Settling and Sedimentation for Solid-Liquid Separation

Free Settling

Slide 1

Hindered Settling

Sedimentation

Settling and Sedimentation for Particle Separation

Free Settling

Slide 2

Hindered Settling

Separation Principle
Differential Viscous Drag Differences in

particle size density

Slide 3

shape
We need Fluid Mechanics!

Falling Sphere

Consider a sphere (object) falling in a uid Slide 4 What equation describes the motion of this object?

Newtons Law
dv = dt

Buoyancy

Drag

What are the forces acting on this object? Slide 5

Gravity Buoyancy Viscous Drag

Gravity

Gravity:
g

= mg = Vp p g

Buoyancy
b

mg = Vp g p

Viscous Drag
Slide 6
d

= CD v 2

Ap 2

p = Particle Density = Fluid Density CD = Drag Coefcient

Vp = Particle Volume v = Velocity Realtive to Fluid Ap = Projected Area

Settling Velocity

Ap dv = Vp p g Vp g CD v 2 dt 2

We are usually interested in the the steady state velocity Slide 7

2 0 = Vp p g Vp g CD vt

Ap 2

vt =
All we need is the drag

2g

Vp (p ) CD Ap

What is the Drag?

Remember the Reynolds number!

Re = CD is a function of Re and shape.

vDp

Slide 8

Drag Plot

Slide 9

Drag Plot

Three regimes:

Stokes
Slide 10

ow

region:

Re < 1

Transition Region: 1 <

Re < 103

Turbulent

Plateau:

103 < Re < 105

Drag Plot Parameterizations

Slide 11

Laminar or Stokes ow
region Re < 1

CD =

24 Re

This is an exact result

Drag Plot Parameterizations

Transition Region 1 <

Slide 12

Re < 103 CD 18Re0.6

Drag Plot Parameterizations

Turbulent Plateau 103 <

Re < 105
Slide 13

CD 0.44

No expression for Re >

105

Boundary layers: Aerodynamic region

Settling Velocity
So we can solve for the settling velocity of spheres in each region

vt =
Slide 14

2g

Vp (p ) CD Ap

2 3 For Sphere Ap = Dp /4 and Vp = Dp /6

vt =

4 Dp (p ) g 3 CD

note that the settling velocity is in the Re

Settling Velocity

vt =

4 Dp (p ) g 3 CD

Laminar or Stokes ow region Re < 1 Slide 15

CD =
so

24 Re

vt =

2 gDp (p ) 18

Settling Velocity

vt =
Transition Region 1 < Re < 103 Slide 16

4 Dp (p ) g 3 CD

CD 18Re0.6
so

vt =

2g 27

5/7

Dp 3/7

8/7

Settling Velocity

vt =
Turbulent Plateau 103 < Re < 105 Slide 17

4 Dp (p ) g 3 CD

CD 0.44
so

vt = 3Dp g

Calculation of Drag
We dont know vt at the start No vt , No Re No Re, No CD to calculate vt
Solve the equations in each region (only for Spheres where we have analytical Slide 18 solutions)

Iterative Calculation of Drag

guess vt to set Re solve
vt =
Slide 19 for CD

4 Dp (p ) g 3 CD

Plot (Re, CD ) pair Locate intercept with the

drag curve

Design Problem
Choose vs so coal goes up and minerals fall down

Slide 20 Coal Mineral

p 1.3g/cm
3

Dp 0.6cm 0.2cm
C+M V_s

2.3g/cm3

The particles are in water

= 1.0g/cm3

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Calculate vt for both particles choose vs in between Mineral: Assume Stokes ow

vt =
Check Re Slide 21

2 gDp (p ) 18

vt = 283cm/s

Re =

Dp v = 5660

Not Stokes Flow

Now use transition equation

vt =

2g 27

5/7

Dp 3/7

8/7

vt = 29.4cm/s

check Re = 589 which is in the transition region

Will Coal particles have higher or lower Re?

p
Coal Mineral

Dp
3 3

1.3g/cm 2.3g/cm

0.6cm 0.2cm

Bigger Particle higher Re and higher vt Lower density difference lower Re Slide 22 So for coal use the plateau formula

3Dp g

vt =

gives vt = 23.0cm/sec for a Re = 1380 in the plateau region

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Final Design
C

Slide 23

Choose vs in order to Float one and let the other sink.

C+M V_s

vCoal < vs < vM ineral vt is a relative velocity

Coal Velocity is 3cm/s up Mineral Velocity is 3cm/s down Other way to oat or sink change the uid density

Classier

Slide 24

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Settling Chamber

Slide 25

Complexities
Particle Shape Brownian Motion Hindered Settling
Slide 26

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Shape Effects

Three regimes:

CD a function of shape
factor Slide 27

Asphere
Surface Area

always less than unity.

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