Agitation

JAMAICA CHRISTELLE P. PEÑALOSA

BS Chemical Engineering

College of Engineering and Architecture

Department of Chemical Engineering

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

Prior to the start if experiment two or three estimation is made – the distance across of the
vessel and impeller, which are imperative in the calculations later on. Water is used as the fluid in
agitation and presumptions are made for liquids densities and viscosities. Supposedly, the data
should consist with and without the baffled vessel. But due to the availability of the equipment,
agitator with a baffled vessel is only used. Proficient mixing is acquired when correct answers are
accessible to such inquiries as (1) size of engine required to drive the mixing desired; (2) speed of
the unit for quality of mixing desired; and (3) kind of impeller and utilization of baffles. The shaft
and the impeller are settled on the shaft, the more the vortex becomes distinctive. With an
expansion of the rotating velocity, substantially more air is sucked into the water. Multiplying the
impeller width will quadruple the Reynolds Number. This takes after, as the impeller will clear a
region four times larger when the diameter is doubled. Temperatures and pressures are represented
in Reynolds Number as they influence both density and viscosity. These elements are helpful for
measuring and determinations of tanks, impellers, and the related driving gear. Unmistakably real
factors in the issue will be the size of the impeller and its speed. The presence of the baffles will
influence the energy consumption materially.
1. Introduction

Agitation refers to compelling a liquid by mechanical means to stream in a circulatory or

other pattern inside a vessel. Mixing usually implies the taking of at least two separate phases, for

example, a liquid and a powdered solid, of two liquids, and making them be arbitrarily dispersed

through each other.

The flow patterns in an agitator rely on the liquid properties, the geometry of the tank,

kinds of baffles in the tank, and the agitator itself. In the event that a propeller or other agitator is

mounted vertically in the focal point of a tank without any baffles, a twirling stream design

generally creates. For the most part, this is unwanted, as a result of excessive air entrainment

development of a huge vortex, surging, and so forth, particularly at high speeds.

A satisfactory detail of mixing equipment is intrinsic in numerous compound reactor

designs, in crystallization and drying plant of different plant of different sorts and in some

processing equipment handling solid – fluid suspensions. Proficient blending is acquired when

correct answers are accessible to such inquiries as 1) Size of engine required to drive the mixing

equipment 2) Speed of the unit for quality of mixing desired 3) Type of impeller and utilization of

baffles. Numerous outlines still continue by "rule of thumb" and past information of comparable

frameworks. Be that as it may, significant advance has been made in corresponding the factors

which will decide the power utilization issue.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1 Apparatus and Materials

 Agitator, 2 – blade paddle or square – pitch propeller (three sizes)

 Baffle strips (removable)
 Dynamometer
 Tachometer
 Container (10” dia, 18” deep transparent)

2.2 Methods
……………………………………………………………………………………….
The container was filled to almost 14 inches where tank has a baffle installed. The impeller
was then attached to the agitator. Inside the container, the impeller was immersed in the water such
that its elevation was about 4 inches. The dynamometer was attach to shaft. The power requirement
for different speed of rotation was measured. The speed was measured using the tachometer.
3. Results
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.

Time Speed at Different Voltage Level (rev⁄min⁡)

(seconds)
3.0 Volts 3.5 Volts 4 Volts
10 296.3 346.7 370.6
20 292.6 346.8 372.6
30 288.1 347.8 365.4
40 295.2 349.7 371.4
50 293.0 364.1 371.8
60 300.0 344.7 367.4
70 290.1 348.1 367.2
80 290.4 344.2 370.5
90 292.2 346.1 371.8
100 295.9 341.6 366.1
110 292.2 348.8 370.2
120 292.3 347.1 368.9
Average 293.2 346.5 369.5
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 3.0 4.89 5.0 56,146.11 5.83
1 2 3.5 5.76 5.2 66,135.30 9.92
3 4.0 6.16 5.8 70,728.03 13.53
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
kg
different voltage levels and assuming that the density of water, ρ, is 998⁡ m3 and viscosity of

water ,μ, is 0.8692x10−3 ⁡Pa ∙ s. Figure 3.1 is the graph to be used to locate for the power
number.
 Figure 3.1 Power Correlations for Various Impellers and Baffles

