Edition 2020-21

Mechanical Operations
PEN-Drive / G-Drive / VOD / Tablet & LIVE Classroom Program

Workbook

Chemical Engineering

GATE / PSUs
Mechanical Operations
PEN-Drive / G-Drive / VOD / Tablet & LIVE Classroom Program
Workbook
Chemical Engineering

Copyright © All Rights Reserved

GATE ACADEMY ®

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Edition : 2020-21

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 GATE Syllabus
Chemical Engineering (CH) : Particle size and shape, particle size distribution, size reduction
and classification of solid particles; free and hindered settling; centrifuge and cyclones;
thickening and classification, filtration, agitation and mixing; conveying of solids.

Table of Contents

Sr. Chapter Pages

1. Solid Characteristics ………………………………………………..…………..……………. 1 to 4

2. Size Reduction ………………………………………………………..…………………………. 5 to 8

3. Solid – Solid Separation…………………………………………………..……….………………9 to 10

4. Transportation of Solids …………………………………………….……………………….….11 to 12

5. Sedimentation …..…………………………….………………………………….…………….….13 to 17

6. Filteration………………………………………………………………...……………………………18 to 20

7. Solid - Gas Separation……………………………………….…………………………………...21 to 22

8. Fluidization ……………………………………………………….……………………………….….23 to 26

9. Mixing…………………………………………………….…………..………………………………….27 to 28
 Video Lecture Information
Sr. Lecture Name Duration
00 How to study Mechanical Operations in PD-GD Course ? 0:21:15
Chapter 01 Solid Characteristics
01 Properties & Size Of Solid Particles 0:20:23
02 Shape of The Particle (Concept Of Sphericity) 0:22:54
03 Workbook Question 1.1 0:10:19
04 Surface Shape Factor Concept & Workbook Question 1.2 0:11:18
05 Volume Shape Factor 0:03:18
06 Workbook Question 1.3 0:06:41
07 Workbook Question 1.4 0:08:07
08 Particle Size Analysis 0:08:47
09 Average Size Analysis 0:20:39
10 Workbook Question 1.5 & 1.6 0:11:37
11 Mixed Size Analysis 0:21:04
12 Workbook Question 1.7 0:12:06
Chapter 02 Size Reduction
01 Introduction & Purpose Of Size Reduction 0:13:21
02 Operating Methods (Forces) for Size Reduction 0:16:29
03 Crushing Efficiency & Mechanical Efficiency 0:13:30
04 Rittinger's Law 0:16:11
05 Kick's Law 0:08:00
06 Bond's Law & Concept Of Work Index 0:16:26
07 Workbook Question 2.1 0:09:11
08 Workbook Question 2.2 0:08:03
09 Workbook Question 2.3 0:10:18
10 Workbook Question 2.4 0:06:52
11 Workbook Question 2.5 & 2.6 0:19:25
12 Size Reduction Equipments 0:13:13
13 Size Reduction Equipments Based On The Order Of Uses 0:14:48
14 Jaw Crushers & Gyratory Crushers 0:29:09
15 Roll Crushers 0:17:11
16 Ball Mill & Hammer Mill 0:48:52
17 Workbook Question 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 2.10 & 2.11 0:10:01
18 Workbook Question 2.12, 2.13 & 2.14 0:10:59
19 Workbook Question 2.15 & 2.16 0:09:21
Chapter 03 Solid - Solid Separation
01 Screening 0:37:21
02 Screen Efficiency 0:22:35
 03 Tylor's Standard Screen Analysis 0:10:36
04 Screen Effectiveness 0:14:20
05 Screen Capacity 0:10:55
06 Screen Effectiveness Based On Coarse Particles & Fine Particles Separately 0:09:08
07 Workbook Question 3.1, 3.2 & 3.3 0:12:17
08 Workbook Question 3.4 0:09:59
Chapter 04 Transportation of Solids
01 Belt Conveyor & Pipe Conveyor 0:23:07
02 Screw Conveyor 0:07:14
03 Apron Conveyor & Bucket Elevator 0:08:27
04 Pneumatic Conveyor 0:04:19
Chapter 05 Sedimentation
01 Introduction Of Solid - Liquid Separation 0:23:06
02 Calculation Of Terminal Settling Velocity (General Form) 0:32:15
03 Terminal Settling Velocity For Stoke's Law Regime & Newton's Law Regime 0:27:40
04 Force Balance In Case Of Terminal Settling Velocity 0:06:14
05 Settling Ratio For Equal Settling Particles 0:11:57
06 Settling Laws 0:19:51
07 Free Settling & Hindered Settling 0:16:24
08 Workbook Question 5.1, 5.2 & 5.3 0:22:57
09 Workbook Question 5.4 & 5.5 0:18:05
10 Workbook Question 5.6 & 5.7 0:15:57
11 Workbook Question 5.8 0:03:44
12 Workbook Question 5.9 0:02:43
Chapter 06 Filteration
01 Introduction Of Filteration 0:10:56
02 Types Of Filteration 0:26:59
03 Principle Of Cake Filteration 0:21:27
04 Calculation Of Pressure Drop For Constant Pressure Cake Filteration (Part 1) 0:19:30
05 Calculation Of Pressure Drop For Constant Pressure Cake Filteration (Part 2) 0:18:19
06 Workbook Question 6.1 0:08:54
07 Workbook Question 6.2 0:07:19
08 Workbook Question 6.3 0:02:17
09 Workbook Question 6.4 0:03:50
10 Workbook Question 6.5 0:05:53
Chapter 07 Solid - Gas Separation
01 Introduction Of Solid - Gas Separation 0:09:44
02 Various Types Of Gravity Settling Chambers 0:24:35
03 Venturi Scrubber 0:22:56
04 Cyclone Separator 0:19:37
05 Workbook Question 7.1 & 7.2 0:06:59
 06 Workbook Question 7.3 0:07:27
07 Workbook Question 7.4 0:09:33
Chapter 08 Fluidization
01 Introduction & Classification Of Packed Bed Columns 0:18:29
02 Fluidized Bed & Definition Of Minimum Fluidization Velocity 0:09:08
03 Calculation Of Minimum Fluidization Velocity (Incipient Fluidization) 0:13:26
04 Advantages Of Fluidized Bed Over Packed Bed 0:05:57
05 Concept Of Bulk Density Within Fluidized Bed 0:08:32
06 Classification & Applications of Fluidized Bed 0:11:34
07 Workbook Question 8.1 0:06:08
08 Workbook Question 8.2 0:01:48
09 Workbook Question 8.3 & 8.4 0:07:59
10 Workbook Question 8.5 0:09:28
11 Workbook Question 8.6 0:06:15
12 Workbook Question 8.7 & 8.8 0:08:03
13 Workbook Question 8.9 0:02:54
14 Workbook Question 8.10 & 8.11 0:05:15
15 Workbook Question 8.12 0:04:50
16 Workbook Question 8.13 & 8.14 0:07:26
17 Workbook Question 8.15 0:06:50
18 Workbook Question 8.16 0:02:51
Chapter 09 Mixing
01 Introduction Of Mixing & Agitation 0:16:02
02 Purpose Of Mixing 0:15:41
03 Mixing Equipments 0:13:46
04 Applicability Of Froude Number 0:10:03
05 Power Consumption For Mixing 0:14:13
06 Workbook Question 9.1 0:03:16
07 Workbook Question 9.2 0:02:09
08 Workbook Question 9.3, 9.8 & 9.9 0:11:15
09 Workbook Question 9.4 0:06:28
10 Workbook Question 9.5 0:10:07
11 Workbook Question 9.6 0:05:46
12 Workbook Question 9.7 0:06:28
Syllabus Completion (Conclusion Lecture) 0:02:31
Objective & Numerical Answer Type Q.5 Size analysis was carried out on a sample of
Questions : gravel. The data for mass fraction ( X i ) and
average particle diameter ( DPi ) of the
Sphericity :
fraction is given below in the table _______
Q.1 Find out the sphericity of a cube having
Xf DPi (mm)
dimensions (a  a  a); upto two decimal
places 0.2 5
0.4 10
Surface shape factor :
0.4 20
Q.2 What will be the surface shape factor of
cylinder having diameter 5 cm and height 2 The mass mean diameter of the sample, to
cm? the nearest integer, is _______ mm.
Q.6 The diameters of sand particles in a sample
Volume shape factor :
ranges from 50 to 150 microns. The number
Q.3 Find out the volume shape factor. Shape of particles of diameter x in the sample is
factor and sphericity of a cylinder having 1
geometry h  3d and assume its diameter as proportional to , the average
50  x
equivalent diameter? diameter, in microns, (upto one decimal
Q.4 Consider a standard cylinder (diameter D), a place) is _______
sphere (diameter D) and a cube (side length (b) Mixed size analysis :
D) which of the following statements
Q.7 In a petroleum industry small size solid
concerning the sphericity () of the above particles are used as catalyst. Density of
objects it true? particle is  P  1.2 g/cc and   0.5,
(A) sphere  cylinder  cube calculate the souter mean diameter and
(B) sphere  cylinder  cube specific surface area of the mixture?
Size-range (cm) Mass fraction (g/g)
(C) sphere  cylinder  cube 0.412 0.041
(D) sphere  cylinder  cube 0.325 0.237
0.186 0.514
Particle size analysis :
0.082 0.126
(a) Average size analysis : 0.0038 –
Mechanical Operations [Work Book] 2 GATE ACADEMY®
j 
Practice (objective & Numerical Answer)
Questions :
(C)  Ni M i di2
i 1
N M d
i 1
i i i
2

