Mapua Institute of Technology

School of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry

Chemical Engineering Laboratory I

Experiment No. 10

SETTLING VELOCITY (Sedimentation Apparatus)

Ruiz, Jao Jancena, Taeda, John Paulb , Tuazon, Mary Rose C.

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering - 2012103101, b Bachelor of Science in Chemical

Engineering - 2012100208, c Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and Chemistry - 2010101849
a

Mapua Institute of Technology

School of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry

Physical Chemistry II
Experiment No. 2

Sedimentation uses gravitational forces to separate particulate

ARTICLE INFO
Keywords:
Fluid streams
Gravitational forces
Sedimentation

Date submitted:
March 12, 2015

material from fluid streams. The particles are usually solid, but
they can be small liquid droplets, and the fluid can be either a
liquid or a gas.
In this experiment an understanding on the sedimentation
process was explored. In sedimentation, particles are falling
from rest under the force of gravity. Solids will settle in a liquid
whose density is less than their own. Sedimentation
equipment for separation of solid particles from liquids by
gravitational sedimentation is designed to provide sufficient
time for the sedimentation to occur and to permit the overflow
and the sediment to be removed without disturbing the
separation. Sedimentation is very often used in the food
industry for separating dirt and debris from incoming raw
material, crystals from their mother liquor and dust or product
particles from air streams.
This experiment means to analyze a settling velocity curves of
different suspensions from a single batch test, determine the
effect of initial concentration of the suspensions on
sedimentation rate, determine the effect of initial suspension
height of the suspensions on sedimentation rate and lastly
determine the effect of adding coagulation in the sedimentation
rate.

ABSTRACT

I.

mechanics (Zegler and Kutler, 2010).

Introduction

Settleable solids are the particulates that settle out of

Sedimentation is

tendency

a still fluid. Settleable solids can be quantified for

for particles in suspension to settle out of the fluid in

a suspension using an Imhoff cone. The standard

which they are entrained, and come to rest against a

Imhoff cone of transparent glass or plastic holds one

barrier. This is due to their motion through the fluid in

liter of liquid and has calibrated markings to measure

response to the forces acting on them: these forces

the volume of solids accumulated in the bottom of the

can

conical container after settling for one hour. A

be

the

due

to gravity, centrifugal

acceleration or electromagnetism (Omelia, 1998).

standardized Imhoff cone procedure is commonly

Sedimentation may pertain to objects of various

used

to

measure

suspended

solids

sizes, ranging from large rocks in flowing water

in wastewater or storm water runoff. The simplicity of

to suspensions of

the method makes it popular for estimating water

dust

and

pollen particles to cellular suspensions to solutions of

quality (Franson, 1975).

single molecules such as proteins and peptides. Even

Solids will settle in a liquid whose density is less than

small molecules supply a sufficiently strong force to

their own. At low concentration, Stokes' Law will apply

produce significant sedimentation (Omelia, 1998).

but in many practical instances the concentrations are

Sedimentation uses gravitational forces to separate

too high (Kulkami et al., 2009).

particulate material from fluid streams. The particles

In a cylinder in which a uniform suspension is allowed

are usually solid, but they can be small liquid droplets,

to settle, various quite well-defined zones appear as

and the fluid can be either a liquid or a gas

the settling proceeds. At the top is a zone of clear

(Robinson, 2006).

liquid. Below this is a zone of more or less constant

Settling is the process by which particulates settle to

composition, constant because of the uniform settling

the bottom of a liquid and form a sediment. Particles

velocity of all sizes of particles. At the bottom of the

that experience a force, either due to gravity or due to

cylinder is a zone of sediment, with the larger

centrifugal motion will tend to move in a uniform

particles lower down. If the size range of the particles

manner in the direction exerted by that force. For

is wide, the zone of constant composition near the top

gravity settling, this means that the particles will tend

will not occur and an extended zone of variable

to fall to the bottom of the vessel, forming a slurry at

composition will replace it (Goldman and Jackson,

the vessel base (Zegler and Kutler, 2010).

1986).

Settling is an important operation in many

applications, such as mining, wastewater treatment,
biological
science, space propellant reignition, and particle

Figure 1 showing the continuous sedimentation setup.

Figure 1 showing the sedimentation apparatus.

