Sedimentation

ChE 155 1L

Date Performed:

Castro, Lyndon H.
Medrano, Ivy Mae E.
Villegas, Vanderville G.

Start:
Finished:

Principles/Significance of the Experiment/Relevant Equations

Sedimentation is a separation process wherein dilute slurry is separated by gravity into a
clear fluid and slurry of higher solid concentration (Foust et al., 1980).
According to Stokes Law, the terminal velocity is given by the equation
2

V t=

g d ( sm )
18
where:

d= particle size (diameter)

s = density of the solid/particle
m = density of the medium/fluid
= viscosity of the liquid
g = gravitational constant

Sedimentation contains several stages in the settling of flocculated suspension, and

different zones are formed as sedimentation proceeds. These are the clear liquid zone, constant
initial solids concentration zone, hindered settling zone and the compression zone.
There are two kinds of sedimentation, the batch sedimentation and the continuous
sedimentation. In batch sedimentation, heights of zones varies with time and often carried out in
cylindrical tanks where dilute slurry is permitted to settle for a time and the clear liquid is
decanted and sludge is removed. On the other hand, in continuous sedimentation, the heights of
each zone are constant at steady state and the thickened slurry underflows and the clear liquid is
drawn-off continuously.
Clarification and thickening are the two types of sedimentation. Clarification virtually
removes all particles from a given suspension. It removes a small quantity of the fine solids to
produce a clear liquid effluent (Sinnott, 1996) and the desired product is called overflow.
Clarification is widely used in sugar industry, steel mills, oil industries and wastewater treatment.
Meanwhile, thickening is used for heavier-duty requirements imposed by a large quantity of
concentrated pulp. It increases the concentration of a relatively large quantity of suspended solids

as it produces thickened or concentrated slurry in the bottom stream. Thickening is widely used
in cement industries, mining industries and also in wastewater treatment.
Nearly all the industrial separators provide the continuous removal of settled solids since it is
very significant to remove particles from a stream to attain a particular purpose. Sedimentation
has a great application in waste management just like in the treatment of industrial wastes which
contains organic particles or solids from liquid wastes before dumping into the bodies of water.
It is also used in the elimination of dusts ad fumes from air or flue gas. Also it is applied in the
recovery of particles for recycle purposes as well as a mechanism for bacterial transport and
other biological processes.
There are two sizing methods in sedimentation, the Coe and Clevenger Approach and the
Talmadge and Fitch Method. The Coe and Clevenger Approach was the oldest method and was
proposed in 1916 by H.S. Coe and G.H. Clevenger where the rate of descent of solids-liquid
interface is assumed to be a function of local concentration (i.e., v = f(c)). In this approach the
total flux is given by the equation,
F=F B + Fu =cv +
where:

Lu c
A

F = Total flux
FB = Batch flux
Fu = Flux associated with withdrawal of solids due to the underflow
c = Layer composition
v = settling velocity of solids at c
Lu= underflow volumetric rate
A= cross-sectional area normal to flux

The required area for the thickener is given by:

L c
A= o o
FL
where:

FL = limiting solid flux capacity

Lo= specified feed volumetric rate
co= specified feed concentration

In the Talmadge and Fitch Method, the time and concentration at which the critical flux is
realized is calculated. This method is used to determine the minimum area for a continuous
thickener given desired underflow concentrations feed rate.
The required area for the thickener is given by:

A=

Lo t u
zo

where: Lo = feed volumetric flowrate

Zo = initial height
tu = time to reach desired underflow concentration
Objectives of the Experiment

To determine the effect of slurry concentration on the slurrys settling characteristics.

To determine the effect of initial height on the slurrys settling characteristics.
To use the batch settling data for the design of continuous thickener or clarifier.

Materials/Glassware to be borrowed

stirring rods
timer
beaker
plastic spoon
ruler
electronic top loading balance
Water
310 g CaCO3 (calcium carbonate)
7 1L graduated cylinder

Materials and Methods

Effect of the Initial Concentration
1. Weigh 25, 50, 75 and 100g of CaCO3 .
2. Put the weighted CaCO3 in 1L graduated cylinder and fill each up to 1L mark.
3. Mix the solution thoroughly using a stirring rod
4. Let each stand and record the height of the slurry every 3 minutes until the height becomes
constant for 3 consecutive readings.
5. Let each stand for 10 minutes, and then record the change in height.
*Time intervals may be widened after the critical point has been reached
6. Repeat the procedure for the second trial

Effect of the Initial Height

1. Weigh x g of CaCO3.
2. Put the weighted CaCO3 in 1L graduated cylinder and fill each up to y mL mark.
3. Mix the solution thoroughly using a stirring rod
4. Let each stand and record the height of the slurry every 3 minutes until the height becomes
constant for 3 consecutive readings.
5. Let each stand for 10 minutes, and then record the change in height.
*Time intervals may be widened after the critical point has been reached.
6. Repeat the procedure for the second trial

Data Tables/Blanks
Table 1.1. Height of the interface at different concentrations.
height (mm)
time
(mins)

25

g
L

50

g
L

75

g
L

100

g
L

trial 1 trial 2 trial 3 trial 1 trial 2 trial 3 trial 1 trial 2 trial 3 trial 1 trial 2 trial 3
0
2
4
6
8
10

Table 1.2. Height of the interface at different height of mixture.

height (mm)
25 g
1000 L

time
(mins)

22.5 g
900 L

20 g
800 L

17.5 g
700 L

trial 1 trial 2 trial 3 trial 1 trial 2 trial 3 trial 1 trial 2 trial 3 trial 1 trial 2 trial 3
0
2
4
6
8
10

References:

Foust, Alan S., et. al (1980). Principles of Unit Operations. 2nd ed. John Wiley and Sons,
New York.
Sinnott, R.K. (1996). Chemical Engineering: Chemical Engineering Design, Vol. 6. 2nd
Ed. Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann. pp. 365-366.
Weston, V. (2013). The Application of Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Engineering
to Evaluate Solutions in Process, Environmental, and Mineral applications for
Separating Suspended matter and Soluble Constituents from an Aqueous Phase. SLCC
Science and Technology Paper.
Retrieved from <http://www.slcc.edu/sme/symposium/ppt/vweston.pdf> on November
23, 2013.
Concha, Fernando and Brger, Raimund (2002). A Century of Research in Sedimentation
and Thickening. KONA No.2.

Retrieved from <http://www.ing-mat.udec.cl/~rburger/papers/kona.pdf> on November

23, 2013.