j 
Q.1 Find out the sphericity of a cuboid having (D) N M d N M d
i 1
i i i
i 1
i i i
dimensions in the ratio 1 : 2 : 3?
Q.2 Find sphericity of a cube of sides [a  a  a] Assignment Questions :
where ‘a’ is one side of cube and the Q.1 The surface shape factor of a cylindrical
characteristic length is same as that of particle of 1 cm diameter and 3 cm length is
equivalent diameter?
(A) 1.45 (B) 0.87
Q.3 Calculate the volume surface mean diameter
(C) 1.282 (D) 0.78
for the following particulate material –
Size range Mass of the particles in Q.2 Match the sphericity of various
(μm) the range, (g) materials/particle
710  300 30 List (i) List (ii)
300  180 35 (a) Spherical particles I 0.280
180  90 65 (b) Cubical particles II 0.874
90  38 70 (c) Cylindrical ( L/D  1) III 0.806
Pan 55
particles
Q.4 The cumulative mass fraction of particles
(d) Mica flakes IV 1.00
smaller than size d j for a collection of N i
particles of diameter di and mass (A) a-IV, b-I, c-II, d-III
M i (i  1, 2, 3, , ) is given by (B) a-IV, b-III, c-II, d-I
j  (C) a-I, b-II, c-III, d-IV
(A)  Ni di3
i 1
 Ni di3
i 1
(D) a-III, b-II, c-IV, d-I
j 
(B)  Ni M i di3
i 1
N M d
i 1
i i i
3

Answer key

Objective & Numerical Answer Type Questions

Sphericity ()  0.7727
1. cube  0.8059 2.  S  1.266 3. Surface shape factor ( S )  1.2840
Volume shape factor (a)  2.3561
DS  0.0374 cm
4. A 5. 13 mm 6. 94.26 7.
ASS  267.077 cm2 /g
Practice (Objective & Numerical Answer) Questions
1.   0.7258 2.  1 3. DVS  54.6746 μm 4. A
Assignment Questions
1. C 2. B

GATE ACADEMY® 3 Characteristics of Solid

Practice Questions Solution  6 

 
dp
Sol. 1 Sol. 2   
 6   Sp 
 dp   
    Vp 
 Sp 
 Vp  a
 
a
a
hK
Given d p  characteristic length
l  3K
b  2K Volume
Characteristic length 
S p  2(lb  bh  hl ) area
here projected area will be taken
S p  2(6 K 2  2 K 2  3K 2 )
i.e. (a  a)
S p  22 K 2 a3
Characteristic length  a
Vp  l  b  h  3K  2K  K  Vp  6 K 3 (a  a)
1
6 1
6 So, d p  a
dp  3 Vp  d p  3 6K 3
  6
 
   2
1/3
 36  a
dp  K    6a 
   3 
6  a 
 36 
1/3
 1
K  1

   2 Sol. 3 DVS  DSoutermean 
22 K  x 
 i 
6K 3  d Pi 
  0.7258
Size range (μm) Mass (g) (m) Mass-fraction (d Pi )avrg . xi
d Pi M (d Pi )avrg
xi 
M total
710  300 30 30 710  300 0.117
 0.117  505  0.00023
255 2 505
300  180 35 35 300  180 0.137
 0.137  240  0.00057
255 2 240
180  90 65 65 180  90 0.255
 0.255  135  0.00189
255 2 135
90  38 70 70 90  38 0.275
 0.275  64  0.00429
255 2 64
Pan 55 55 38  0 0.215
 0.215  19  0.01131
255 2 19
M total  255  xi 
 d   0.01829
 Pi 
Mechanical Operations [Work Book] 4 GATE ACADEMY®
1
DVS   54.6746 μm
0.01829
Sol. 4 Cumulative mass fraction –
j

M i
xi  i 1


M
i 1
i

Since M i    V

We know that actual volume  theoretical

volume

V  a (di3 )
where a  volume shape factor

di3  theoretical volume

 [(ad i
3
) Ni ]
xi  i 1


 [(ad
i 1
i
3
N i )]

