Agitation

KEVIN A. OLEGARIO

BS Chemical Engineering

College of Engineering and Architecture

Department of Chemical Engineering

Cebu Institute of Technology - University, N. Bacalso Ave. Cebu City, 6000 Philippines

ABSTRACT

Many processing operations are dependent to a great extent on effective agitation and
mixing of fluids. Agitation is used in various applications such as dispersion of a miscible
solute throughout a solvent, blending of two miscible liquids, production of slurry of a finely
divided solid in a liquid, mixing of reactants in a chemical reactor and stirring of a
homogeneous liquid to improve heat transfer to the liquid. Agitation is one of the oldest and
most common operations in chemical engineering. Although the effectiveness and energy
consumption in agitation depend upon basic principles of fluid mechanics, the flow patterns
in the typical agitated vessel are so complex that rigorous application of the basic principles
is impossible. Instead, empirical approaches must be used. The experiment involves the
determination of the power requirement in both baffled and unbaffled tanks, as well as the
comparison of NP vs NRe for both baffled and unbaffled tanks.
1. Introduction

Many operations involve in the chemical and other processing industries are
dependent to an extent on agitation and mixing of fluids. Though often confused, agitation
and mixing are not synonymous. Agitation refers to induced motion of a material in a
specified way, usually in a circulatory pattern inside some sort of container or vessel. Mixing
is the random distribution, into and through one another, of two or more initially separate
phases.

The purposes for agitating fluids include blending of two miscible liquids, dissolving
solids in liquids, dispersing a gas in a liquid as fine bubbles, suspending of fine solid particles
in a liquid and to increase heat transfer between the fluid and a coil or jacket. The efficiency
of the mixing equipment, as well as product quality, are influenced by the flow patterns
prevailing in the vessel, whether or not there are stagnant or dead regions in the vessel, and
whether or not particles are likely to be suspended.

The mechanical devices which have been employed for the production of agitation are
extremely varied. Agitation equipment is most often composed of a tank or vessel, usually
cylindrical in form and with a vertical axis. The top of the vessel may or may not be open to
the air. An impeller is mounted on an overhung shaft that is supported from above. The shaft
is driven by a motor, sometimes directly connected to the shaft but more often connected to it
through a speed-reducing gearbox. Wall baffles are usually installed to prevent vortex
formation. Wall baffles are longitudinal strips attached to the inside walls of the tank which
permits higher power input.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1 Materials
Water
2.2 Apparatuses
Agitator Baffle strips (removable)
Dynamometer Tachometer
Container (10” dia, 18” deep transparent)
2.3 Methods
The container was filled to almost 14 inches (tank has a baffled installed).The
impeller was attached to the agitator. The impeller was immersed in water inside the
 container such that its elevation was about 4 in. The power requirement was measured
with the dynamometer being attached to the shaft for different speed of rotation. The
speed was measured using tachometer.

3. Results and Discussion

3.1 Tables
Table 3.1 shows the raw data of revolutions at different voltage level and table
3.2 shows the results of the calculations on finding the power number and power
requirement.

Speed at Different Voltage Level (rev⁄min⁡)

1.86 Volts 4.78 Volts 7.81 Volts
RPM 193.6 375.35 1173
Table 3.1 Raw data of revolutions at different voltage level

Size of With baffle

Impeller Trial Voltage Speed Power Reynold’s Number Power (W)
(V) (rev/sec) Number
1 1.86 3.23 4.9 37,086.29 1.65
1 2 4.78 6.26 5.8 71,876.21 14.20
3 7.81 19.55 5.8 224,469.62 432.51
Table 3.2 Power Number, Reynold’s Number and Power at different voltage level

3.2 Calculations
Calculations on finding the Power Number , Np , and Power , P, using the
averaged speed at different voltage levels and assuming that the density of water, ρ, is
kg
998⁡ m3 and viscosity of water ,μ, is 0.8692x10−3 ⁡Pa ∙ s.

