Tutorial for Mechanical Physical Separation

1. Slurry of CaCO3 in water at 298.2 K is filtered at a constant pressure of 46.2 kN/m2. The area of the
plate and frame press was 0.0439 m2 and the slurry concentration was 23.47 kg solid/m3 filtrate. The
filtration data is given in the table below:

V x 103 (m3) t (s) V x 103 (m3) t (s) V x 103 (m3) t (s)

0.5 17.3 1.5 72.0 2.5 152.0
1.0 41.3 2.0 108.3 3.0 201.7
*V = volume of filtrate collected, t = filtration time

a. Calculate the constant and Rm.

b. If the same slurry is filtered in a plate and frame press having 30 frames and total area of 0.873 m2
per frame, calculate the time required to recover 2.26 m3 of filtrate. Assume the same constant
pressure filtration of 46.2 kN/m2, same filter cake properties and the same filter cloth are used.
c. Calculate the total filter-cycle time if 0.283 m3 of wash water is used for through-washing, given
the time to clean the press takes 30 mins.

Equation:

= 2 + = +
() ()

= +
2
1
( ) =
+
1 1
( ) =( ) (for plate and frame filter press)
4 +

Ans: (a) = 1.106 x 1011 m/kg, Rm = 6.4 x 1010 m-1 (b) 293.8 s (c) wash time = 240.9 s
2. a. Calculate the terminal settling velocity of dust particle having a diameter of 60 m in air at 294.3 K
and 101.32 kPa. The dust particle can be considered spherical with density of 1280 kg/m3. Take the
air density as 1.202 kg/m3 and viscosity as 0.01828 x 10-3 Pa.s
[Ans: 0.1372 m/s]

b. Oil droplets with diameter of 200 m are settling from still air at 294.3 K and 101.32 kPa. The density
of the oil is 900 kg/m3. A settling chamber with a height of 0.457 m is used. Calculate the terminal
settling velocity. How long will it take for the particle to settle?
[Ans: 0.86 s]

Equation:

4 p gD p gD p2 p p
For spherical particle: vt For laminar flow: vt
3CD 18

D p vt
N Re

3. A dilute slurry contains small solid food particles with diameter of 5 x 10-2 mm, which are to be
removed by centrifuging. The particle density is 1050 kg/m3 and the solution density is 1000 kg/m3.
The viscosity of the liquid is 1.2 x 10-3 Pa.s. A centrifuge at 3000 rev/min is to be used. The bowl
dimensions are b = 100.1 mm, r1 = 5.00 mm, and r2 = 30.0 mm. Calculate the expected flow rate in
m3/s just to remove these particles.
[Ans: 8.76 x 10-5 m3/s]

Equation:
2N 60v
N
60 2r

2 p D p2
q
r
br2
2
r12
18 ln 2
r1