.0 points)

b. All three solids must be separated (Cubes from the cylinders from the spheres), using an
elutriation system. There are three columns available and a work fluid that will not dissolve
the particles (density 1.25 g/cm3, and viscosity 0.95cp).

There are two training engineers working with you, each of them has a different theory on
how to proceed:
 Engineer A considers that given the small nature of the particles, Stokes law applies
(and that the sphericity of the particles does not affect the terminal velocity of the
particles in this flow regime)
 Engineer B considers that sphericity should be considered and will use it in the design
of the separation process.

You must check both engineers’ propositions (show your calculations), discuss their results
and based on your appreciation indicate which engineer was correct. Design the separation
process including fluid velocities. Draw your separation process and indicate if possible, how,
where and how many of each solid will be obtained. Explain.

Student full name ___________________________________________________________Teacher: Tebbie Lin Chacón Lee,

CheEng. MSc.
 PARTICLE TECHNOLOGY ENGINEERING
Semester 2023

1.

2. Use the batch flux plot shown in the figure and determine the settling velocity and draw the
position of each interphase after 50min of the batch settling test with an initial suspension
concentration of 0.12 and an initial height of 150cm, the sediment concentration is 0.5 volume
fraction (2.0 points)

150cm

Student full name ___________________________________________________________Teacher: Tebbie Lin Chacón Lee,

CheEng. MSc.
 PARTICLE TECHNOLOGY ENGINEERING
Semester 2023

3. A height-time curve for the sedimentation of a suspension in a vertical cylindrical vessel is shown
in the figure. The initial solids concentration of the suspension is 145Kg/m 3. Determine:
a. The velocity of the interface between clear liquid and suspension of concentration
145kg/m3 (0.3 points)
b. The velocity of the interface between the clear liquid and a suspension of concentration
300Kg/m3
(0.6 points)
c. After 40s of time from the start of the test, what velocity will the interface of a
suspension X with clear liquid will have and what concentration will this suspension have?
(0.6 points)
d. What is the concentration of the final sediment (0.3points)

Student full name ___________________________________________________________Teacher: Tebbie Lin Chacón Lee,

CheEng. MSc.