Sedimentation
Sedimentation
Sedimentation
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
Submitted by:
Cruz, Nichole
Gratuito, Rose Jean M.
Lingao, Nikko Vincent D.
Martin, Jeanell P.
Penalba, Benjie T.
Turija, Joanne Paula H.
Submitted to:
Engr. Rugi Vicente Rubi
I. Introduction
Sedimentation is a separation process used for mixtures of solid-liquid or liquid-liquid in
various industries. Although widely known as water treatment, it is the separation of a dilute
slurry or suspension by gravity settling into a clear fluid and slurry of higher solid content by
definition. This process relies on three forces acting on the particles moving through fluids,
namely, buoyant force, gravitational force and drag force. (Geankoplis, 1993) Basically, either
the free liquid or the particles are the desired product and the separation would be resulting to
liquids essentially particle free for solid-liquid mixtures.
In this experiment, the apparatus that will be used is consisting of five transparent glass
sedimentation columns that have graduation mounted on a rigid frame suitable for bench
mounting. The rare panel is of translucent white plastic and back lighting is provided to enhance
observation of settling sediments in the columns. The settlement depth can be measured and a
stop watch is needed to determine the settling time. Several zones will be established. The zone
of settled solids that predominantly includes heavier faster-settling particles is the Zone D. The
region of variable size distribution and non-uniform concentration is the Zone C while Zone B is
a uniform concentration zone. At the top of region B is a boundary above which is clear liquid
called region A.
The rate of settling or sedimentation rate of solid particles in the columns can be
expressed in terms of height z. in free settling zone, the terminal velocity, Ut, of a is by
U t =( Zo Z c ) / c
Where:
Zo= initial height of the slurry
Zc= height of the interface between the clear liquid and slurry when zone B
disappears
c= time when the solid particles reach Zc from Zo
The rate of settling in the transition region can be neglected while in the hindered settling
zone C, the rate of settling can be observed to follow approximately the equation
U t =( d z /d )=k ( ZZ + )
Where:
Z= height of the interface between the clear liquid and the slurry at any time
Z= final/ultimate height of the sludge
k= constant for a given suspension
Rearranging and integrating, the equation becomes
k ( c )=ln [ ( Z c Z ) / ( ZZ ) ]
II. Methodology
The experiment involves the analysis of the effect of varying the height of the slurry and
their concentrations on the sedimentation properties. To determine the effect of initial slurry
height on sedimentation properties, 1 kg of Kaolin in a Ro Tap sieve shaker was screened
approximately to obtain minus 100 mesh particle size and plus 60 mesh particle size Kaolin.
After 5 cylinders in the sedimentation study apparatus was labeled. Five mixtures was prepared
namely Mixture A with 900 ml of 5% wt Kaolin (minus 100 mesh particle size), Mixture B with
900 ml of 5% wt Kaolin (plus 60 mesh particle size), Mixture C with 900 ml of 10% wt Kaolin
(plus 60 mesh particle size), Mixture D with 600 ml of 5% wt Kaolin (plus 60 mesh particle size)
and Mixture E with 600 ml of 5% wt Kaolin (minus 100 mesh particle size). The mixtures were
poured into the cylinders in the sedimentation studies apparatus. The initial heights, temperature
of the mixture and inside diameter of the cylinders were recorded. After monitoring the height of
the clear liquid, slurry and the sediments for every two minutes of the five mixtures, the mixtures
III. Results
APPENDIX A: Experimental Data
Cylinder A
Initial height of Slurry
Volume of the Slurry
Concentration of the Slurry
Particle Size of CaCO3
Inside Diameter of Cylinder
Temperature of the Slurry
Final Height of the Slurry
Time
(minut
es)
0
2
4
6
8
40
15
12
10
8
Cylinder B
Initial height of Slurry
Volume of the Slurry
Concentration of the Slurry
Particle Size of CaCO3
Inside Diameter of Cylinder
Temperature of the Slurry
420
cm
900
ml
5.00
%
-100 mesh
21.65 mm
29
C
cm
Height
of
Sedime
nts (cm)
380
360
320
292
236
420
cm
900
ml
5
%
60
mesh
49.45 mm
29
C
0
2
4
6
8
25
10
7
6
4
Cylinder C
Initial height of Slurry
Volume of the Slurry
Concentration of the Slurry
Particle Size of CaCO3
Inside Diameter of Cylinder
Temperature of the Slurry
Final Height of the Slurry
Time
(minut
es)
0
2
4
6
8
30
12
8
7
5
Cylinder D
Initial height of Slurry
Volume of the Slurry
Concentration of the Slurry
Particle Size of CaCO3
Inside Diameter of Cylinder
Temperature of the Slurry
Final Height of the Slurry
cm
Height
of
Sedime
nts
(cm)
395
372
335
298
232
420
cm
900
ml
10
%
60
mesh
49.71 mm
29
C
cm
Height
of
Sedime
nts (cm)
390
378
365
348
323
270
cm
600
ml
5
%
60
mesh
23.73 mm
29
C
cm
Time
(minut
es)
0
2
4
6
8
50
20
15
12
10
Cylinder E
Initial height of Slurry
Volume of the Slurry
Concentration of the Slurry
Particle Size of CaCO3
Inside Diameter of Cylinder
Temperature of the Slurry
Final Height of the Slurry
Time
(minut
es)
0
2
4
6
8
55
25
17
14
12
Graphs:
Mixture A
Height
of
Sedime
nts
(cm)
190
170
140
110
70
278
cm
600
ml
5
%
-100 mesh
23.63 mm
29
C
cm
Height
of
Sedime
nts (cm)
188
160
138
84
54
Mixture C 5% kaolin
5
0
0
time (minutes)
Mixture D 600ml
20
10
0
0
time (minutes)
Mixture E 600ml
time (minutes)
Mixture B +60Mesh
10
5
0
0
time (minutes)
Mixture E -100Mesh
10
5
0
0
time (minutes)
V. Conclusion
Based on the resulting data gathered and their corresponding graphs, it can be concluded
that the initial concentration and height of the slurry affects its sedimentation characteristics.
Increasing the initial height would be resulting to increases in the settling time needed to reach
the final height and settling velocity.
Another conclusion is that the increase in the initial concentration of the mixture
decreases the settling velocity of the particles before the compression settling zone. At the
compression settling zone, higher concentrations would give higher settling velocities.