N d i i
3

xi  i 1


N d
i 1
i i
3


Objective & Numerical Answer Type
Questions :
Q.1 A material is crushed in a blake jaw crusher
and the average size of the particle is
reduced from 5 cm to 1.3 cm, with energy
consumption of 37 Wh/(metric tons). What
will be the consumption of energy necessary
to crush the same material of average size 8
cm to an average size of 3 cm? The
mechanical efficiency is to be remains same.
Do the calculation by Kick’s Law?
Q.2 100 ton/h of a rock feed of which 80 %
passed through a mesh size of 2.54 mm,
were reduced in size such that 80 % of the
crushed product passed through a mesh size
of 1.27 mm. The power consumption was
100 kW. If 100 ton/h of the same material is
similarly crushed from a mesh size of 5.08
mm to a mesh size of 2.54 mm, the power
consumption (in kW, to the nearest integer)
using Bond’s Law is _______.
Q.3 270 kW of power is required to crush 150
tons/h of a material. If 80 % of the feed
passes through a 50 mm screen and 80 % of
the product passes through a 3 mm screen.
Calculate the work index of the material.
And what will be the power required for the
same feed at 150 tons/h to be crushed to a
product such that 80 % is to pass through a
1.5 mm screen.
Q.4 Particles of the average feed size of
50  10 4 m are crushed to an average
product size of 10 104 m at the rate of 20
tons/h at this rate the crusher consumes 40
kW of power of which 5 kW are required for
running the mill empty. Calculate the power
consumption if 12 tons/h of this product is
further crushed to 5 104 m size in the
same mill? Assume that Rittinger’s law is
applicable?
Common Data Questions 5 to 6
A continuous grinder obeying the bond’s
crushing law, grinds a solid at the rate of
103 kg/hr from the initial diameter of 10
mm to the final diameter of 1 mm.
Q.5 If the market now demands particles of size
0.5 mm, the output rate of grinder (in kg/hr)
for the same power input would be reduced
to –
(A) 227 (B) 474
(C) 623 (D) 856
Q.6 In order to restore the output back to 1000
kg/hr, an additional grinder was installed.
The two grinders can be operated either in
series (configuration-1) or parallel
(configuration-2). Compare the two
configurations in terms of the additional
power consumption over the case above __.
(A) Configuration – 1 consumes less power
than Configuration – 2.
(B) Configuration – 2 consumes less power
than Configuration – 1.
Mechanical Operations [Work Book] 6 GATE ACADEMY®
(C) Both Configurations consumes the Q.11 The critical speed of the ball mill of radius
same power. R, which contains balls of radius r, is
(D) Configuration – 2 consumes less or proportional to –
more power than configuration – 1 (A) ( R  r ) 0.5 (B) ( R  r ) 1
depending on how the feed is (C) ( R  r ) (D) ( R  r ) 2
distributed between the two grinders in
Q.12 A pair of rolls is to take a feed of size 3 cm
configuration – 2 (the parallel
in dia and crush it into 1 cm in dia, if the
configuration)
coefficient of friction is 0.29, calculate the
Q.7 The power required for size reduction in roll dia ______.
crushing is ______. Q.13 Calculate critical speed of ball mill having
(A) Proportional to dia 50 cm charged with the balls of size 5
cm?
 1 
  Q.14 What will be the operating speed range that
 Surface energy of the material  you will suggest for a ball mill of 1000 mm
(B) Proportional to dia and charged with 200 mm dia balls?
 1  Linked Answer Questions 15 to 16
 
 Surface energy of the material  Q.15 A ball mill of 1 m dia is used for grinding
purpose, charged with balls of 100 mm dia.
(C) Proportional to surface energy of the
If operating speed is f % of critical speed
material
which is 16 rpm, find out the value of f %?
(D) Independent of the surface energy of Q.16 Now balls are replaced by new balls of 200
the material mm dia, calculate the operating speed in
Q.8 Size reduction of coarse hard solids using a rpm?
crusher is accomplished by – Practice (objective & Numerical Answer)
(A) Attrition (B) Compression Questions :
(C) Cutting (D) Impact Q.1 Energy requirement is highest for
Q.9 In order to produce fine particles between 5 (A) Jaw crusher
and 10 m , the appropriate size reducing (B) Rod mill
equipment is _______. (C) Ball mill
(A) Fluid energy mill (D) Fluid energy mill
Q.2 The work index in Bond’s Law for crushing
(B) Hammer mill
of solids has the following dimensions –
(C) Jaw crusher (A) No units (B) kW.hr/ton
(D) Smooth roll crusher (C) kW/hr.ton (D) kW/ton
2.10 In a roll crusher, rolls of diameter 1 m each Q.3 The value of angle of Nip is generally about
are set in such a manner that minimum –
clearance between the crushing surface is 15 (A) 160 (B) 320
mm. If the angle of nip is 310 , the maximum (C) 640 (D) 520
diameter of the particle (in mm) which can Q.4 What is the critical rotational speed in rps
be crushed is _____ (rounded off to third for a ball mill of 1.2 m diameter charged
decimal place) with 70 mm diameter balls?
GATE ACADEMY® 7 Size Reduction

Q.5 The energy requirement per unit mass to Q.3 Match the equipment in column A with the
grind limestone particles of very large size corresponding process in column B :
to 100 m is 12.7 kW.hr/ton. An estimate Column (A) Column (B)
(using bond’s law) of the energy to grind the P. Centrifugal sifter I. Mixing
particles from a very large size to 50 m is_
Q. Bowl mill II. Sedimentation
Assignment Questions : R. Gravity thickener III. Screening
Q.1 Kick’s Law constant for crushing of solids S. Two-arm kneader IV. Grinding
has the following dimensions –
(A) No units (B) kW/kg (A) P – I, Q – IV, R – II, S – III

(C) kW.sec/kg (D) kW/ton (B) P – III, Q – IV, R – II, S – I

(C) P – IV, Q – I, R – II, S – III
Q.2 For crushing of solids Rittinger’s law states
that the work required for crushing is (D) P – IV, Q – III, R – I, S – II
proportional to- Q.4 Concept of work index is associated for –

(A) New surface created (A) Rittinger’s Law (B) Kick’s Law
(C) Bond’s Law (D) All of the above
(B) Size reduction ratio
Q.5 Unit of surface energy factor is –
(C) Change in volume due to crushing
(A) m 2 /kg (B) J/m2
(D) None of these
(C) J/kg (D) None of these

Answer key

Objective & Numerical Answer Type Questions

Power = 418.16
26.94 Wh/metric-
1. 2. 70.71 kW 3. kW, Work Index 4. 31.25 kW
tons
= 13.06 kWh/tons
5. C 6. C 7. C 8. B
9. A 10. 53.3083 mm 11. A 12. 47.50 cm
[ NOP ]min  26.004 rpm
13. 1.05090 rps 14. 15. 35.88 % 16. 16.96 rpm
[ NOP ]max  37.83 rpm
Practice (Objective & Numerical Answer) Questions
1. D 2. B 3. B 4. 0.6631 rps
5. 17.96 kW.h/ton
Assignment Questions
1. A 2. C 3. B 4. C
5. B


Mechanical Operations [Work Book] 8 GATE ACADEMY®

Practice Questions Solution

Sol. 1

Jaw Crusher – Coarse crusher

Rod mill, Ball mill – Fine grinders
Fluid energy mill – Very fine grinders
Energy (W) is highest for fluid energy
mills

 1.2 
Sol. 4 R   0.6 m
 2 
 70 103 
r    0.035 m
 2 

1 g
NC 
2 R  r

1 9.81
NC 
2 (0.6  0.035)

