CHE 321

UNIT OPERATION 1 (3 UNITS)

Particulate Separation Operations

1: Drying, Conveying

2: Sedimentation, Clarification.
 RECOMMENDED READING/TEXT
• Chemical Engineering Volume 2 by Coulson
& Richardson Engineering

• Transport Processes & Separation process

Principles by Geankopolis C.J.

• Principles of Unit Operations by Foust A.S.

 SEDIMENTATION
•Sedimentation is the tendency of particles in suspension
to settle out of the fluid in which they are entrained and
come to rest against a barrier.
•This is due to their motion through the fluid in response
to the forces acting on them which could be gravity,
centrifugal acceleration or electromagnetism.
•In simple terms, sedimentation is the separation
of a dilute slurry by gravity settling into clear
fluid and a slurry of higher solids content.
•Settling is the falling of suspended particles
through the liquid while sedimentation is the
termination of the settling process.
•Filteration, centrifugation and sedimentation are the types of

solid-fluid separation methods

•The objective of settling process is to remove particles from a

stream in order to eliminate contaminants from the fluid or to

recover the particles e.g. elimination of dust, fumes or flue gas

from the air or the removal of solids form liquid waste

•Also in some cases particles are deliberately suspended

in fluids to obtain separations of the particles into

fractions differing in size or density. The fluid is then

recovered, sometimes for reuse, from the fractionated

particles.
•The settling process can also be carried out rapidly with the aid of

coagulant such as alum, FeCl2. This process is called Clarification

through the use of Clarifier.

•An example of a sedimentation equipments are Thickners. A thickner

enhances the concentration of the sediment separating the mixture

into underflow and overflow through mechanical means.

Applications of Settling and Sedimentation

•Removal of solids from liquid sewage wastes

•Settling of crystals from the mother liquor

•Settling of solid food particles from a liquid food

•Water treatment

The particles can be solid particles or liquid drops. The fluid

could be liquid or gas and it may be at rest or in motion.

 SEDIMENTATION OF FINE PARTICLES
Experimental study
The sedimentation of metallurgical slimes has been studied by COE
and CLEVENGER, who concluded that a concentrated
suspension may settle in one of two different ways

Figure 1. Sedimentation of concentrated suspensions (a) Type 1

settling (b) Type 2 settling
Types of Settling
4 types of settling can occur based on particle concentration
and interaction
• Type I: Free/Discrete particle settling :

• Type II: Flocculent settling

• Type III: Hindered settling (Zone Settling)

• Type IV: Compression settling

 Type I Settling- Free/Discrete particle settling :
• This is the removal of discrete particles in such low
concentration that each particle settles freely without
interference from adjacent particles (unhindered
settling). The particles settle as individual particles
and do not flocculate or stick to other during settling.
A typical occurrence is the removal of sand particles.
 Type I Settling- Free/Discrete particle settling :
• When a particle settles in a fluid it accelerates until the drag
force due to its motion is equal to the submerged weight of the
particle. At this point, the particle would have reached its
terminal velocity.
• When the concentration of particles is very small, each particle
settles discretely, as if it is alone, unhindered by the presence of
other particles.
• Starting from rest, the velocity of a single particle
settling under gravity in water will increase where the
density of the particle is greater than the density of
the water.
• Acceleration continues until the resistance to flow
through the water, or drag, equals the effective weight
of the particle. Thereafter the settling velocity
remains constant. This velocity is called the terminal
settling velocity, Vt
• For a rigid particle moving in a fluid, there
are 3 forces acting on the body: gravity
(Fg) acting downward, buoyant force (Fb)
acting upward, and resistance or drag
force (Fd) acting in opposite direction to
the particle motion.
• The buoyant force Fb in Newton on the particle is

Fb = = Vp ………………………………. (1)

Where Vp is the volume of the particle in

g is the gravitational acceleration

• The gravitational or external force Fg in Newton on the particle is

Fg = mg ……………………………………….…. (2)

• The drag force FD on a body in Newton may be derived from the

flow of fluids, the drag force or frictional resistance is
proportional to the velocity head v2/2 of the fluid displaced by
the moving body.
 FD = CD …………………………. (3)

Where CD is the drag coefficient/ proportionality constant

• The resultant force on the body equals the force due to

acceleration

m = FG – FB – FD …………………….. (4)

Substituting all the resultant forces from eqn. 1, 2 and 3 into eqn 4,
it becomes:

m = mg - - CD ……………………………………(5)

The terminal velocity is the period of constant velocity,

hence =0
 then, Vt = ………………………..(6)

for spherical particles A=

Substituting this into eqn. 6

we obtain Vt for spherical particles, Vt = ………… (7)

Drag coefficient for rigid sphere has a function of the Reynolds

number , the laminar- flow region for NRe 1

CD = = ………………………………………………….(8)

Substituting eqn. 8 in eqn 7

Vt = ………………………………………………….(9)

NRe =

In turbulent flow region where NRe is about 1000 to 2.0 X 105

CD = 0.44
Figure 3: Drag Coefficient for a rigid sphere
• Type II: Flocculent settling;

This is defined as a condition where particles initially settle independently

but flocculate in the depth of the clarification unit thus they increase in
size and settle at a faster velocity.

