Examination for the Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical)

Semester 1, 2010

105527 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS A

CHEMENG 3035

Official Reading Time: 10 mins

Writing Time: 180 mins
Total Duration: 190 mins

Part Questions Time Marks

A Answer all 1 question 60 mins 60 marks

B Answer all 3 questions 120 mins 120 marks
180 Total

Instructions

 Part A is a Closed Book examination – Calculators are not permitted.

 Part B is an Open Book examination during which reference material may be
consulted, and calculators may be used.
 Part A must be handed in before commencing Part B.
 Part B may be attempted early provided that Part A has been handed in.
 Answer Parts A and B in separate books.
 Begin each question on a new page.
 The marks for each question are indicated.
 Write your name and Student ID number on all loose diagrams/papers.
 Examination materials must not be removed from the examination room.

Materials

 Course notes and text books are permitted for Part B.

 Calculator is permitted for Part B.
 The use of a dictionary is permitted.
 Attachments:
1. Drag coefficient – Reynolds number chart
2. Batch solids flux data

DO NOT COMMENCE WRITING UNTIL INSTRUCTED TO DO SO

Examination 2010 2 CHEMENG 3035 (105527)

PART A. CLOSED BOOK

Question 1 (60 marks)

Give brief answers to the following questions. Marks for individual questions are as
indicated.

a. Give three (3) definitions of equivalent sphere diameters that are used to
describe sizes of non-spherical particles. Illustrate the application of each term
with a practical example. [6]

b. Define the surface-volume number mean diameter (dSVn) for a powder

containing spherical particles. Explain how dSVn can be calculated from size
distribution data based on (A) particle number measurement, and (B) particle
mass measurement. [4]

c. How do you know if the particle sizes of a particulate solid follow log-normal
size distribution? What are the key features of this size distribution function? [3]

d. Under what condition does hindered settling occur? Describe the

characteristics of this type of settling behaviour, and explain how the hindered
settling velocity can be determined experimentally and analytically. [4]

e. Describe the effects of surface tension and gravity on the shape and terminal
velocity of an air bubble rising in water. [3]

f. For flow through porous media, give the definitions and applications of define
the following terms, and show that they are equivalent characteristic dimensions
of a porous medium: [6]

- Hydraulic diameter
- Surface-volume diameter
- Specific surface area per unit volume of solids

g. Consider a porous medium initially filled by a liquid. A gas is then introduced

under pressure in order to displace the liquid from the medium. Describe the
flow behaviour of both fluid phases in terms of relative permeability as a
function of saturation. Discuss also the effects of wettability and surface
tension on the mobility of the fluids. [5]

Question 1 continues on the next page

Chemical Engineering Applications A

Examination 2010 3 CHEMENG 3035 (105527)

h. Consider counter-current flows of a gas and a liquid through a packed column.

Describe how the frictional pressure drop across the packing varies with the gas
and liquid flow rates. Define the critical conditions referred to as loading and
flooding, and explain how design of such a system is carried out. [5]

i. Describe incipient fluidisation, and explain how the minimum fluidising

velocity can be determined experimentally and analytically for beds containing
(1) uniform particles and (2) particles of different sizes? [4]

j. According to Geldart classification of powder, what are the main characteristics

of group A, group B and group D powders? What are the likely modes of
fluidisation when these powders are fluidised by air? [4]

k. What is solids flux plot? Describe the procedure used to construct the solids
flux plot from batch settling data. [4]

l. What are the four possible zones in a type II settling slurry? Show how the
movements of these zones can be predicted from batch solids flux data. [5]

m. The general filtration equation is usually given in the following form:

 C  R   dV
P   S2 V  m 
 A A  dt

A. Explain the meaning of all terms, and outline the basic steps involved
in the development of the above equation. [4]

B. Describe how the specific cake resistance of a compressible material

can be determined from constant-pressure filtration experiments. [3]

END OF PART A

Chemical Engineering Applications A

Examination 2010 4 CHEMENG 3035 (105527)

PART B. OPEN BOOK

Question 2 (40 marks)

A 2-m diameter bed of catalyst (s.g. = 1.9, sphericity = 0.81) with size distribution given
below is to be fluidized using a gas of density 1.2 kg/m3 and viscosity 1.8x10-5 Pa.s.
Under quiescent condition, the bed is 1.0 m high with voidage of 0.46.