N C  0.6631 rps

 1 
Sol. 5 WB  K B  
 dpb 
1
WB2
 50
12.7 1
100
WB2  17.96 kW/(ton/h)

WB2 18 kW.h/ton


Objective & Numerical Answer Type screen analysis of furnace output to contain
Questions : 25 % fines. The screen effectiveness was
known to be 50 %. The underflow from the
Q.1 In the Tyler standard screen scale series,
screen contains about 95 % fines. If the
when the mesh number increases from 3
furnace production rate is 100 tons/hr,
mesh to 10 mesh then –
calculate the product rate from the screen?
(A) The clear openings decreases
(B) The clear openings increases Practice (objective & Numerical Answer)
(C) The clear opening is unchanged Questions :
(D) The wire diameter increases Q.1 A galena mixture was screened through a
Q.2 In Tyler series, the ratio of the aperture size standard 12 mesh screen. The mass fraction
of a screen to that of the next smaller screen of the oversize material in feed, overflow
is and underflow were found to be 0.4, 0.8 and
1 0.2 respectively. Calculate the screen
(A) (B) 2
2 effectiveness based on the oversize particles
(C) 1.5 (D) 2 and overall effectiveness.
Q.3 A sand mixture was screened through a
Q.2 If the screen capacity increases effectiveness
standard 10 mesh screen. The mass friction
of screen
of the oversize material in feed. Overflow
(A) Decreases
and underflow were found to be 0.38, 0.79
and 0.22 respectively. The screen (B) Increases
effectiveness based on the oversize is – (C) Remains unchanged
(A) 0.50 (B) 0.58 (D) Insufficient information
(C) 0.68 (D) 0.62
Q.4 An iron industry uses a screen of 5 mm
aperture to separate oversize from fines. The
Answer key

Objective & Numerical Answer Type Questions

1. A 2. B 3. B 4. 86.719
Practice (Objective & Numerical Answer) Questions
1. 0.666, E = 0.5926 2. A

Mechanical Operations [Work Book] 10 GATE ACADEMY®

Practice Questions Solution

Sol. 1 xF  0.4, xD  0.8, xW  0.2

Effectiveness
xD ( xD  xF )( xF  xW )(1  xW )
(E) 
xF (1  xF )( xD  xW ) 2
(0.8)(0.8  0.4)(0.4  0.2)(1  0.2)
E
(0.4)(1  0.4)(0.8  0.2) 2
E  0.59259
E  59.26%
But in question recovery is asked –
Recovery = Effectiveness based on the
coarse particles
DxD
Recovery  … (i)
FxF
FxF  DxD  WxW … (ii)
F (0.4)  D(0.8)  ( F  D)(0.2)
F (0.4  0.2)  D(0.8  0.2)
D 1

F 3
D xD
Recovery  
F xF
 1  0.8
Recovery    
 3  0.4
Recovery = 0.666

Practice (objective & Numerical Answer)
Questions :
Q.1 Sticky materials are transported by :
(A) Screw conveyor
(B) Belt conveyor
(C) Apron conveyor
(D) Hydraulic conveyor
Q.2 Idlers are used :
(A) To prevent the sagging of belt
(B) To provide structural support to drive
pulley
(C) To provide structural support to tail
pulley
(D) All of these
Q.3 Pipe conveyors are :
(A) Open to atmosphere
(B) Inclined belt conveyors
(C) Closed to atmosphere
(D) (A) and (B) both
Q.4 Trought belt conveyors are used
conveying the material having :
(A) High angle of repose
(B) Low angle of repose
(C) High angle of inclination
(D) Low angle of inclination
Q.5 Screw conveyors are used :
(A) For long distances transportation
(B) For short distances transportation
(C) (A) and (B) both
(D) Neither (A) nor (B)
Q.6 When mixing of material is required during
transportation, which type of conveyor can
be used :
(A) Continuous screw conveyor
(B) Discontinuous screw conveyor
(C) Bladed screw conveyor
(D) None of these
Q.7 Apron conveyors are used for the
transportation of
(A) Heavy duty material
(B) Sticky material
(C) Light duty material
(D) Granular material
Q.8 Bucket elevators work on the mechanism of
(A) Air-pressure force
(B) Gravitational force
(C) Centrifugal force
(D) None of these
for
Q.9 In bucket elevators, discharge of the product
is obtained due to :
(A) Pressure force
(B) Gravitational force
(C) Centrifugal force
(D) All of the above
Mechanical Operations [Work Book] 12 GATE ACADEMY®
Q.10 Which one is incorrect about pneumatic Q.11 Muddy solids and slurries are transported by
conveyors : :
(A) Transportation takes place with the help (A) Belt conveyors
of air pressure (B) Bucket elevators
(B) These are used for conveying granular (C) Pipe conveyors
materials (D) Screw conveyors
(C) Transportation takes place with the help
of centrifugal force
(D) These are used for short distance
transportation

Answer key

Practice (Objective & Numerical Answer) Questions

1. A 2. A 3. C 4. B

5. B 6. C 7. A 8. C

9. C 10. C 11. D


Objective & Numerical Answer Type Q.4 A spherical solid particle of 1 mm diameter
Questions : is falling with a downward velocity of 1.7
mm/sec through a liquid of viscosity 0.04
Q.1 For stoke’s law regime calculate the Pa.s at a low Reynald’s No (Stoke’s
terminal settling velocity? regime). The liquid is flowing upward at a
Given: d p  2 104 m ,  p  3000 kg/m3 , velocity of 1 mm/s. All velocities are with
 f  750 kg/m3 ,  f  9.81 103 Pa  S respect to a stationary reference frame
Neglecting the wall effects, the drag force
Q.2 Two identically sized spherical particle A
per unit projected area of the particle in Pa
and B having densities  A and  B
(upto two decimal places is).
respectively, are settling in a fluid of density
 . Assuming free setting under turbulent
flow conditions, the ratio of the terminal
settling velocity of particle A to that of
particle B is given by
A   B  
(A) (B)
B   A  
( A  ) ( B  )
(C) (D)
( B  ) ( A  ) Q.5 Two spherical particales have the same outer
Q.3 Consider the following two cases of diameter but are made of different materials.
movement of particles. In case(I), the The first one (with material density 1 ) is
particle moves along the positive y-direction
solid, where as the second (with material
and in case II the particle moves along
negative y-direction. Gravity acts along the density  2 ) is a hollow sphere with the inner
positive y-direction. Which one of the shell diameter equal to half the outer
following options corresponds to the diameter. It both the spheres have same
CORRECT directions of buoyancy acting on terminal velocity in any fluid, then the
the particles?
rations of their material densities. 2 / 1 is
(A) Positive y-direction for both the cases.
(B) Negative y-direction for case (I) and ______.
Positive –y direction for case (II) 8
(C) Negative y-direction for both the cases (A) 1 (B)
7
(D) Positive y-direction for case (I),
negative – y direction for case (II) (C) 2 (D) 8
Mechanical Operations [Work Book] 14 GATE ACADEMY®
Q.6 A 30% by volume suspension of spherical Practice (objective & Numerical Answer)
sand particles in a viscous oil has a settling Questions :
velocity of 4.44 m/s . If zaki Richardson’s
Q.1 The terminal velocity of a spherical particle
index is 4.5, the terminal settling velocity of
in gravitational settling under stoke’s regime
the particle will be?
varies _______
Q.7 A concentrated mixture of Galena particles (A) Linearly with the particle diameter
is falling through still water, density of
(B) Linearly with the viscosity of the liquid
particle is 7500 kg/m 3 diameter of particles
(C) Directly with the square of particle
is 0.0001m, calculate the upward velocity of
diameter
water if porosity of suspension is 0.5. Zaki
(D) Inversely with the density of the
richardson’s index is 4.5 and viscosity
particle
( t )  1 centipoise.
Q.2 The diameter of a drop of liquid fuel
Q.8 Consider a solid sphere falling with a changes with time due to combustion.
constant velocity in a fluid, According to the relationship
Viscosity of the fluid = 0.15 Pa.s  t 
D  D0 1   , while burning. The drop
Acceleration due to gravity  10 m/s , 2
 tb 
falls at its terminal velocity under stokes
Density of the particle  1200 kg/m 3
flow regime. The distance it will travel
Density of the fluid  1000 kg/m 3 before complete combustion is given by:

