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Method To Arrive at Motor Rating

The document discusses the methodology for calculating the motor rating required for slurry mixing agitators in alumina refineries. It presents sample calculations to determine the required 130 HP (97 kW) motor for agitating a 3000 cubic meter pre-desilication tank containing a 50% solid slurry mixture. The calculations involve determining parameters like impeller power and speed, pumping capacity, bulk fluid velocity, degree of agitation, and accounting for gearbox and motor efficiencies to size the drive motor.

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kiran
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107 views

Method To Arrive at Motor Rating

The document discusses the methodology for calculating the motor rating required for slurry mixing agitators in alumina refineries. It presents sample calculations to determine the required 130 HP (97 kW) motor for agitating a 3000 cubic meter pre-desilication tank containing a 50% solid slurry mixture. The calculations involve determining parameters like impeller power and speed, pumping capacity, bulk fluid velocity, degree of agitation, and accounting for gearbox and motor efficiencies to size the drive motor.

Uploaded by

kiran
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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8/21/2017 Design Calculations for Slurry Agitators | RAJENDRA KUNWAR | Pulse | LinkedIn

Hi Friends,

Today I am presenting the gist of my technical paper on "Motor rating calculations


for slurry mixing agitators in Alumina refinery" which has been published recently in
aluminium issue of the magazine "Minerals & Metals Review" (page 30 and 31 in
MMR, August 2011 issue).

In various technical forums, process experts as well as equipment manufacturers have


opined that the design of agitators for mixing bauxite, residue and hydrate in Alumina
refinery is complicated and tricky issue. In this paper, we will discuss the subject with
brief description of involved terminology, associated design parameters and
methodology with sample motor rating calculations for the slurry mixing agitator of a
Pre-desilication tank of Alumina refinery.

Method to arrive at motor rating:


Impeller power for slurry mixing agitator is calculated using following mathematical
relations-

Impeller Power, P = N * ρ *N3 * D5/(16*104) h.p.

Where D = Diameter of impeller in meters,

N = Revolution per minute for impeller,

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8/21/2017 Design Calculations for Slurry Agitators | RAJENDRA KUNWAR | Pulse | LinkedIn

N = Power number for impeller and

ρ = Specific gravity of slurry.

Sample calculations:

Simplified calculations to arrive at the motor rating for the agitator of Pre-desilication
tank of around 3000 m3gross capacity with realistic assumptions have been presented
below-

Fluid Height in Tank , H = 16 m and Diameter of tank, D = 14 m

Slurry volume in tank = π *D2*H/4 = π * (14)2*16 /4 = 2463 m3

Solid consistency in Slurry = 50 % (w/w), Specific gravity of slurry, ρ = 1.602,

Viscosity of slurry, μ = 550 cp

Agitator Impeller Diameter, D= 33 % of tank diameter = 14 * 33% m = 4.62 m

Tip speed of Impeller = 290 m/minute, Drive motor RPM = 1500 rpm.

Gear Box Reduction Ratio = 75

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8/21/2017 Design Calculations for Slurry Agitators | RAJENDRA KUNWAR | Pulse | LinkedIn

∴ Agitator RPM, N = Drive Motor RPM/Gear Box Reduction Ratio = 1500/75
= 20 rpm

Flow Number N = 0.56 and Power Number, N = 0.51 (assumed figures)

∴ Pumping Capacity = N * N * D3 m3/minute

= 0.56 * 20 * (4.62)3 = 1104.44 m3/min. = 18.41 m3/sec.

Area of Tank = π * D2 = π *(14)2 / 4 = 153.94 m2

Bulk fluid Velocity = pumping capacity/area of tank

= 1104.44 / 153.94= 7.18 m/min.= 23.55 ft./min.

Degree of Agitation = bulk fluid velocity / 6

(For 6 ft/min., degree of agitation =1 and Degree of agitation varies from 0 to 10)

= 23.55 / 6 = 3.93 ~ 4

Annular Area = π * (D2- D2 ) /4

Where D = Diameter of tank and D= Diameter of impeller in meters.


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8/21/2017 Design Calculations for Slurry Agitators | RAJENDRA KUNWAR | Pulse | LinkedIn

= 3.14 * (142 – (4.622) / 4 = 137.18 m2

Rising velocity of particles = pumping capacity / annular area

= 1104.44 / 137.18 = 8.051 m/min. = 0.1342 m/sec.

Tank Turnover rate = Pumping capacity / tank capacity

= 1104.44 / 2463 = 0.45 times / min.

Power Number N = 0.51

Shaft Power, P = N* ρ *(D)5 * N3 /(16 *104)

Where N = Impeller power no., D = Diameter of impeller in meters,

Shaft RPM, N = revolutions per minute

∴ Shaft Power, P = 0.51 * 1.602 * (4.402)5 * 203 / (16 *104) = 85.98 h.p.

Taking Gear Box Efficiency = 80% and Drive Motor Efficiency = 95%,

Design margin = 1.15

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8/21/2017 Design Calculations for Slurry Agitators | RAJENDRA KUNWAR | Pulse | LinkedIn

∴ Drive Motor Rating = 1.15 * 85.98/(0.80 * 0.95) =130 h.p. = 97.0 kW.

Thus the drive motor of about 100 kW shall be adequate for successful operation
of agitator of 3000 m3 capacity Pre-desilication tank in Alumina refinery.

Rajendra Kunwar

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