Volume Diameter (m) Mass

from to (g)
50 75 68
75 105 92
100 150 83
150 215 57

a. Calculate the minimum gas flow rate necessary to fluidise the bed of catalyst. The
bed voidage at incipient fluidization may be assumed to be 0.5.

b. Determine the highest gas flow rate that can be used to safely fluidise the bed.

c. The bed is fluidised using a gas superficial velocity of 0.08 m/s. Determine the bed
voidage, bed expansion and frictional pressure drop under this condition. State any
assumptions made.

d. In actual operation, process requirements may demand a gas flow rate higher than
that calculated in (b). If the bed is fluidised with a gas flow rate of 1500 m3/h,
calculate the largest size of catalyst particles that would be permanently entrained
in the exit gas from a bed of uniform diameter of 2 m.

e. In order to contain all particles in the bed, the fluidising section needs to be
tapered, i.e. with increasing cross section in the vertical direction. For an operating
fluidising gas rate of 1500 m3/h, what should be the minimum diameter at the upper
end of the bed, if the base has a diameter of 2 m?

Chemical Engineering Applications A

Examination 2010 5 CHEMENG 3035 (105527)

Question 3 (40 marks)

A mineral tailings slurry containing 25 wt% solids in water is concentrated by gravity

sedimentation to remove as much water as possible before being pumped to
disposal. The slurry is fed to a continuous thickener at a rate of 400 m3/h, and the
thickened underflow is discharged at 200m3/h. The thickener has a cross sectional
area of 200m2 in the vertical section. The specific gravity is 1.7 for the solids and 1.0
for water. Laboratory batch solids flux plot for the slurry is attached (Attachment 2).

a. By means of the continuous solids flux method, assess the performance of the
thickener by determining the solids concentrations in the underflow, the
overflow and in the thickening zone below the feed line of the thickener.

b. Although the current operation may be satisfactory, the underflow slurry is not
concentrated enough. Your manager has proposed two options to increase the
underflow concentration further:

Option 1: increasing the feed rate by 35%, keeping the underflow rate the
same;

Option 2: decreasing the underflow rate by 35%, keeping the feed rate
constant.

Which of the above options is feasible and how much increase in the underflow
concentration can be achieved? Present your case with detailed calculations of
the solids concentrations of all streams leaving the thickener.

Chemical Engineering Applications A

Examination 2010 6 CHEMENG 3035 (105527)

Question 4 (40 marks)

Filtration of a slurry is normally carried out in a plate and frame filter press having 20
frames, each with dimensions 0.3 m x 0.3 m square and 0.05 m thick. At a constant
pressure differential of 200 kPa, filtration takes 20 minutes to complete when the frames
are full. Washing the filter cake follows under the constant-pressure (200 kPa) condition.
Cake washing takes 15 minutes, and requires a volume of wash water equal to half of
the total filtrate volume collected. Dismantling, cleaning and refitting of the filter take 15
minutes.

a. Determine the volume of filtrate collected per filtration cycle.

b. Calculate the average cake resistance () and the filter medium resistance (Rm).

It is proposed to replace the filter press with a continuous rotary drum filter, which is 2 m
long and 1 m in diameter. Filtration will be carried out at a constant pressure difference
of 150 kPa, and the filter will operate with 25 per cent of the drum submerged in the feed
slurry at any instant. Assume that the filter cake is incompressible and has the same
specific resistance* as that of the filter press cake, and that the medium resistance may
be neglected.

c. Calculate the speed of rotation of the drum which will result in the same overall
rate of filtration as obtained with the filter press.

d. Calculate the average thickness of the filter cake formed with the drum filter.

* Note: If you had difficulties calculating  in part (b), assume  = 1.41010 m/kg.

Data: Feed slurry concentration: 20 wt% solids

Solid density: 3000 kg/m3
Filtrate density & viscosity: 1000 kg/m3, 1 cp
Average filter cake voidage: 0.6

END OF PART B

END OF THE PAPER

Chemical Engineering Applications A

Examination 2010 7 CHEMENG 3035 (105527)

ATTACHMENT 1: Drag Coefficient – Reynolds Number chart

Chemical Engineering Applications A

Examination 2010 8 CHEMENG 3035 (105527)

ATTACHMENT 2: Batch Solids Flux Data for Question 3

0.14
Solids flux,  (mm/s)

0.12

0.1

0.08

0.06

0.04

0.02

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5
Solids volume fraction, c

0.14
Solids flux,  (mm/s)

0.12

0.1

0.08

0.06

0.04

0.02

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5
Solids volume fraction, c
Chemical Engineering Applications A