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F2 - Sedimentation Practical report for S3 level

Chemical Engineering Lab Practicals III (Mangosuthu University of Technology)

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CHEMICAL ENGINEERING PRACTICAL REPORT

Sedimentation

GROUP F2

SURNAME AND STUDENT NUMBER

INITIALS
Sithole A 22044024
Tyiso TZ 21927535
Vilakazi LG 21938473
Zamatyala N 21916446
Zondi K.I 21834468

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SUMMARY
Sedimentation is process of filtering solid particles from a liquid mixture. This is a process
used in the water treatment system. This is used as a way to clean the water before it is
purified. The process of sedimentation can be done by either natural/ gravitational
sedimentation or continuous sedimentation. In the practical these two forms of sedimentation
were tested to find efficiency and product rate. The continuous sedimentation process was
tested using different flow rates, and then the efficiency of each is compared to each other to
find a suitable flow rate

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TABLE OF CONTENT
SUMMARY....................................................................................................................1
TABLE OF CONTENT..................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................3
THEORY.........................................................................................................................3
METHODOLOGY.........................................................................................................6
RESULTS........................................................................................................................7
CALCULATIONS..........................................................................................................10
DISCUSSION.................................................................................................................13
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION..............................................................14
REFERENCES...............................................................................................................15

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INTRODUCTION

Sedimentation is a process phase separation due to gravity, centrifugal acceleration or

electromagnetism and differences in density for various phases. Sedimentation is a
continuous process that introduces the feed, baffle to thorough the solution and overflow to
collect the clarified effluent .Sedimentation is very important in the industry because it is
critical to optimise pathogen removal and to enhance filter quality. In nature is leads to clean
water. This practical is aimed at reinforcing one’s knowledge of batch and continuous
sedimentation operations since it is crucial to get in the industry knowing it.

THEORY
Sedimentation is a physical water treatment process that uses gravity to remove suspended
solids from water. It can also be described as the motion of particles in suspension to an
external force such as gravity, centrifugal, or electrical forces, heavier particles settle much
faster compared to the smaller particles in a medium.
The material that needs to be analysed, must be blended carefully, so are the samples
withdrawn using techniques that avoid size segregation. An eye must be kept out to avoid the
loss of fines during the manipulation of the sample. It can be used to separate particles from a
fluid, giving the unit operation of classification and thickening. If the particles are settling in
the gravitational field, they rapidly reach their terminal falling velocity when the friction
force between the wall and the suspension has become equal to the net gravitational force.
Whereas in a centrifugal field the particles may reach a very much higher velocity because
the centrifugal may be thousand times greater than the gravitational force.
The two types of sedimentation, batch and continuous. The overall result in both settling is
that in a concentrated suspension. The large particles are retarded and the small ones are
accelerated.
 Batch sedimentation.
Also known as gravity sedimentation or settling. On this type of sedimentation, the
suspended solids from a liquor stream are removed by gravity settling, usually carried
out in a basin. In batch sedimentation solids settle to the bottom of the basin leaving
clear liquid at the top.
 Continuous sedimentation.
Continuous sedimentation is achieved when there is a constant feeding of the slurry at
equal rate to the sludge drainage, and the clear overflow drawn.
The factors that affect the rate of sedimentation are namely:
 Diameter of vessel
If the particles have large diameter compared to that of the vessel, the sedimentation
rate may be reduced due to the retarding influence of the walls.
 Concentration of the suspension

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The higher the concentration, the lower the rate of fall of the sludge line, because the
greater the upward velocity of the displaced fluid and steeper are the velocity
gradients in the fluid.

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METHODOLOGY
EXPERIMENTARY AND METHOD AND APPARATUS

BATCH SEDIMENTARY

• The samples had already been weighed and mixed with water in the cylinders.

• The three cylinders were thoroughly shaken.

• They were set to settle at approximately the same time.

• A stop watch was started. During each interval, the height of the interface was noted for all
cylinder

Continuous sedimentary test system

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• Four filter papers were identified and weighed. A wooden pole was used to continuously stir
the slurry in the storage tank.

• The pump was turned on, and the delivery and re-circulation valves were both fully opened.

• The volumetric flow rate was increased until the slurry reached the brim of the overflow
baffle. The volumetric flow rate was lowered to 5l/min, and a feed sample was taken.

• The drain and recirculation valves were opened; the delivery valve was closed; the sludge
sample was collected; each sample was labelled and filtered in vacuum using filter paper;
and filter papers with filtrate were placed in Petri plates and baked overnight.

