Agitation

BUNADO, GLEE JOSHUA S.

Department of Chemical Engineerig, College of Engineering and Architecture, Cebu Institute of Technology –
University , N. Bacalso Ave. Cebu City, 6000 Philippines

--------------------------------------Abstract---------------------------------------------
Agitation refers to forcing a fluid by mechanical means to flow in a circulatory
or other pattern inside a vessel. Mixing, on the other hand, is usually the taking of two or
more separate phases, such as a fluid and a powdered solid or two fluids, and causing them
to randomly distribute through one another. There are a number of purposes for agitating
fluids: 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; to increase the heat transfer
between the fluid and a coil or jacket in the vessel wall. In the design of an agitated vessel,
an important factor is the power required to drive the impeller.
1.INTRODUCTION

The purpose of the experiment is to determine the effect of the speed of

rotation on the power requirement for baffled and unbaffled tanks; to show the relationship
between the power number against Reynolds Number for baffled and unbaffled tanks; and
to determine the effect of impeller diameter on the power requirement of agitation for
baffled and unbaffled tanks. However, due to the limitations encountered in the laboratory,
the experiment wasn’t performed. As a replacement, an Agitation problem was given by the
instructor for the students to still accomplish the objectives of the experiment.
In the design of an agitated vessel, an important factor is the power required
to drive the impeller. Different process industries require different dimensions for an
effective agitator. Experimental data are often available for a laboratory-size or a pilot unit-
size agitation system, and it is desired to scale-up the result to design a full-scale unit. Since
the processes to be scaled up are very diverse, no single method can handle all types of
scale-up problems and many approaches to scale-up exist. Geometric similarity, is of course,
important and simplest to achieve. Kinematic similarity can be defined n terms of ratios of
velocities or of times. Dynamic similarity requires fixed ratios of viscous, inertial, or
gravitational forces. Even if geometric similarity us achieved, dynamic and kinematic
similarity often cannot be obtained at the same time.

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 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.

Dry Laboratory Problem:

Components for a liquid detergent (μ = 10 centipoises) are blended in the pilot plant
in a 10-gal, baffled, flat-bottomed tank 10-in. in diameter. A double-turbine agitator with
blades 6-in in diameter is used. A ½ hp motor turns the agitator at 500 rpm for 30 min to
attain complete dispersion. In the plant a geometrically similar unit is planned to blend 200-
gal batches of this solution. Determine consistent values of agitator and tank diameter,
revolutions per minute, power requirement, and batch time for the plant unit. Base the
design on:

(a) Constant NRe,

(b) Constant agitator peripheral speed,
(c) Constant rpm.

Given:
µ= 10 cP
V1= 10 gal
DT1= 10 in
DA1= 6 in
P= 0.5 hp
N1= 500 rpm
T= 30 min

Solution:
For scale up of agitator in a geometrically similar unit:

Scale up ratio = = = 2.7133

R = 2.7133

A) Constant NRe :
DA2 = [R] (DA1) = [2.7133](0.1524 m)
DA2 = 0.4135 m
DT2 = [R](DT1)= [2.7133] (0.2540 in.)
DT2 = 0.689 m

With NRe constant:

( NRe1 ) = ( NRe2 ) * NRe =

 * ρ1 = ρ2 and μ1 = μ2

Then

N2 = (500 rpm) = 67.9 rpm

For batch time, using Norwood and Metzner’s correlation ( f2 = f1):

t2 = t1

But for geometrically similar unit: R =

t2 = t1 (R)1/2 (R)3/2 (1)2/3 (1/R)1/2 = (30 min.) (2.71)1/2 (2.71)3/2 (1)2/3 (1/2.71)1/2
t2 = 133.84 min.

NP =

NP1 = NP2 (power number remains constant for geometrically similar units),
then:

P2 = P 1

P2 =

B) Constant agitator peripheral speed

vt = (N)(DA)
vt2 = vt1
(N2DA2) = (N1DA1)

N2 =

t2 = t1 t1 (R)1/2 (R)3/2 (1/R)1/2 = t1 (R)1/2 (R)3/2

(1/R)2 (1/R)1/2
t2 = (30 min) (2.71)1/2 (2.71)3/2 (1/2.71)2 (1/2.71)1/2
t2 = 18.22 min.
 P2 = P 1

P2 = (0.5 hp)

P2 = 3.69 hp

C) Constant rpm: N2 = N1
N2 = 500 rpm

t2 = t1 t1 (R)1/2 (R)3/2 (1/R)1/2

= t1 (R)1/2 (R)3/2 (1/R)4/3 (1/R)1/2 = (30 min) (2.71)1/2 (2.71)3/2 (1/2.71)4/3

(1/2.71)1/2
t2 = 35.42 min.

P2 = P 1 = P1 = P1

P2 = (0.5 hp)(2.71)5 = 73.52 hp

4.Discussions
As for the procedures of the experiment, Agitation process with baffles requires
greater power because more power vortex does not occur hence proper mixing is attainable.
Baffles are often included to reduce tangential motion. Without baffles, the liquid is simply
swirled around with little actual mixing since the flow is uniform in the same direction.
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.
For the dry lab calculations, given the dimensions of vessel 1, a scale-up ratio can be
calculated to determine the dimensions for the preferred vessel. Three calculations were performed
at different conditions to know which condition is most suitable for the liquid detergent industry. At
constant Reynolds number, the velocity is 68.08 rpm, batch time is 133.84 min and power
requirement is 2.88 hp. For constant agitator peripheral speed, velocity is 184.5 rpm, batch
time is 18.22 min and power requirement is 3.69 hp. For constant velocity of 500 rpm, batch
time is 35.42 min and power requirement is 73.52 hp.
5.Conclusions
It is not economical to use a constant velocity during scale up because it requires a
huge amount of energy with still a large batch time. A constant Reynolds number upon
scaling up is preferred because the power requirement is less and only suffers from a large
batch time. In scaling up dimensions for a desired tank vessel, it is frequently up to the
designer to rely on judgment and experience. There are also correlations that will guide the
designer for the new agitation systems. 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.

6. References
Foust, et al., Principles of Unit Operations. John Wiley & Sons; Revised edition
(December 1960)
Geankoplis, Transport Processes and Unit Operations. John Wiley & Sons