CEBU INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

N. Bacalso Avenue, Cebu City

Chemical Engineeing Department

FINAL REPORT
ChE Lab 1

Title of Experiment

Juphil A. Lamanilao
BSChE-5

Engr. Lyda P.
Abellanosa
Instructor
Abstract:

Sedimentation is simply the process of letting suspended material

settle by gravity. It is accomplished by decreasing the velocity of the water
being treated to a point below which the particles will no longer remain in
suspension. When the velocity no longer supports the transport of the
particles, gravity will remove them from the flow. In a glass cylinder, when
solids diffuse through the interface, the process starts then to settle from a
slurry during a batch settling test and assumed to approach terminal
velocities under hindered settling conditions. Thus, several zones of
concentration will be established. The particle is not actually sent all the way
to the bottom of the cell, resulting in a sediment. Rather, a low centrifugal
field is used to create a concentration gradient- where more particles near
the bottom of the cell than near the top. When the temperature decreases,
the rate of settling becomes slower. The
result is that as the water cools, the detention time in the sedimentation
cylinder must increase. As sedimentation continues, heights of each zone
vary and the point at which a single distinct interface forms between liquid
and sediments will be reach.
Objectives:

1.) Effect of Initial Concentration on Sedimentation Characteristics

a. To plot the initial mass settling rate against concentration.
b. To plot the ratio of sedimentation at final consolidation on semi-log paper.
c. To plot the settling velocity against the limiting concentration.
2.) Effect of Initial Height on Sedimentation Characteristics
a. To plot the initial mass settling rate against concentration.
b. To plot the ratio of sedimentation at final consolidation on semi-log paper.
c. To plot the settling velocity against the limiting concentration.
d. To deduce that the graph of settling of settling velocity against limiting
concentration are similar for all cases.

Materials & Equipment:

Sedimentation Apparatus, stopwatch, powder of CaCO3, electronic balance, beaker,

spatula, watch glass, stirring rod

Sketch of the Set-up:

Procedure:

A. Two (2) liters of 2%, 4%, 6%, 8% & 10% by weight CaCO3 suspension in water
were prepared. Each slurry was placed in sedimentation tubes at the same
height. The readings of the interface were taken at the convenient time interval.
The rise of sludge interface was also recorded at the base of the cylinder and
then allowed for a period of 24 hrs. to elapse for final compaction readings.

B. The procedure above was repeated except that the slurry was of the same concentration, 4%
but with different initial heights.

Tabulated Data & Result:

A.
Time Height of Interface Rise of Sludge
Interval 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10%
(mins)
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 10 15 23.6 27.5 28 10 15 23.6 27.5 28
4 11 17.5 25 33.4 35 11 17.5 25 33.4 35
6 13 19 27.9 37.5 42 13 19 27.9 37.5 42
8 13 20 31 40 47.5 13 20 31 40 47.5
10 13 20 31 40 50 13 20 31 40 50
12 13.5 20 31 40 47 13.5 20 31 40 47
14 13.5 20 31 40 47 13.5 20 31 40 47
16 13.6 20 31 40 47 13.6 20 31 40 47
18 13.5 20 31 40 47 13.5 20 31 40 47
20 13.5 20 31 40 46.8 13.5 20 31 40 46.8
24 12.3 19.6 30.7 36.94 42 12.3 19.6 30.7 36.94 42
hrs. 0 0

B.
Time Height of Interface Rise of Sludge
Interval 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
(mins)
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 3.8 5.6 8.9 9.8 12.2 3.8 5.6 8.9 9.8 12.2
4 3.9 6.5 9.3 10.5 12.8 3.9 6.5 9.3 10.5 12.8
6 40 6.9 9.9 10.9 13.5 40 6.9 9.9 10.9 13.5
8 3.9 6.9 10 11.4 14.1 3.9 6.9 10 11.4 14.1
10 3.9 7.0 10 11.4 14.8 3.9 7.0 10 11.4 14.8
12 3.9 7.0 10 11.5 15.0 3.9 7.0 10 11.5 15.0
14 3.8 7.0 10 11.9 15.2 3.8 7.0 10 11.9 15.2
16 3.8 7.0 10 20 15.2 3.8 7.0 10 20 15.2
18 3.8 7.0 10 20 15.2 3.8 7.0 10 20 15.2
20 3.8 7.0 10 20 15.2 3.8 7.0 10 20 15.2
24 3.8 7.0 10 11.2 14.8 3.8 7.0 10 11.2 14.8
 hrs.

