SEPARATIONS BASED ON THE

MOTION OF PARTICLES
THROUGH FLUIDS

GRAVITY SETTLING PROCESSES

CLARIFIER
A settler that removes virtually all the particles from a liquid.

CLASSIFIER
A device that separates the solids into two fractions.

GRAVITY CLASSIFIERS

Most classifiers in a chemical processing separate particles on the basis of size, in

situations in which the density of the fine particles is the same as the larger ones.

Mechanical classifiers are used specially in metallurgical operations. The relatively

coarse particles are called sands and the slurry of fine particles are called slimes.

GRAVITY CLASSIFIERS

Sorting Classifiers. Devices that separate particles of differing densities.

Sink-and-float methods it uses a liquid sorting medium, the density of which is
intermediate between that of the light material and that of the heavy.
Differential settling methods it utilizes the difference in terminal velocities that can
exist between substances of different density.

CLARIFIERS AND THICKENERS

Gravity separation under hindered settling conditions is often used to convert a dilute
slurry of fine particles into a clarified liquid and a concentrated suspension.

Flocculation In many fine suspensions, the particles form agglomerates or cluster of

particles that settles at reasonable rate.

Batch sedimentation there are several stages in the settling of a flocculated

suspension, and different zones are formed as sedimentation proceeds.

EQUIPMENT FOR SEDIMENTATION

Thickeners are specially valuable when large volumes of dilute slurry must be
thickened. Used extensively in sewage treatment and water purification.

PRINCIPLES OF CENTRIFUGAL SEDIMENTATION

In a sedimenting centrifuge a particle of a given size is removed from the liquid if

sufficient time is available for the particle to reach the wall of the separator bowl. If it is
assumed that the particle is at all times moving radially at its terminal velocity, the
diameter of the smallest particle that should just be removed can be calculated.

Centrifugal Force acting on a particle

(1)
(2)
(3)

Rotational speed
(4)

Gravitational Force on a particle

(5)

Centrifugal force in terms of gravitational force

PARTICLE TRAJECTORY

If r B < r2, the particle leaves the bowl with the liquid

If r B = r2, it is deposited on the bowl wall and removed from the liquid

STOKES LAW RANGE

The terminal velocity at radius r is by equation

(6)
Integrating Stokes Law between the limits r = r 1 at t = 0 and r = r 2 at t = tT gives

(7)
where: tT = residence time
r = radius
= angular velocity

VOLUMETRIC FLOW RATE

Residence time is equal to the volume of the liquid in the bowl V divided by the volumetric
flow rate q. Volume V equals b(r 22 r21)

(8)

Cut point is defined as the diameter of the particle which just reaches one-half the
distance between r 1 and r2. If a particle of diameter D pc is to be removed, it must reach the
bowl wall in the available time. Thus r B = r2 and rA = (r1 + r2)/2

(9)

qc is the volumetric flow rate corresponding to the cut diameter

THICKNESS OF LIQUID LAYER

If the thickness of the liquid layer is small compared to the radius of the bowl, r 1 r2.
Volumetric flow rate corresponding to the cut diameter can be solved using this equation

SIGMA VALUE; SCALE UP

For application to industrial centrifuges equation 10 is modified as follows. Radius r 2 and

thickness s are replaced by r e and se, respectively, which are appropriate average values
of r and s for the type of centrifuge under consideration.

= 2 ut

CHARACTERISTICS OF SEDIMENTING
CENTRIFUGES
Type

Bowl
Diameter, in.

Speed
r/min

value,
ft2 x 10-4

4.125

15,000

2.7

9.5

6,500

21.5

13.7

4,650

39.3

19.5

4,240

105

14

4,000

1.34

25

3,000

6.1

No vanes

29

2,600

4.05

96 vanes

29

2,600

12.7

Tubular
Disk

Helical
Conveyor
Axial-flow
Conveyor

PROBLEMS
Two centrifuges rotate at the same peripheral velocity of 53.34
m/s. The first bowl has a radius of r 1=76.2 mm and the second
r2=305 mm. Calculate the rev/min and the centrifugal forces
developed in each bowl
A centrifuge bowl is spinning at a constant 2000 rev/min. What
radius bowl is needed for the following?
a) A force of 455 gs
b) A force four times that in part a.

 What is the capacity in cubic meters per hour of a clarifying

centrifuge operating under the following conditions?
Diameter of bowl, 600 mm

s.g. of liquid 1.2

Thickness of liquid layer, 75mm

s.g. of solid, 1.6

Depth of bowl, 400mm

Viscosity of liquid 2 cP

Speed 1200 r/min

Cut size of particle, 30micrometer