At 3.0 Volts
Converting N to rev/sec,
rev 1⁡min rev
N = 293.2⁡ ( ) = 4.89⁡
min 60⁡seconds sec
Solving for Reynold’s Number,NRe ,

2 rev kg
D2a Nρ (0.1m) (4.89 sec )(998 m3 )
NRe = = = 56,146.11
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 56,146.11 is

Np = 5.0
Solving for Power, P, using the power number found on the graph,
kg rev 3
P = Np ρN3 D5a = (5.0) (998 ) (4.89 ) (0.1m)5 = 5.83⁡W
m3 sec

At 3.5 Volts
Converting N to rev/sec,
rev 1⁡min rev
N = 346.5⁡ ( ) = 5.76⁡
min 60⁡seconds sec
Solving for Reynold’s Number ,NRe ,

2 rev kg
D2a Nρ (0.1m) (5.76 sec )(998 m3 )
NRe = = = 66,135.30
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 66,135.30 is

Np = 5.2

Solving for Power, P, using the power number found on the graph,
kg rev 3
P = Np ρN3 D5a = (5.2) (998 3
) (5.76 ) (0.1m)5 = 9.92⁡W
m sec

At 4.0 Volts
Converting N to rev/sec,
rev 1⁡min rev
N = 369.5⁡ ( ) = 6.16⁡
min 60⁡seconds sec
Solving for Reynold’s Number ,NRe ,

2 rev kg
D2a Nρ (0.1m) (6.16 sec )(998 m3 )
NRe = = = 70,728.03
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
70,728.03 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 ) (6.16 ) (0.1m)5 = 13.53⁡W
m3 sec

3.3 Sketch
4. Discussion

Agitation process with baffles requires prominent power on the grounds that with more
power vortex does not happen subsequently legitimate mixing is feasible. Baffles are often or
regularly included to reduce tangential motion. In theory, without baffles, the liquid is simply
swirled around with minimal 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
correlation of an agitator without baffles cannot be made. A single size of impeller is available in
the laboratory thus a comparison to various sizes of impeller is not made. But in theory or principle,
changing the impeller would influence the power requirement of the agitation process because
with various sorts of impellers, mixing effectiveness varies. By increasing its power, the impellers
efficiency increases. According to the results obtained, as the Reynolds number increases, so thus
the power number increases. Which implies that the Reynolds number is directly proportional to
the power number.

5. Conclusions

By increasing the voltage, the speed rotation in the agitator increases. When the speed
rotation increases so thus the other properties such as the power number and Reynolds number.
The relationship between the power number against Reynold’s Number is directly proportional as
seen from the results of the experiment. As the Reynold’s number increases so thus the power
number. Baffles are needed at high speeds to completely mix the fluid. Without the baffles at high
speed, the liquid is simply swirled around with little actual mixing. Since an unbaffled agitator is
unavailable then according from Figure 3.1 where curve 5 represents an agitator without baffles
that the power number is smaller compared to agitators with baffles.
According in the principle of agitation that in the turbulent regime, an increase of the
impeller diameter increases the power and vice versa. It can’t be proven from the results since
there is only one size of impeller but according to theory that is what happens when an increase of
impeller diameter happens.
6. Recommendations

Various types of agitator ought to be accessible with the goal that appropriate conclusions
are to be made. Since just a single sort of agitator is utilized then making comparisons is hard.
Therefore, speculations are the main reference to be utilized to make a correlation. When utilizing
the tachometer to determine the speed in rev/min, it isn't as precise as it may be. When it's now put
on the shaft, timings are fundamental before activating it by the experimenter with the end goal
that there ought to be a steady place of such not simply by holding it. The shaft must be put amidst
the tank to diminish the mistake or error occurred. There ought to be another liquid rather than
simply water alone for examination purposes so as to observe the impacts or effects of the agitated
fluids.
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