The diameter (in mm, rounded off the D02 tb g D02 tb g
(A) (B)
second decimal place) of the largest sphere 18 36
that settles in the stoke’s law regime is D02 tb g D02 tb g
______ (C) (D)
54 100
Given:-Reynold’s No  0.1
Q.3 For a sphere falling in the constant drag co-
Q.9 A gas bubble (gas density  g =2kg/m : 3
efficient regime, it’s terminal velocity
depends upon it’s diameter as ______
bubble diameter D  104 m ) is rising
vertically through water (density (A) d (B) d
  1000 kg/m ; viscosity   0.001Pa.s ).
3
1
(C) d 2 (D)
Force balance on the bubble leads to the d
following equation : Q.4 Terminal settling velocity of sand grain is 24
dv    18 cm/s. A suspension of spherical particles in
 g g  v a viscous oil has a hindered settling velocity
dt g g D2
of 4.4 mm/s. Zaki Richardson’s Index is 4.5
Where v is the velocity of the bubble at any Find the volume fraction of sand grain?
given time ‘t’. Assume that the volume of Q.5 In the stokes regime the terminal velocity of
the rising bubble dose not change. The value the particle for the centrifugal sedimentation
of g  9.81m/s 2 . is given by
The terminal rising velocity of the bubble ut  2r ( p  )d p2 /18  where,
(in cm/s), rounded to 2 decimal places, is
w  angular velocity
______ cm/s.
GATE ACADEMY®
r  Distance of the particle from the axis of
rotation
 p  Density of the particle
  Density of the fluid
d p  Diameter of the particle
  Viscosity of the fluid
In a bowl centrifugal classifier operating at
60 rpm with water (  0.001 kg/m.s) , the
time taken for a particle
(d p  0.0001m,sp.gr.  2.5) in seconds to
transverse a distance of 0.05 m from the
liquid surface is _____
(A) 4.8 (B) 5.8
(C) 6.8 (D) 7.8
Q.6 In the elutriation leg of a commercial
crystallizer containing a mixture of coarse
and very fine crystals of the same material, a
liquid is pumped vertically upward. The
liquid velocity is adjusted such that it is
slightly lower than the terminal velocity of
the coarse crystals only.
Hence
(A) The very fine and coarse crystals will
both be carried upward by the liquid
(B) The very fine and coarse crystals will
both settle at the bottom of the tube
(C) The very fine crystals will be carried
upward and the coarse crystals will
settle.
(D) The coarse crystals will be carried
upward and the very fine crystals will
settle.
15 Sedimentation
Assignment Questions :
Q.1 What is the terminal velocity in m/s,
calculated from Stoke’s law, for a particle of
diameter (0.1 10 3 m) , density 2800 kg/m 3
, settling in water of density 1000 kg/m 3 and
viscosity 103 kg/ms ? Assume g  10 m/s 2 .
Q.2 A 30 % (by volume) suspension of spherical
sand particles in a viscous oil has a hindered
settling velocity of 4.44 m/s . If Zaki
hindered settling index is 4.5, then the
terminal velocity of sand grain is ______.
Q.3 Find the drag co-efficient of bacteria of size
2 m , moving in a still water with the
velocity 15 mm/s. Viscosity of water is 1 cp.
Q.4 For a particle settling in water at its terminal
settling velocity, which of the following is
true?
(A) Buoyancy = Weight + Drag
(B) Weight = Buoyancy + Drag
(C) Drag = Buoyancy + Weight
(D) Drag = Weight
Q.5 The terminal settling velocity of a 6 mm
diameter glass sphere (density : 2500 kg/m 3
) in a viscous Newtonian liquid (density :
1500 kg/m3 ) is 100 m/s . If the particle
Reynold’s Number is small and the value of
acceleration due to gravity is 9.81 m/s2 ,
then the viscosity of the liquid (in Pa-s) is
______.
(A) 100 (B) 196.2
(C) 245.3 (D) 490.5
Mechanical Operations [Work Book] 16 GATE ACADEMY®

Answer key

Objective & Numerical Answer Type Questions

FD
1. vt  (5 103 )m/s 2. A 3. C 4.  1.296 N/m 2
AP

5. B 6. vt  22.1m/s 7. vupward  0.00156m/s 8. d p  2.72mm

9. 0.543 cm/sec

Practice (Objective & Numerical Answer) Questions

1. C 2. C 3. B 4. 0.5887

5. C 6. C

Assignment Questions

1. vt  102 2. 22.1 m/s 3. CD  800 4. B

5. B

3
Practice Questions Solution  D02 tb g  tb 
x  1   1  0  
Sol. 1 For Stoke,s law regime 54   tb 
d p2 ( p   f ) g
vt   vt  (d p2 ) D02 tb g
18 x
54
Sol. 2 For stokes flow regime
Sol. 3
d p2 ( p   f ) g
vt 
18
dx d p g
2


dt 18
  t  
2

  D0 1    g 
2
x tb
   tb   
0 0
dx  
18
dt
 
  For turbulent regime –
 
2
Drag co-efficient is constant –
 .g .D   t 
x 2 tb
For turbulent regime –
 dx     1   dt
0
18  0  tb 
0
4d p ( p   f ) g
vt 
 tb
3CD
 1   t   
3
g .D02 
x (tb )   1   
18   3   tb    vt  d p
 0 
GATE ACADEMY® 17 Sedimentation

Sol. 4 vt  24 cm/s  0.24 m/s

vh  4.4 mm/s  4.4 103 m/s

vh  vt ()k

(4.4 103 )  (0.24)() 4.5

  0.4112
Volume fraction of sand grains  (1  )
 (1  0.4112)
 0.5887
Sol. 5   2N
N  60 rpm
N  1 rps
   21 rad/s
 f  1000 kg/m3