It is sometimes convenient to combine more than one

Sedimentation equipment for separation of solid

force to effect a mechanical separation. In

particles from liquids by gravitational sedimentation is

consequence of the low velocities, especially of very

designed

the

small particles, obtained when gravity is the only

sedimentation to occur and to permit the overflow and

external force acting on the system, it is well

the sediment to be removed without disturbing the

worthwhile to also employ centrifugal forces. Probably

separation. Continuous flow through the equipment is

the most common application of this is the cyclone

generally desired, so the flow velocities have to be

separator. Combined forces are also used in some

low enough to avoid disturbing the sediment. Various

powder classifiers such as the rotary mechanical

shaped vessels are used, with a sufficient cross-

classifier and in ring dryers (Boeriu and Simanjuntak,

section to keep the velocities down and fitted with

2009).

to

provide

sufficient

time

for

slow-speed scraper-conveyors and pumps to remove

the settled solids (Goldman and Jackson, 1986).

II.

Methodology

Materials and Equipment:

The following equipment and materials needed
are the sedimentation apparatus, digital balance,
1L plastic graduated cylinder, stop watch, pail,
funnel, powdered chalk, distilled water and stirrer.
Procedure:
The following suspensions were prepared:
Suspension A (10% chalk): 150 grams of
powdered chalk was mixed with 1350 mL of
distilled water.
Suspension B (5% chalk): 70 grams of
powdered chalk was mixed with 1350 mL of
distilled water.
Suspension C (5% chalk): 35 grams of
powdered chalk was mixed with 675 mL of
distilled water.

Suspension D (5% chalk): 35 grams of

powdered chalk was mixed with 675 mL of
distilled water and 5 grams of alum as
coagulant.
The suspensions into the glass cylinders of
the sedimentation apparatus noting the initial
height of each suspension was poured
separately. For every 1 minute, the height of
the interface between the clear supernatant
liquid and the slurry was determined. It was
done continuously until at least five similar
values of height were obtained.
III.

Results and Discussion

Table 1. Interface Heights of Suspensions per

Minute
Time
Interface Height (cm)
(minute Suspensi Suspensi Suspensi
s)
on A
on B
on C
0
71.5
69.4
37.0
1
70.5
65.5
30.0
2
68.9
59.3
24.2
3
67.1
54.1
19.4
4
65.0
48.4
15.7
5
62.8
43.1
14.1
6
60.4
38.2
12.8
7
57.8
33.9
12.0
8
55.0
30.6
11.4
9
52.6
28.1
11.0
10
49.7
25.6
10.65
11
47.0
24.0
10.3
12
44.3
22.6
10.0
13
42.3
21.8
9.8
14
40.5
21.2
9.55
15
39.7
20.7
9.35
16
38.9
20.3
9.15
17
38.3
19.9
9.0
18
37.7
19.3
8.8
19
37.2
19.3
8.65

20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64

36.8
36.4
36.1
35.8
35.5
35.2
34.9
34.7
34.4
34.2
34.0
33.8
33.6
33.4
33.2
33.0
32.9
32.7
32.5
32.4
32.2
32.1
32.0
31.8
31.7
31.6
31.4
31.3
31.2
31.1
30.9
30.8
30.7
30.6
30.5
30.4
30.3
30.2
30.1
30.0
29.9
29.8
29.7
29.6
29.5

19.0
18.7
18.4
18.2
18.0
17.8
17.6
17.4
17.2
17.0
16.85
16.7
16.35
16.4
16.25
16.1
16.0
15.9
15.75
15.6
15.5
15.4
15.3
15.2
15.1
15.0
14.9
14.8
14.7
14.6
14.5
14.45
14.35
14.3
14.2
14.1
14.0
13.95
13.85
13.8
13.75
13.7
13.6
13.55
13.45

8.5
8.35
8.2
8.1
8.0
7.9
7.8
7.7
7.6
7.53
7.45
7.39
7.3
7.25
7.15
7.1
7.05
6.97
6.9
6.85
6.8
6.77
6.7
6.66
6.6
6.59
6.55
6.5
6.48
6.41
6.4
6.35
6.35
6.3
6.28
6.25
6.22
6.2
6.19
6.15
6.12
6.1
6.1
6.09
6.05

