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This Unit Operates On Continuous Basis (At/ Close To) : Large Scale Settlers

This document discusses the design and operation of large scale settlers. It notes that settlers operate continuously near steady-state and that particles initially settle at a constant rate before reaching a point of inflection where settling slows. It discusses factors that can accelerate settling like modifying particle shape or fluid properties, as well as techniques like raking, stirring, and flocculation. Laboratory settling tests are needed to study the effects of flocculation and concentration since these cannot be derived from theory. The document provides terminology for settlers and discusses design considerations regarding shape, size, residence time and costs.

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119 views

This Unit Operates On Continuous Basis (At/ Close To) : Large Scale Settlers

This document discusses the design and operation of large scale settlers. It notes that settlers operate continuously near steady-state and that particles initially settle at a constant rate before reaching a point of inflection where settling slows. It discusses factors that can accelerate settling like modifying particle shape or fluid properties, as well as techniques like raking, stirring, and flocculation. Laboratory settling tests are needed to study the effects of flocculation and concentration since these cannot be derived from theory. The document provides terminology for settlers and discusses design considerations regarding shape, size, residence time and costs.

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Chemical NITT
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Large Scale Settlers

This unit operates on continuous basis (at/ close to steady-state)


Settling zones during sedimentation

• Initial constant rate of settling is observed


• A critical point is reached: point of inflection
• Slow compression of the solids after this point
• At least 2 procedures in the literature to design settlers from
settling curves:
Talmage and Fitch: tends to overdesign the area
Coe and Clevenger: underdesign of the thickener area
[Svarovsky, 4ed, p 180]

In practice: we will rely on outside consultants and civil engineers,


most likely, to size and design the unit. Else see the references at end
for more details.
The effect of particle concentration

More concentrated solutions take longer to settle; sometimes


see clearer supernatants with concentrated solutions: small
particles are pulled down in wake of larger particles.
How can we accelerate settling?
modify the particle shape: spherical vs needle shape
(usually not possible)
modify the liquid viscosity and density
not practical in most cases
e.g. used to separate diamonds in a process called \dense
medium separation"
raking or stirring: creates free channels for particles to
settle in
flocculation: to increase the particle's size by coagulating
particles
Sludge interface experiments
Since flocculant and concentration effects cannot be derived
from
theory, resort to lab settling tests.
Further settler terminology
A standard gravitational thickener:
Design Principle

A Area of thickener, [m2]


F Feed rate of slurry, [m3/s]
G The total flux [kg/s/m2]
Cc Concentration of suspension, [kg of solids/ m3 of liquid]
Cf Concetration of feed, [kg of solids/ m3 of liquid]
Cu Concentrtion of underflow, [kg of solids/ m3 of liquid]
Uc The settling velocity of suspension at concentration, Cc [m/s]
Uu The settling velocity of underflow at concentration, Cu [m/s]
Us The settling velocity of particles unhindered, [m/s]

Overall Mass balance yields G = F.Cf/A = UuCu


Total flux at any section below feed G = Uc.Cc + Uu.Cc

Replacing Uu, results in G = Uc / (1/Cc - 1/Cu)


Locate Gmin and determin Amin as Amin = F.Cf /Gmin

Unhindered Settling:
G = Cf. Us
Settler design: shape, length, width
1. What width and depth should the settler be?
2. How long should the particles be in the settler? Does residence
time matter?
Perry's, section 22.5.6:
 sedimentation tank can be rectangular or circular
 rectangular: euent weirs at the end
 circular: around the periphery
 main concern: uniform ow in the tank (no short-circuits)
 removal eciency = f(hydraulic ow pattern in tank)
 incoming ow must be dissipated before solids can settle
 evenly distributed; minimal disruption to existing uid
 overow and underow draw collected without creating
 hydraulic currents
 solids are removed by scraping, and hydraulic flow
The ideal rectangular settling basin

Changing depth has no effect in a rectangular basin [Svarovsky, 4ed,


p170]
Concept: the ideal circular settling basin

Fluid's horizontal velocity is a function of radial distance


As before, ensure residence time is long enough for particles to reach the
sludge zone
Comparison of rectangular and circular settling tanks
Key Design Criteria for Primary Sedimentation Tanks
Settler design rules of thumb: size

• For wastewater treatment the main design criterion:


Solids percentage in underflow

• A volume and mass balance on solids and liquids is then


used
to find the liquid overflow rate
• surface overflow rate (SOR)  40m3 per day per m2 for
primary units
• secondary units as low as 12 up to 30m3 per day per m2
• minimum depth of sedimentation tanks is around 3.0 m
• circular sedimentation: minimum diameter of 6.0 m
• length to width ratio of 5:1
Settler design rules of thumb: residence time

• gravity sedimentation tanks normally provide for 2 hour


retention of solids, based on average flow
• longer times for light solids, or in winter times
• organic solids generally will not compact to more than 5
to 10%
• inorganic solids will compact up to 20 or 30%
• why important: we have to design sludge pumps to
remove the solids: high concentration solids require
diaphragm pumps
Capital costs considerations
• Svarovsky 3rd, p179: cost = ax^b
• x = tank diameter between 10 and 225 ft
• a = 147 and b = 1:38 for thickeners
Perry, 8ed, section 18.6
• Installation costs will be at least 3 to 4 times the actual equipment
costs.
• Equipment items must include:
• rakes, drive head and motors
• walkways and bridge (center pier) and railings
• pumps, piping, instrumentation and lift mechanisms
• overflow launder and feed
Installation is affected by:
• site surveying, site preparation and excavation
• Reinforcing bar placement, backfill
Operating costs
• These are mostly insignificant

• e.g. 60 m (200 ft) diameter thickener, torque rating = 1.0 MN.m:


requires  12 kW
• due to slow rotating speed: peripheral speed is about 9 m/min
• implies low maintenance costs
• little attention from operators after start-up
• chemicals for flocculation (if required), frequently dwarfs all
other operating costs
Further self-study

• Designs with peripheral inlets (submerged-orifice flow


control)
• and either center-weir outlets or peripheral-weir outlets
adjacent to the peripheral-inlet channel.
• Deep cone thickener
• Lamella (inclined plate or tubes): often for gas-solid
applications
Practice questions

1. Calculate the minimum area of a circular thickener to treat 720 m3 per hour of
slurry containing 65m particles of silica, whose density is about 2600 kg/m3.
The particles are suspended in water at a concentration of 0.650 kg/m3. Use an
over-design factor of 1.5 on the settling velocity.
[Ans: v = 3:7/1.5 mm/s and A = 81.4 m2]

2. If it is desired to have an underflow density of 1560 kg solids per m3 underflow;


what is the underflow volumetric ow rate if total separation of solids occurs?
[Ans: Qunder = 0:3 m3 solids/hr]
References for this section
• Geankoplis, \Transport Processes and Separation Process
• Principles", 3rd or 4th edition, chapter 14
• Perry's Chemical Engineers' Handbook, 8th edition, chapter 18
• Richardson and Harker, \Chemical Engineering, Volume 2",
5th edition, chapter 3 and 5
• Sinnott, \Chemical Engineering Design", Volume 6, 4th edition.
• Talmage and Fitch, 1955, \Determining Thickener Unit Areas",
Ind. Eng. Chem.,47, 38-41, DOI:10.1021/ie50541a022
• Fitch, 1965, \Current theory and thickener design", Ind. Eng.
Chem., 57, p 18-28, DOI:10.1021/ie50682a006
• Svarovsky, \Solid Liquid Separation", 3rd or 4th edition.
• Particularly thorough regarding the settler's mechanical
accessories: pumps, scrapers, etc.

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