Flocculation is a process of aggregation and attrition. Aggregation can

occur by Brownian diffusion, differential settling, and velocity gradients
caused by fluid shear. Attrition is caused mainly by excessive velocity
gradients.

Examples of Flocculent Settling:

− Primary settling of wastewater

− Settling of chemically coagulated water and wastewater

• Type III: Hindered settling (Zone Settling):

When the particles are crowded, they settle at a lower rate. As

the concentration of particles in a suspension is increased, a point
is reached where particles are so close together that they no
longer settle independently of one another and the velocity fields
of the fluid displaced by adjacent particles, overlap. There is
also a net upward flow of liquid displaced by the settling
particles. This results in a reduced particle-settling velocity and
the effect is known as hindered settling.
Characteristics of Hindered settling;
• It is the settling of an intermediate concentration of particles
• The particles are close to each other
• Inter-particle forces hinder settling of neighboring particles
• Particles remain in fixed position relative to each other

• Mass of particles settle as a zone

The higher effective viscosity of the mixture is equal to the

actual viscosity of the liquid itself , divided by an empirical
correction factor, , which depends upon , the volume fraction of
the slurry mixture occupied by the liquid.
 ……………………………………………..….. (10)

………………………………………………..… (11)
Where is dimensionless
The density of the fluid phase effectively becomes the bulk
density of the slurry
………………………………………………. (12)
Where is density of slurry in solid(kg) + liquid (m3). The density
difference is now
= …………………. (13)

Substitute for in eqn. 9, for from eqn 13 and

multiplying the result by for the relative-velocity effect,
Eq. 9 becomes for laminar settling.

Vt = ………………………….(14)

The Reynolds number is based on the velocity to the fluid

and is,

NRe = = ……………………… (15)

When the Reynolds number is less than 1, the settling is in laminar range.
 Example 2

Calculate the settling velocity of glass spheres having a diameter

of 1.554 x 10-4 m in water at 293.2 K (20oC). The slurry contain
60 wt % solids. The density of the glass spheres is = 2467 kg/m3.
Density of water = 998 kg/m3. Viscosity of water = 1.005 x 10-3
Pa.s
Solution
Basis: 100 wt%
Slurry = 60 wt % solids
Water = (100 – 60) wt % = 40 wt %
 =

= 0.622

The bulk density

= 0.622 (998) + (1- 0.622) (2467)

= 1553 kg/m3
 .

Settling Velocity Vt =
But

Vt =

Vt = 1.525 x 10-3 m/s

NRe = where
Then NRe =

NRe =

NRe = 0.121

Since NRe 1, the settling is in a laminar range

Type IV: Compression settling:
This occurs when the particle concentration is so high that
particles at one level are mechanically influenced by particles on
lower levels. The settling velocity then drastically reduces to low
solids concentration. A typical occurrence of this type of settling
is the removal of sand particles. In this settling, a particle will
accelerate until the drag force, FD, equals the impelling (due to
weight) force, FI; then settling occurs at a constant velocity, Vs.
 Characteristics of Compression settling:
• Settling of particles that are of high concentration

• Particles touch each other

• Settling occurs by compression of the compacting mass

• It occurs in the lower depths of final clarifiers of activated sludge

Equipment for Settling and Sedimentation

1. Simple gravity settling tank; A simple gravity is used for
removing a dispersed liquid phase from another phase. The
velocity horizontally to the right must be slow enough to allow
time for the smallest droplets to rise from the bottom to the right
 To the interface or from the top down to the interface and
coalesce. Dust-laden air enters at one end of the chamber.
Particles settle towards the floor at their terminal velocities.

2. Spitzkasten Classifier: It consists of a series of conical vessels of

increasing diameter in the direction of flow. The slurry enters the
first vessel, where the largest and fastest-settling particles are
separated. The slurry enters the first vessel, where the largest and
fastest- settling particles are separation. The overflow goes to the
next vessel, where another separation occurs.
3. Sedimentation thickener: Industrially, sedimentation operations
are often carried out continuously in equipment called
thickeners. In the thickener the entering slurry spreads radially
through the cross section of the thickner and the liquid flows
upward and out the overflow.