Universidad del Atlántico

Fluids Mechanics II
Valeria Cotua González
German Lobo Hamburger

CENTRIFUGATION

1) 5 lb/h of a liquid detergent of 100 cps of viscosity and 0,8 g/cm 3 of a density is going to be
clarified to fine crystals ( Na2 SO4 ρ =1,46 g /cm 3 ) by centrifugation at 23000 rpm. The length of
3
the inner bowl is 7 in with R= ⅞ in and ( R−r i)=19 /32 in.
4

Determine:
a) The cut- size diameter of a particle.
b) The sigma value

SOLUTION:

a) We calculate the cut size diameter as follows:

First, we convert the units from inches to meters:

7
R= ín=0,0222m
8

We calculate r i :

19
R−r i = ín
32
−3
r i=7,14×10 m

We convert the units of H from inches to meters, then we calculate w:

31
H= ín=0,197 m
4

2π N −1
w= =2408,55 s
60
We convert the units of densities and viscosity:

kg
ρ l =800 3
m

kg
ρ h =1460
m3
Universidad del Atlántico
Fluids Mechanics II
Valeria Cotua González
German Lobo Hamburger

μ ≡0,1 Pa s
We convert the units and we calculate the q:

lb
F=5
h
3
F lb/h 3 kg 1 h −7 m
q= ρ =5 kg/m (0,4536 )≡7,875×10
l 800 lb 3600 s s

Finally, we calculate th diameter with this equation:

√
2R
q ln ( )18 μ
R+r i
Dcut =
π ( R−r i) H w2 ( ρ h− ρ l )

√
2×0,0222
−7
7,875×10 ln ( )( 18×0,1)
0,0222+7,14×10−3
D cut =
π (0,02222−(7,14×10−3 )2 )×0,197×2408,552 (1460−800)

D cut =7,50×10−7 m≡0,750 μ m

b) We calculate sigma by initially determining v t and then with the equation of q, we solve for
sigma:

q=v t Σ

( ρ h− ρ l ) D 2p g
vt =
18 μ
−7 2
(1460−800)(7,50×10 ) (9,81) m
vt = =2,023×10−9
18×0,1 s

q
Σ = =389,3
vt
Universidad del Atlántico
Fluids Mechanics II
Valeria Cotua González
German Lobo Hamburger

2) In vegetable-oil primary refining, the crude vegetable-oil is partially saponification with caustic
soda, and refined oil is separated immediately from soap by a centrifuge. Oil has a density of 920
3 3
kg /m and viscosity of 20 cps, the soap phase is 980 kg /m and 300 cps in density and viscosity
respectively. A tubular bowl centrifuge is used to separate the soap formed. The bowl has a length of
0.762 m and 0.0508 m of inner diameter, turning out at 18000 rpm. The radius of weir for the light
liquid is 0.0127 m and weir for the heavy liquid is 0.0130 m.
Determine:
a) The position of the interface
b) If this centrifuge is fed to volumetric rate of 0.190 m3 /h with a 10 % in volume of the soap
phase, what is the cut-size diameter of oil drop retained in the soap?

SOLUTION:

a) For find the position of the interface we worked with the next relation:
2 2
ρ1 r s −r i
ρ2 = 2 2
r s −r w

We solved the equation to find rs:

2
r=
s
(ρ2⋅r 2w −ρ1⋅r 2i )
(ρ2−ρ1) √
= r s=
(ρ2⋅r 2w −ρ1⋅r 2i )
(ρ2−ρ1 )

And using the information given by the exercise we proceeded to find the value of rs :

√
2 2
((980×0,013 )−(920×0,0127 ))
rs = =0,0169 m
(980−920)

r s =0,0169

b) We calculated the volumetric flow using the value given by the condition:
3
m 1h −6 3
q=0,190 ×( )×0,1=5,277 x 10 m /s
h 3600 s
Universidad del Atlántico
Fluids Mechanics II
Valeria Cotua González
German Lobo Hamburger

Now we proceed to find the angular velocity:

w=2⋅π ⋅N

w=2×π ×18000 rpm=113097,335 rpm

1 min
w=113097,335 rpm×( )=1884,96rps
60 s

The cut diameter is given by the following equation:

√
2R
q⋅ln ( )⋅18μ
R+ r i
Dcut =
π ⋅(R 2−r 2i )⋅H⋅w2⋅(ρ2 −ρ1 )

√
2×0,0254
−6
5,277 x 10 ×ln ( )×18×0,2
0,0254 +0,0127 −6
Dcut = 2 2 2
=5,762 x 10 m
π ×(0,0254 −0,0127 )×0,762×1884,955 ×(980−920)
−6
Dcut =5,762 x 10 m