Computations:

Table A.
Table B.
let x = mass CaCO3 const. 4% by wt. CaCO3
y = mass H2O = varying volumes
1000 g
% wt. = x/(x+y)

for 2% by wt. CaCO3; for 200 ml(H2O);

0.02 = x/(x+y)
x = 0.02(x+y)
x = (0.02y)/0.98
x = [0.02(1000)]/0.98
x = 20.408 g CaCO3
0.04 = x/(x+y)
x = 0.04(x+y)
x = (0.04y)/0.96
x = [0.04(200)]/0.96
x = 8.33 g CaCO3

for 4% by wt. CaCO3; for 400 ml(H2O);

0.04 = x/(x+y)
x = 0.04(x+y)
x = (0.04y)/0.96
x = [0.04(1000)]/0.96
x = 41.67 g CaCO3
0.04 = x/(x+y)
x = 0.04(x+y)
x = (0.04y)/0.96
x = [0.04(400)]/0.96
x = 16.67 g CaCO3

for 600 ml(H2O);

for 6% by wt. CaCO3; 0.04 = x/(x+y)
0.06 = x/(x+y) x = 0.04(x+y)
x = 0.06(x+y) x = (0.04y)/0.96
x = (0.06y)/0.94 x = [0.04(600)]/0.96
x = [0.06(1000)]/0.94 x = 25 g CaCO3
x = 63.83 g CaCO3
for 800 ml(H2O);
0.04 = x/(x+y)
for 10% by wt. CaCO3; x = 0.04(x+y)
0.10 = x/(x+y) x = (0.04y)/0.96
x = 0.10(x+y) x = [0.04(800)]/0.96
x = (0.10y)/0.90 x = 33.33 g CaCO3
x = [0.10(1000)]/0.90
x = 111.11 g CaCO3 for 1000 ml(H2O);
0.04 = x/(x+y)
x = 0.04(x+y)
x = (0.04y)/0.96
x = [0.04(200)]/0.96
x = 46.67 g CaCO3
Data Analysis :

At a short period of two minutes time interval, particles are well

distributed in a water phase at its flocculated suspension initial state based
on the nature of the CaCO3 particles suspended in water. In the medium
time period of about 8 mins, clear supernatant above the surface is seen
while remains cloudy in the middle interface and there is a cake formation at
the bottom. One factor affecting sedimentation is the particle size diameter.
The formed flocs will cause an increase in sedimentation rate due to increase
in size of sedimenting particles. It does not only depend on size but also on
porosity, preserve in the sediment which contains an amount of entrapped
liquid. Thus, the final volume of sediment is relatively large. At the end of 24
hrs., there is a little change in sediment volume as seen from the
experimental result above.

Recommendation:

Sedimentation practices are designed to be effective at retaining

suspended solids that typically adsorb to solids. In every after the
experiment, the retained solids must need to be removed. Since the
apparatus is not that effective at retaining dissolved pollutants, there must
be a way for this. Such apparatus must therefore be regularly inspected to
determine its condition. The rear panel should be translucent enough in
order for the students to have an improve observation of settling sediments
in the column. Its not so easy to measure settlement depth due to the
graduated scale with no back lighting which means there are discrepancies
in our data.

Application to ChE:

Sedimentation is one of the great classical methods where it is applied

for polymer characterization. It can determine the concentration of a
polymeric solute as a function of position from the center of a rapidly
rotating cell. Also, the chemical industry has large scope manufacturers of
pharmaceuticals where suspension is usually applicable for drug which is
insoluble or poorly soluble. This is to prevent degradation of drug or to
improve stability of drug and to mask the taste of bitter of unpleasant drug.
Vaccines as an immunizing agent are often formulated as suspension and so
does for X-ray contrast agents.