SEDIMENTATION
-the tendency for particles to settle out of the fluid in which they are entrained and
come to rest against a barrier.
-a unit operation to perform separation of suspension into a supernatant clear fluid and
dense slurry containing higher concentration of solids by gravity settling.
Factors affecting sedimentation:
particle size
liquid viscosity
solid and solution density
Types of particles:
- totally discrete particles
- flocculent particles
Sphericity - surface area of a sphere having the same volume as the particle per surface area
of the particle
Types of sedimentation:
1. Free settling
2. Hindered settling
Free settling - when the particle is at a sufficient distance from the walls of the container and
from other particles so that the fall is not affected by them.
Hindered settling - if the motion of the particles is impeded by other particles, which will
happen when the particles are near each other even though they are not actually colliding
External force - expressed as a product of the mass and the acceleration of the particle from
this force.
Forces acting on the body:
- external force acting downward
- buoyant force acting upward
- resistance or drag force in opposite direction to the particle motion
Buoyant force
- based on Archimedes' law
- the product of the mass of the fluid displaced by the particle and the acceleration from the
external force
A particle falling under the action of gravity will accelerate until the drag force balances
gravitational force, after which it falls at a constant terminal settling velocity (free settling
velocity).
Batch sedimentation - a unit operation used to separate an initially dilute slurry to a clear
liquid and final slurry of higher concentration by gravity settling.
Zone A - clear liquid zone
Zone B - slurry which has the same property as the initial slurry
Zone C - slurry of higher solids concentration
Zone D - layer of compacted solids
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 or silt can be removed very easily.
The velocity of water-flow channel can be slowed to less than one foot per second,
and most of the gravel and grit will be removed by simple gravitational forces.
When the temperature decreases, the rate of settling becomes slower.
Density currents - caused by the weight of the solids in the tank, the concentration of
solids and temperature of the water in the tank.
Terminal velocity - the constant velocity with which a body moves relative to the
surrounding fluid when the forces acting on it (gravitational, centrifugal, and
electrostatic forces) are equal to the friction force acting against the movement.
Thickener - An apparatus in which particles settle in a liquid by gravitational or
centrifugal force and are removed as a concentrated slurry.
Drag is defined as the force exerted by the fluid on the solid in the direction of
motion of the solid.
Stoke's Law is valid when the particle Reynolds Number is <1.
At low Reynolds Number, viscous forces control and inertial forces are
unimportant.
At high Reynolds Number, inertial forces control and inertial forces are
unimportant.
The ratio of drag force per unit area to the product of fluid density and the velocity
head is called drag coefficient.
In order for a particle to move through a fluid under the influence of gravity, there
must be density difference.
In continuous thickeners, separation of solid particles can be achieved if the settling
velocity of the solids is greater compared to the velocity of the displaced liquid.
Terminal velocity is constant velocity with no acceleration.
In hindered settling, particles are near each other.
For the free settling of a spherical particle through a fluid, the slope of CD vs log NRe
plot is -1.
The terminal velocity of a small sphere settling in a viscous fluid varies as the inverse
of the fluid viscosity.
Buoyant force depends on the weight of the floating body.
Center of pressure in an immersed body is below the center of gravity.
The line of action of the buoyant force passes through the center of gravity of the
displaced volume of the fluid.
Drag is the force component exerted on an immersed object the component being
parallel to the flow direction.
Sphericity of raschig ring (whose length and diameter are equal) is 1.
Sphericity of pulverized coal is <1.
Sedimentation on commercial scale occurs in thickener.
Sphericity of a cubical particle when its equivalent diameter is taken as the height of
the tube is 1.
For raschig rings, the sphericity is <1.