At 1.86 Volts
Converting N to rev/sec,
rev 1⁡min rev
N = 193.6⁡ ( ) = 3.23⁡
min 60⁡seconds sec
Solving for Reynold’s Number,NRe ,

2 rev kg
D2a Nρ (0.1m) (3.23 sec )(998 m3 )
NRe = = = 37,086.29
μ 0.8692x10−3 ⁡Pa ∙ s
Based on the graph, Power Correlations for Various Impellers and Baffles, found in
Transport Processes and Unit Operations by Geankoplis the power number at a
Reynold’s number of 37,086.29⁡is

Np = 4.9
Solving for Power, P, using the power number found on the graph,
kg rev 3
P = Np ρN 3 D5a = (4.9) (998 ) (3.23 ) (0.1m)5 = ⁡1.65⁡W
m3 sec

At 4.78 Volts
Converting N to rev/sec,
rev 1⁡min rev
N = 375.35⁡ ( ) = 6.26
min 60⁡seconds sec
Solving for Reynold’s Number ,NRe ,

2 rev kg
D2a Nρ (0.1m) (6.26 sec )(998 m3 )
NRe = = = 71,876.21
μ 0.8692x10−3 ⁡Pa ∙ s
Based on the graph, Power Correlations for Various Impellers and Baffles, found in
Transport Processes and Unit Operations by Geankoplis, the power number at a
Reynold’s number of 71,876.21 is

Np = 5.8
Solving for Power, P, using the power number found on the graph,
kg rev 3
P = Np ρN 3 D5a = (5.8) (998 ) (6.26 ) (0.1m)5 = 14.20⁡W
m3 sec

At 7.81 Volts
Converting N to rev/sec,
rev 1⁡min rev
N = 1173⁡ ( ) = 19.55
min 60⁡seconds sec
Solving for Reynold’s Number ,NRe ,
 2 rev kg
D2a Nρ (0.1m) (19.55 sec )(998 m3 )
NRe = = = 224,469.62
μ 0.8692x10−3 ⁡Pa ∙ s
Based on the graph, Power Correlations for Various Impellers and Baffles, found in
Transport Processes and Unit Operations by Geankoplis, at a Reynold’s number of
224,469.62⁡is

Np = 5.8
Solving for Power, P, using the power number found on the graph,
kg rev 3
P = Np ρN3 D5a = (5.8) (998 ) (19.55 ) (0.1m)5 = 432.51⁡W
m3 sec

3.3 Discussions
In the experiment, agitation process with baffles requires greater power
because with more power vortex does not occur hence proper mixing is attainable.
Baffles are often included to reduce tangential motion. In theory, without baffles, the
liquid is simply swirled around with little actual mixing since the flow is uniform in
the same direction. Since the only available equipment in the laboratory is an agitator
with baffles attached permanently, a comparison of an agitator without baffles cannot
be made. Only one size of impeller is available in the laboratory thus a comparison to
different sizes of impeller is not made. But in theory, changing the impeller would
affect the power requirement of the agitation process because with different types of
impellers, mixing effectiveness varies. By increasing its power, the impellers
efficiency increases. According to the results obtained, as the Reynold’s number
increases, so thus the power number increases. Which means that the Reynold’s
number is directly proportional to the power number.

4. Conclusion
The baffled tank requires higher power requirement than an unbaffled tank due to the
additional resistance given by the baffle which impedes the liquid motion driven by the
rotation of the turbine. Power dissipation increases at increasing impeller speed. Thus,
requiring more energy to overcome resistant forces and results to the increase of power to be
supplied to account for the power losses in the liquid. The power number for both baffled and
unbaffled tanks decreases as the Reynolds number increases. Thus, power number and
Reynold's number for baffled and unbaffled tanks are directly proportional.
References
[1] Foust, et al., Principles of Unit Operations. John Wiley & Sons; Revised edition
(December 1960)
[2] Geankoplis, Transport Processes and Unit Operations. John Wiley & Sons