65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109

29.4
29.3
29.2
29.1
29.0
28.9
28.9
28.8
28.7
28.6
28.6
28.5
28.4
28.3
28.3
28.2
28.1
28.0
28.0
27.9
27.8
27.8
27.7
27.6
27.6
27.5
27.4
27.4
27.3
27.3
27.2
27.1
27.1
27.0
27.0
27.0
26.9
26.8
26.8
26.7
26.7
26.6
26.6
26.5
26.4

13.35
13.3
13.25
13.2
13.15
13.1
13.05
13.0
12.95
12.9
12.85
12.8
12.75
12.65
12.65
12.6
12.55
12.5
12.45
12.4
12.35
12.35
12.3
12.3
12.25
12.25
12.2
12.2
12.2
12.2
12.2

6.05
6.01
6.0
6.0
6.0
6.0
6.0

110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154

26.4
26.3
26.3
26.3
26.2
26.2
26.1
26.1
26.0
26.0
25.9
25.9
25.8
25.8
25.8
25.7
25.7
25.7
25.6
25.6
25.5
25.5
25.4
25.4
25.3
25.3
25.3
25.2
25.2
25.1
25.1
25.0
25.0
25.0
24.9
24.9
24.9
24.8
24.8
24.8
24.8
24.7
24.7
24.7
24.6

155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177

process of a suspension wherein the slurry

24.6
24.6
24.5
24.5
24.5
24.4
24.4
24.4
24.4
24.3
24.3
24.3
24.3
24.2
24.1
24.1
24.1
24.1
24.0
24.0
24.0
24.0
24.0

containing high concentration of solids are settled

by means of gravity, giving a supernatant clear
liquid.
Stated from the methodology, three suspension
were made each with different amounts of chalk
and of distilled water. From Graph 1, it can be
observed that all of the suspensions have the
same trend regarding the interface height with
respect to time. By gravity settling, the solids will
settle in time. At the beginning of the
sedimentation process, the decrease in interface
height is high, but as time increases, the
decrease in the interface height gradually
decreases until such time that it is constant,
meaning that all the solids are completely

Graph 1. Interface Height vs. Settling Time for

Each Suspension

separated from the supernatant liquid.

Aside from time as a factor in sedimentation,
there is also the amount of solids present in each

80

suspension. Again from Graph 1, it can be

70

observed that Suspension A has a longer plot,

60

followed by Suspension B and Suspension C.

50A
Suspension

Suspension B

This implies that Suspension A has the longest

Interface Height (cm) 40

settling time as compared to the two other

30

suspensions. This is because Suspension A has

20

the highest amount of solids present among the

Suspension
10C
0

three suspensions while Suspension C has the

50

100 150 200

Settling Time (min)

lowest amount, meaning that more solids present

in the suspension needs more time for all of them
to fully settle while having less solids present
take less time to perform the sedimentation

As it was stated, sedimentation is a separation

process.

The amount of water in the suspension also

The sedimentation rate is fast at the first few

affects the sedimentation process. Comparing

minutes of the sedimentation, after an hour, the

Suspensions B and C, Suspension B had a

sedimentation rate starts to decrease. Also the

longer settling time as compared to Suspension

effect of the initial concentration of the

C. This is because Suspension C has less

suspension, as well as the initial suspension

amount of water then Suspension B.

height on sedimentation rate is determined. The

Numerous sources of errors can be found from

suspension with highest initial concentration has

this experiment. One would be on the mixing of

the slowest settling time among the three

the suspension. It should be well-mixed so that

suspensions. Also the suspension with the

the solids are evenly distributed throughout the

highest initial suspension height has the slowest

suspension. Another would be on the reading of

settling time.

the interface height. As time progresses

For this experiment, it is recommended that the

throughout the sedimentation process, the

suspension should be mixed with a mixer to

difference gets smaller and smaller that exact

incorporate the solids in the liquid to get more

reading can be very difficult to acquire. In

accurate

addition to that, the reading may also not be on

recommended that a larger funnel should be

the exact minute. Another source would be on

used to minimize the spillage of the suspension.

the apparatus itself. It is possible that there are

V.

sedimentation

rate.

It

is

also

References

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IV.

Conclusion

pp. 16-25.
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Sedimentation is the process of separating a

Engineering Laboratory Manual Part 1.Mapua

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Institute of Technology.

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