 p  (2.5 1000)  2500 kg/m3

d p  0.0001 m

  0.001 kg/ms

2r ( p   f )d p2
ut 
18

dr  r ( p   f )d p
2 2


dt 18

18
t 2 r
dr
0 2 ( p   f )d p2 r r
dt 
1

r1  20 cm  0.2 m

r2  0.0  0.05  0.25 m

18
t 0.25
dr
 dt 
0
 ( p   f )d p2
2
0.2
 r

18(0.001)   0.25  
t ln  
(21) (2500  1000)(0.0001)   0.2  
2 2 

t  6.78 seconds

Objective & Numerical Answer Type
Questions :
Q.1 A leaf filter filtering a slurry, gave total of
8 m3 filterate in 30 min. Filteration was
continued till 11.3 m3 of filterate was
collected. Estimate the washing time in min.
If 11.3 m3 of wash water are used. The
resistance of the cloth can be neglected and
a constant pressure is used throughout?
Q.2 A typical batch filteration cycle consists of
filteration followed by washing. One such
filteration unit operating at constant pressure
difference first filters a slurry during which
5 litre of filterate is collected in 100 S. This
is followed by washing. Which is done for
t w seconds and uses 1 litre of wash water.
Assume the following relation to be
applicable between the applied press. Drop
p , cake thickness ‘L’ at time t, and volume
of liquid V collected in time ‘t’
p dv
 k1 , L  k2V , if L is changing k1
L dt
and k2 can be taken to be constant during
filteration and washing. The wash time t w ,
in seconds (up to one decimal place) is ___
Q.3 In constant pressure filteration, the rate of
filteration follows the relation (V: filterate
volume, t : time, k and C : Constant)
dV dV 1
(A)  kV  C (B)  (B) Rate of filteration is constant
dt dt kV  C
dV dV
(C)  kV (D)  kV 2
dt dt
Q.4 A filteration is conducted at constant
pressure to recover solids, from the diluted
slurry. To reduce the time of filteration, the
solids concentration in the feed slurry is
increased by evaporating half the solvent if
the resistance of the filter medium is
negligible, the filteration time will be
reduced by a factor of _______
(A) 1 (B) 2
(C) 4 (D) 8
Q.5 In a constant pressure cake fitleration with
an incompressible cake layer, volume of the
filterate (V) is measured as a function of
t
time (t) the plot of versus V results in a
V
straight line with an intercept of (10) 4 s/m3 .
Area of the filter is 0.05 m 2 , viscosity of the
filterate is 103 Pa-s , and the overall
pressure drop across the filter is 200 kPA.
The value of the filter medium resistance (in
m 1 ) is _____
(A) (1109 ) (B) (1 1012 )
(C) (1 1011 ) (D) (1 1010 )
Practice (objective & Numerical Answer)
Questions :
Q.1 In constant pressure filteration –
(A) Resistance decreases with time
(C) Rate of filteration increases with time
(D) Rate of filteration decreases with time
GATE ACADEMY® 19 Filteration

Q.2 For laminar flow conditions, the relationship Q.2 A filter with 1 m 2 filtering area is operated
between the pressure drop ( PC ) across an at a constant pressure of 1.8 bar. The
incompressible filter cake and the specific filteration equation is given by
surface ( S0 ) of the particles being filtered is dt
 45V  (75) . Find out the time required
given by_____. dV
(A) pc is proportional to S 0 (in min.) for washing the cake formed at the
end of 60 min. of filteration as at the same
1
(B) pc is proportional to pressure using 3000 liters of water?
S0
Q.3 For constant rate cake filteration increment
(C) pc is proportional to S 2
0 in pressure is favorable
1 (A) At the starting of the process.
(D) pc is proportional to
S02 (B) At the mid of the process.
Q.3 A centrifugal filteration unit operating at a (C) At the end of the process.
rotational speed of (  ) has inner surface of (D) Either at the starting or at the mid of the
the liquid (density  L ) located at a radial process, effect will be same.
distance R from the axis of rotation. The
thickness of the liquid film is  and no cake
is formed. The initial pressure drop during
filteration is
1
(A) 2 R 2 L
2
1
(B) 22L
2
1
(C) 2L (2 R  )
2
1
(D) 2 R L ( R  2)
2
Assignment Questions :

Q.1 The basic filteration equation is given as –

dt   CV 
   Rm 
dV AP  A 
Where V is volume of filterate; A is the
filteration area;  is specific cake
resistance,  is viscosity of filterate and C is
the concentration of solids in the feed slurry.
In a 20 min., constant rate filteration, 5 m 3
filterate was collected. If this is followed by
a constant pressure filteration. How much
more time in minutes will it take for another
5 m 3 of filterate to be produced.
Neglect filter medium resistance Rm ;
assume incompressible cake
Mechanical Operations [Work Book] 20 GATE ACADEMY®

Answer Key

Objective & Numerical Answer Type Questions

1. 119.70 min 2. 40 sec 3. B 4. C
5. C
Practice (Objective & Numerical Answer) Questions
1. D 2. C 3. C
Assignment Questions
1. 30 minutes 2. 28.7 minutes 3. A

Practice Questions Solution

Sol. 1 In constant pressure filteration

Pressure driving force
Rate of filteration =
Resistance
t  , cake thickness 
Resistance   rate of fileration 
Sol. 2
dt C Rm
 V
dV p  S0
2
p  S0
 Filteration equation
pC  S02

1
Sol. 3 P  L2[( R  )2  R 2 ]
2
1
P  L2[ R 2  2  2R  R 2 ]
2
1
P  L2(  2 R)
2


Objective & Numerical Answer Type Q.4 The particle size distributions of the feed
Questions : and collected solids (sampled for the same
duration) for a gas cyclone are given below.
Q.1 Taking the acceleration due to gravity to be
Size range Weight of Weight of
10 m/s2 , the separation factor of a cyclone
( μm ) feed in the collected solids
0.5 m in diameter and having a tangential
size range in the size range
velocity of 20 m/s near the wall is ______.
(g) (g)
Q.2 A centrifuge of diameter 0.2 m in a pilot
1-5 2.0 0.1
plant rotates at a speed of 50 Hz in order to
achieve effective separation. If this 5-10 3.0 0.7
centrifuge is scaled up to a diameter of 1 m 10-15 5.0 3.6
in the chemical plant and the same
15-20 6.0 5.5
separation factor is to be achieved. What is
the rotational speed of scaled up centrifuge? 20-25 3.1 2.9

(A) 15 Hz (B) 22.36 Hz 25-30 1.0 1.0

(C) 30 Hz (D) 44.72 Hz What is the collection efficiency (in

percentage) of the gas cyclone.
Q.3 Match the systems in Group I with
equipment used to separate them in Group Assignment Questions :
II.
Q.1 For a cyclone of diameter 0.2 m with a
Group I Group II tangential velocity of 15 m/s at the wall, the
separation factor is ______.
P. Gas-solid 1. Filter press
Q.2 In a cyclone separator used for separation of
Q. Liquid-liquid 2. Cyclone solid particles from a dust laden gas, the
separation factor is defined as the ratio of
3. Decanter the centrifugal force to the gravitational
4. Thickener force acting on the particle. S r denotes the
separation factor at a location (near the wall)
that is at a radial distance r from the center
(A) P-1, Q-2 (B) P-2, Q-3
of the cyclone. Which one of the following
(C) P-3, Q-4 (D) P-4, Q-1 statements is incorrect?
Mechanical Operations [Work Book] 22 GATE ACADEMY®
(A) S r depends on mass of the particle
(B) S r depends on the acceleration due to
gravity
(C) S r depends on tangential velocity of the
particle
(D) S r depends on the radial location (r) of
the particle

Answer Key

Objective & Numerical Answer Type Questions

1. 160 2. B 3. B 4. 69 %

Assignment Questions

1. 229.5 2. A


Practice Questions Solution

v2
Sol. 2 S
rg
S  f (v, r, g )
S  f (m)