RESULTS
Result Tables
Batch sedimentation data
Time (mins) Sample A (mm) Sample B (mm) Sample C (mm)
0 740 795 795
2 720 770 773
4 694 750 747
6 669 720 724
8 642 693 702
10 619 661 681
12 592 643 659
14 568 619 636
16 542 694 613
18 519 570 590
20 493 545 568
22 468 522 546
24 445 497 523
26 421 473 490
28 397 451 479
30 375 428 435
32 351 401 415
34 328 381 395
36 308 356 373
38 297 335 351
40 205 312 332
42 245 292 314
44 227 272 295
46 212 252 278
48 202 234 263
50 195 221 260
52 190 274 244
54 184 208 233
56 179 201 230

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58 176 197 233

60 172 192 228
62 168 188 222
64 165 184 218
66 160 180 214
68 158 177 210
70 154 173 206
72 151 170 203
74 148 166 200
Table 1

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Figure 1.1: Sample A Graph

Obj
ect3

Figure 1.2: Sample B

Obj
ect5

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Figure 1.3 Sample C

Obj
ect7

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Raw Data
Table showing mass of solid in after drying
Volumetric flow Time (s) Mass of Mass of filter Mass of Mass of dry
rate (l/min) filter paper paper plus filter paper solid only
(g) glass watch plus glass (g)
(g) watch plus
dry solids(g)
feed 0 0.5540 31.5448 38.8457 7.3009
5 909 0.5641 39.9010 40.1857 0.2847
10 466 0.5650 35.0776 35.4239 0.3463
15 291 0.5567 37.4134 38.5359 1.1225
22 207 0.5726 33.9465 37.1605 3.2140

CALCULATIONS
Batch Sedimentation
∆h
Average settling velocity=
t

( 740 ×10−3 )−(148−10−3)

v average settling =
(74 ×60)
v average settling =0.000133 m/s

Continuous Sedimentation
Volumetric flowrate
3
0.022 m 1 min
V́ = × =0.000377 m3 . s−1
min 60 sec
ḿ=ρ × V́
−1
Qf =ḿ=( 1000 ) ( 0.000377 ) =0.367 kg . s

Mass % of solid in feed

mass of substance
Cf= ×100
mass of collected substance

7.3009
Cf= × 100
( 1000)( 0.200)

C f =3.65 %

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Mass % of settled sludge

mass of wet solid

C s= × 100
mass of collected substance

7.309+0.367
C s= × 100
1000 ×0.20

C S=3.83 %

Settling velocity of particle

Cf
Q f (1− )
Cs
Area=
ρf V́

Area=
(
( 0.367 ) 1−
3.65
3.83 ) =0.00008624 m 2

( 1000 ( 0.200 ) )

Volume
Velocity=
Area

0.022
v= =255.10 m. s−1
0.00008624

mass of feed−average mass overflow

% Efficiency= ×100
mass of feed

50−7.3009
% Efficiency= ×100=21.35%
200
Volumetric Flowrate Efficiency %
22 21.39
15 24.44
10 24.83
5 24.86

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Efficiency vs flowrate graph

25

20
Efficiency %

15

10

0
4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
Flowrate (l/min)

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DISCUSSION

BATCH SEDIMENTATION

In Batch sedimentation the rate of sedimentation decreases with time hence an inversely
proportional relationship occurs between the height of the interface and time. During the first
24 minutes when settling occurred the settling was high until a critical settling point was
reached where the rate of settling reached its equilibrium state. The slope of the graph gives
the velocity of the interface. The curve we obtained corresponds to the expected curve from
an accurate experiment since the graph has a negative gradient. From the plot it is very clear
that the solids settle rapidly between the initial time of 0 minutes and 24 minutes after that
the settling rate is constant which means that there is no more settling of solids and the
process of sedimentation has ceased after this point. The trend line obtained during the
practical was the expected one but due to possible errors it was not precise as it should have
been. This is due to the fact that the levels of the interface from which we were obtaining our
readings were not clear and that lead to not reading the precise reading of the heights.

CONTINUOUS SEDIMENTATION

The results obtained from the graphs proves that the efficiency is inversely proportional with
the increase in volumetric flowrate. When the amount of the settled sludge is greater, the
volumetric flowrate becomes lower this is due to the time to settle the particles have. It is
important to have high efficiency since the practical’s whole point is to separate as much
slurry as possible. The lesser solids in the overflow products the lesser the equipment is
needed to purify the products. The use of flat bases can make them particles to be scrubbed
on the base and that can results more source of errors in the practical.

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CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The settling flux is directly proportional to time, and height is inversely proportional to time.
When the volumetric flow rate is low the efficiency increases therefore in order to get
effective efficiency fro, the sedimentation device is to make the rate of sedimentation to be
higher. The rate of sedimentation in both of the batch and continuous process are equal this is
due to the enough time to settle in both processes. There should be an automatic steer in the
sedimentation devices because the use of hand steer wastes time and that it can cause fore
source of errors, which can result in the results being not realistic. The theory that has been
tested has been found that is in correspondence with the experiments and the results go in
hand with the theoretical analysis regardless of the human errors there we can conclude that
the whole experiment was done accordingly and the sedimentation the apparatus operates in
order.

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REFERENCES
Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering, Volume 1
Chemical engineering, Volume 2
www.google.com
Navarra, M., 1983. Natural products of extraction. s.l.:s.n.
Villa, J., 1998. Official Method of Analysis. s.l.:s.n.
Willson, K., 1999. the effect of different extraction techniques. s.l.:s.n.

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