Sedimentation

Sedimentation
Conrad Monterola
Sedimentation
• Separation of particles using Gravity
Applications
• Removal of solids from liquid sewage.
• Settling of crystals from mother liquor.
• Separation of liquid-liquid mixture from liquid extraction.
• Settling of solid from leaching operation.
Free Settling
• Interference is less than 1%
• Ratio of particle diameter to container diameter is less than 1:200
• Particle concentration is less than 0.2 volume %
• Other wise it will be Hindered Settling
Buoyant Force, FB
FB = Vpg
Buoyant force is equal to the weight of liquid
displace by the solid.
Vp is the volume of the particle
r is the density of the liquid
g is the acceleration due to gravity
Gravitational Force, Fg
Fg = mg
Drag Force, Fd
The drag force is proportional to square of velocity, v2/2.

CD is drag coefficient.
A is the particle area.
 Is the density of the liquid
Force Balance
Free settling Velocity or terminal velocity, vt
dv/dt=0
In Laminar Flow (Stoke Law Region):
Drag Coefficient for rigid Spheres, CD
Drag Coefficient for rigid Spheres, CD
In has been shown
in laminar region
that the drag
coefficient, CD is a
function of
Reynolds number.
Nre=Dv/u
For Turbulent
region CD =0.44
Stoke’s Law
Reynold’s Number must be less than 1
according to Geankoplis p.817
Geankoplis Example 14.3-1
MRII Reviewer
8. Determine the terminal settling velocity of dust particles having a
diameter of 60 microns at 294.3 K and 101.32 kPa. The dust particles
can be considered spherical with a density of 1.280 kg/m3. For air
viscosity is 1.828 x10^-5 Pa.s and density of air 1.202 kg/m3. Please
check that the flow is laminar.
a. 0.18 m/s
b. 0.14 m/s
c. 0.2 m/s
d. 0.09 m/s
Hindered Settling
• The motion of a particle is impeded by other particles, which will
happen when the particles are near each other even though they are
not actually colliding.
• The drag coefficient is higher in hindered settling compared to free

settling.
Hindered Settling
 Is the volume
fraction of the
liquid in the slurry
mixture
Empirical
correction
factor phi sub
p
MRII Reviewer
9. Solid spherical particles having a diameter of 0.09 mm and a solid
density of 2002 kg/m3 are settling in a solution of water at 26.7 C. The
volume fraction of the solids in the solution is 0.45. The settling velocity
is _____. ( for water density is 994.7 kg/m3 and viscosity is 0.861 x 10^-
3 Pa.s)
a. 5.3 x10^-3 m/s
b. 3.269 x 10^-3 m/s
c. 2.369 x 10^-4 m/s
d. 3 x 10^-5 m/s
Sink and Float Method
• A liquid is used whose density is intermediate or between the high
density solid and low density solid.
• The heavy particle will sink and the light particle will float.
• Liquid used must be more dense than water since most solid are more
dense than water.
• Pseudo-liquids like galena with specific gravity of 7.5 or magnetite
suspension are generally use. Very fine particles are used to ensure
stable suspension.
• Application includes cleaning coal and concentrating ores.
Sink and Float Method
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbFtdHDTmdk
Differential Settling Method/Classification
• Separation of different size of particles based on settling velocity.
• The density of the medium is less than that of the solids so the solids
will sink.
The more dense particle will have higher
settling velocity if the particle size are the same.
The settling velocity is also dependent on particle size.

Equal Terminal Velocities
Turbulent Region
Laminar Region/Stoke’s Law region
Particle Separation based on
Terminal Velocity
Classification Exercise
Batch Sedimentation/Thickening
Critical Point
• B and C disappears
• When compression of D starts
this is known as the Critical
Point.
• Water is expelled from D.
Settling Velocity
Average Concentration, Ci
• Ci is the concentration when Z= Zi.
Equipment for Sedimentation:
Simple Gravity Settling Tank
Classifier
Spitzkasten Classifier
A series of conical vessels.

Upflowing inlet water.
Sedimentation Thickener
MRII Reviewer
12. A laboratory test on a suspension of a solid in a liquid gave the following
information:
Original height of a sludge before settling 10 in.
Free settling rate 0.10 in./min
Height of the sludge at the end of free-settling period 6.5 in.
Height of the sludge at the end of 120 minutes 4 in.
Height of the sludge when settled completely 1.5 in.
One thousand cubic feet of similar sludge is to be settled in a vertical cylindrical tank,
the diameter of which is equal to the depth of the liquid suspension in it. The time it
would take for the solid to settle to a height of 20% of the original height of the sludge is
a. 78.5 h b. 65 h c. 68.5 h d. 85.8 h
MRII Reviewer
13. Free Settling of sludge is 0.25 cm/min. Using an original height of
25 cm, the sludge settled to a height of 18 cm after the free-settling
period. The sludge was found to settle to a height of 10 cm after 110
minutes. This particular sludge was found to settle completely to a
height of 4 cm. The time to settle to a height of 1/5 of its original height
in a cylindrical tank whose diameter is 85% of its depth if it is 85% full
and consider 1000 cu ft of sludge in the tank is
a. 62.4 h b. 54.2 h c. 46.2 h d. 65.4 h

Sedimentation

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Sedimentation

The drag force is proportional to square of velocity, v2/2.

• The drag coefficient is higher in hindered settling compared to free

The settling velocity is also dependent on particle size.

A series of conical vessels.

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