Objective & Numerical Answer Type Q.3 Pressure drop per unit length (SI unit) at
Questions : minimum fluidization condition is
( g  9.8 m/sec)
Q.1 A vertically held packed bed has a height of
(A) 900 (B) 8820
1 m and a void fraction of 0.1, when there is
no flow through the bed. The incipient (C) 12400 (D) 17640
(minimum) fluidization is set in by injection Q.4 The minimum fluidization velocity
of a fluid of density 1 kg/m 3 . The particle (mm/sec) is
(A) 12.8 (B) 15.8
density  p of the solids is 3000 kg/m3 .
(C) 24.8 (D) 28.8
Acceleration due to gravity is 9.81 m/s2 . Q.5 A bed fluidized by water is used for cleaning
The pressure drop (in Pa) across the height sand contaminated with salt. The particles of
of the bed is ______. sand and salt have the same shape and size
Q.2 A cylindrical packed bed of height 1 m is but different densities ( sand  2500 kg/m3
filled with equal sized spherical particles. and salt  2000 kg/m3 ). If the initial volume
The particles are nonporous and have a
fraction of the salt in the mixture is 0.3 and
density of 1500 kg/m 3 . The void fraction of
if the initial value of the minimum
the bed is 0.45. The bed is fluidized using fluidization velocity (U mf ) is 0.9 m/s, find
air (density 1 kg/m 3 ). If the acceleration due
the final value of the U mf (in m/s) when the
to gravity is 9.8 m/s2 , the pressure drop (in
sand is washed free of the salt. Assume that
Pa) across the bed in incipient fluidization
the bed characteristics (bed porosity and
(up to one decimal place) is
solid surface area per unit volume) do not
Linked Answer Questions Q.3 to Q.4 change during the operation and that the
pressure drop per unit length is directly
A fluidized bed (0.5 m dia, 0.5 high) of
proportional to the fluid velocity
spherical particles (diameter  2000 m ,
(A) 0.70 (B) 0.90
specific gravity = 2.5) uses water as the
(C) 1.00 (D) 1.46
medium. The porosity of the bed is 0.4. The
Q.6 A bed spherical glass beads (density
Ergun equation for the system is
3000 kg/m3 , diameter 1 mm, bed porosity
P / L  4 105U mf  107U mf2 (SI unit, U mf 0.5) is to be fluidized by a liquid of density
in m/s) 1000 kg/m 3 and viscosity 0.1 Pa.s.
Mechanical Operations [Work Book] 24 GATE ACADEMY®
Assume that the Reynolds number based on Q.9 The height of a fluidized bed at incipient
particle diameter is very small compared to fluidization is 0.075 m and the
one. If g  10 m/s 2 , then the minimum corresponding voidage is 0.38. If the
velocity (in m/s) required to fluidize the bed voidage of the bed increases to 0.5, then the
is height of the bed would be
(A) 0.058 m (B) 0.061 m
(A) 3.33104 (B) 3.33 101
(C) 0.075 m (D) 0.093 m
(C) 3 (D) 30 Q.10 Under fully turbulent flow conditions, the
Common Data Questions Q.7 to Q.8 frictional pressure drop across a packed bed
varies with the superficial velocity (V) of
For a liquid flowing through a packed bed,
the fluid as
the pressure drop per unit length of the bed
P (A) V1 (B) V
is 3/2
L (C) V (D) V2
Q.11 The Kozney-Carman equation, rewritten in
P 150 f V0 (1  )2 1.75 f V0 (1  )
2

  terms of non-dimensional numbers, given

L ( s d p ) 2  3  s d p 3
 P 
where V0 is the superficial liquid velocity,   2  proportional to
 u 
is the bed porosity d p is average particle ( L / DP ) Re
(A) (B)
size, s is particle sphericity,  f is liquid Re ( DP / L)
density and  f is liquid viscosity. ( L / DP ) Re 2
(C) (D)
Given data : Re 2 ( DP / L)
Q.12 U mf is the minimum fluidization velocity
d p  1103 m, s  0.8
for a bed of particles. An increase in the
 f  1000 kg/m3 ,  f  1103 kgm 1s 1
superficial gas velocity from 2U mf to
Particle density,  p  2500 kg/m3 and 2.5U mf results in (all velocities are smaller
acceleration due to gravity, g  9.8 m/s . 2
than the entrainment velocity of the
particles) no change in
Q.7 When V0 is 0.005 m/s and   0.5 which
(A) Drag on particles
one of the following is the correct value for
(B) Drag on column walls
the ratio of the viscous loss to the kinetic
(C) The bed height
energy loss.
(D) The bed voidage
(A) 0.09 (B) 1.07
Common Data Questions Q.13 to Q.14
(C) 10.71 (D) 93
A bed of the spherical particles (sp. gravity
Q.8 On further increasing V0 , incipient
2.5) of uniform size 1500 m is 0.5 m in
fluidization is achieved. Assuming that the
diameter and 0.5 m high. In the packed bed
porosity of the bed remains unaltered the
state, the porosity may be taken as 0.4.
pressure drop per unit length (in Pa/m)
Ergun’s equation for the above particle fluid
under incipient fluidization condition is
system (in SI units) is given below
(A) 3675 (B) 7350 P / L  375 103VOM  10.94  106VOM2
(SI
(C) 14700 (D) 73501 units).
GATE ACADEMY® 25 Fluidization

Q.13 If water is to be used as the fluidizing 1.16 kg/m 3 ). The pressure drop (in Pa)
medium, the minimum fluidization velocity across the bed at incipient fluidization is
VOM is ______.
(A) 12 mm/s (B) 16 mm/s Q.3 In Ergun’s equation “Kozeny Kerman’s”
(C) 24 mm/s (D) 28 mm/s equation is termed as _______.
Q.14 In actual operation the above bed has a (A) Kinetic loss term
height = 1 m. What is the porosity of the (B) Head loss term
fluidized bed?
(C) Viscous loss term
(A) 0.2 (B) 0.5
(D) None of these
(C) 0.7 (D) 0.8
Q.15 A gas (density  1.5 kg/m 3 , viscosity Q.4 Concept of “Particle Reynold’s Number” is
useful in
 2 105 kg/ms ) flowing through a packed
(A) Mixing
bed (particle size = 0.5 cm, porosity = 0.5)
(B) Sedimentation
at a superficial velocity of 2 m/s causes a
(C) Fluidization
pressure drop of 8400 Pa/m. The pressure
drop for another gas, with density of (D) (A) and (B) both
1.5 kg/m3 and viscosity of 3  10 5 kg/ms , (E) (B) and (C) both
flowing at 3 m/s will be Q.5 “Moving bed” means –
(A) 8400 Pa/m (B) 18900 Pa/m (A) Fluidized bed
(C) 12600 Pa/m (D) 16800 Pa/m (B) Bed height is fixed while bed position
Q.16 A 1 m high bed made up of 2 mm particles is not fixed
is to be fluidized by an oil (density (C) Bed height as well as bed position both
900 kg/m 3 , viscosity 0.01 Pa s), if at the are fixed
point of incipient fluidization, the bed (D) Bed height is not fixed while bed
voidage is 39 % and the pressure drop across position is fixed
the bed is 10 kPa, then the density of Assignment Questions :
particles is
Q.1 In a given particulate fluidization the
(A) 2571 kg/m3 (B) 3514 kg/m3
porosity and bed height at minimum
(C) 4000 kg/m 3 (D) 4350 kg/m 3 fluidization is 0.5 and 0.09 m respectively.
Practice (objective & Numerical Answer) Determine the expanded bed height, if the
Questions : porosity is 0.6?
Q.1 In Ergun’s equation ‘Burke – Plummer’ Q.2 A fluid flows through a packed bed of
equation (term) is ______. material having 2 cm depth at a superficial
(A) Kinetic loss velocity 3 cm/s. A manometer connected to
(B) Head loss this records a pressure drop of 1 cm of
(C) Viscous loss water. The bed has a porosity 0.5.
(D) Kozney Kerman’s equation Assuming that Kozeny Carmann equation is
Q.2 A packed bed of height 2 m is filled with valid for the range of study, determine the
equal sized spherical particles. The particles particle size (in mm) ______.
are nonporous and have a density of Density of fluid si 1.36 kg/m 3
1700 kg/m 3 . The void fraction of the bed is Viscosity of fluid is (1.8 105 ) kg/m-s
0.40. The bed is fluidized using air (density
Mechanical Operations [Work Book] 26 GATE ACADEMY®
Q.3 For the bed to be fluidized, which condition
is necessary –
(A) v  vmin  vt (B) v  vmin  vt
(C) vt  v  vmin (D) v  vt  vmin
Q.4 Incipient fluidization means –
(A) Bed is completely fluidized
(B) Bed is partially fluidized
(C) Bed is just about to fluidize
(D) Bed is at elutriation condition
Q.5 Which one is correct for “Hetrogeneous
Fluidization”
(A) bed   fluid
(B) bed   fluid
(C) Void space increases linearly
(D) (A) and (C) both
Answer Key

Objective & Numerical Answer Type Questions

1. 26478.171 Pa 2. 8079.61 Pa 3. B 4. B
5. C 6. A 7. C 8. B
9. D 10. D 11. A 12. B
13. B 14. C 15. B 16. A
Practice (Objective & Numerical Answer) Questions
1. A 2. 9999.3722 3. C 4. E
5. B
Assignment Questions
1. 0.1125 m 2. 0.1818 mm 3. C 4. C
5. B

Practice Questions Solution

Sol. 2 For Incipient fluidization –

 P 
   ( p   f )(1  ) g
 L 
 P 
   (1700  1.16)(1  0.40)(9.81)
 L 
 P 
   9999.3722 Pa/m
 L 

Objective & Numerical Answer Type Q.4 A disc turbine is used to stir a liquid in a
Questions : baffled tank. To design the agitator
experiments are performed in a lab-scale
Q.1 To keep the power input constant for a model with a turbine diameter of 0.05 m and
stirred vessel operating under fully a turbine impeller speed of 600 rpm. The
developed turbulent flow conditions liquid viscosity is 0.001 Pa-s while the
(constant power number), if the impeller
liquid density is 1000 kg/m 3 . The actual
diameter is increased by 20 %, the impeller
application has a turbine diameter of 0.5 m,
speed should be decreased by a factor of
an impeller speed of 600 rpm a liquid
______.
viscosity of 0.1 Pa-s and a liquid density of
(A) (1.2)3/2 (B) (1.2)3/5
1000 kg/m 3 . The effect of gravity is
(C) (1.2)2/3 (D) (1.2)5/3
negligible. If the power required in the lab-
Q.2 If the frequency of the stirrer in a mixing
scale model is P1 and the estimated power
tank is increased by a factor of 2 while all
other parameters are kept constant, by what for the actual application is P2 , then the ratio
factor is the power requirement increased at P2 / P1 is ________.
high Reynold’s number?
(A) 103 (B) 104
(A) 4 (B) 8
(C) 105 (D) 106
(C) 16 (D) 32 Q.5 A propeller (diameter D  15 m ) rotates at
Q.3 Consider the scale-up of a cylindrical N  1 revolutions per second (rps). To
baffled vessel configured to have the understand the flow around the propeller, a
standard geometry. In order to maintain an lab-scale model is mode. Important
equal rate of mass transfer under turbulent parameters to study the flow are velocity of
conditions for a Newtonian fluid, the ratio of the impeller tip (v  ND) , diameter D and
agitator speeds should be _____.
acceleration due to gravity (g). The lab scale
Given : N1 and D1 are agitator speed and 1
vessel diameter before scale-up and N 2 , D2 model is of the size of the actual
100
are agitator speed and vessel diameter after propeller. The rotation speed of the lab scale
scale-up. model is (in rps) _____.
N D N1 D2 Q.6 An agitated cylindrical vessel is fitted with
(A) 1  1 (B) 
N 2 D2 N 2 D1 baffles and flat blade impellers. The power
P
no. for this system is given by N p 
2/3 2/3
N1  D1  N D 
(C)   (D) 1   2  N 3 D5
N 2  D2  N 2  D1 
where P is the power consumed for the
Mechanical Operations [Work Book] 28 GATE ACADEMY®
mixing,  is the density of the fluid, N is the Q.8 For question no. (9.3), calculate the ratio of
speed of the impeller and D is the diameter agitator speeds in order to maintain equal
of the impeller. The diameter of the impeller liquid motion?
is 1/ 3rd the diameter of the tank and the
Q.9 For question no. (9.3) calculate the ratio of
height of liquid level is equal to the tank
diameter. The impeller speed to obtain the agitator speeds in order to maintain equal
desired degree of mixing is 4 rpm. In a suspension of solids?
scaled up design, the linear dimensions of
the equipment are to be doubled, holding the Assignment Questions :
power input per unit volume constant. Q.1 In a mixing tank operating at very high
Assuming the liquid to be Newtonian and
Reynold’s number ( 104 ) , if the diameter
N p to be independent of Reynold’s number.
What is the impeller speed (in rpm) to of the impeller is doubled (other conditions
achieve the same degree of mixing in the remaining constant), the power required
scaled-up vessel? increases by a factor of _____.
(A) 0.13 (B) 1.26 1 1
(A) (B)
(C) 2.52 (D) 3.82 32 4
Q.7 The mixing of rubber latex solution was (C) 4 (D) 32
studied in an unbaffled mixer in the
laboratory. The mixer was equipped with a Q.2 For a mixing tank operating in the laminar
six blade turbine impeller. A tyre company regime, the power number varies with the
scales this process up using a baffled tank. Reynold’s Number as –
The baffled tank has 3 times the diameter of (A) Re1/2 (B) Re1/2
the lab scale mixer. It uses the same type of
impeller operated at the same speed. The (C) Re (D) Re1
relevant shape factor are also the same. Q.3 The power number for a stirred tank
Assuming that laminar conditions prevail in
becomes constant at high Reynold’s number.
both cases, the power requirement in the
industrial scale mixer is ______. In this limit the variation in power input
with impeller rotational speed (N) is
(A) 3 times that of the lab scale mixer.
proportional to
(B) 9 times that of the lab scale mixer.
(C) 27 times that of the lab scale mixer. (A) N 0 (B) N 1
(D) Cannot be estimated reliably due to the (C) N 2 (D) N 3
presence of baffles.

Answer key

Objective & Numerical Answer Type Questions

1. D 2. B 3. D 4. C
 N1   D2 
5. 10 6. 2.5198 7. D 8.   
 N 2   D1 
3/4
 N1   D2 
9.   
 N 2   D1 
Assignment Questions
1. D 2. D 3. D