SCHOOL OF CIVIL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND CHEMICAL

ENGINEERING
PROC2079 Fluid Flow and Particle Mechanics
Tutorial 5 Centrifugal sedimentation and cyclones
Question 1
Comparison of forces in centrifuges. Two centrifuges rotate at the same peripheral velocity
of 53.34 m/s. The first bowl has a radius of r1 = 76.2 mm and the second r2 = 305 mm.
Calculate the rev/min and the centrifugal forces developed in each bowl.
Ans : N1 = 6684 rev/min , N2 = 1670 rev/min , 3806gs in bowl 1 and 1951gs in bowl 2
Question 2
Settling in a centrifuge. A viscous solution containing particles with density 1461 kg/m3 is
to be clarified by centrifugation. The solution density = 801 kg/m3 and its viscosity is 100
cp. The centrifuge has a bowl with r2 = 0.02225 m, r1 = 0.00716 m and height b = 0.1970 m.
Calculate the critical particle diameter of the largest particles in the exit stream if N = 23,000
rev/min and the flow rate q = 0.002832 m3/h.
Ans: Dpc = 0.746 m
Question 3
Repeat the above question but with the following changes:
a) Reduce the rev/min to 10000 and double the outer bowl radius r2 to 0.0445 m keeping
r1 = 0.00716 m
b) Keep all variables as in Question 3 but double the throughput.
Ans : (b) Dp = 1.747 x 10-6m

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Question 4
Centrifuging to remove food particles. A dilute slurry contains small solid food particles
having a diameter of 5 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 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.
Question 5

Scale up and values in centrifuges. For the conditions given in Question 2 do as follows:
(a) Calculate the value
(b) A new centrifuge having the following dimensions is to be used: r2 = 0.0445 m, r1 =
0.01432 m, b = 0.394 m, and N = 26000 rev/min. Calculate the new value and scale up the
flow rate using the same solution.

Ans: = 196.3 m2

Question 6
Cyclone. Air carrying particles of density 1800 kg/m3 and an average diameter of 20
micrometres enters a cyclone at a linear velocity of 18 m/s. The diameter of the cyclone is 600
mm.
(a) What is the approximate separation factor for this cyclone?
(b) What fraction of the particles will be removed from the gas stream?
Question 7
Cyclone. What is the capacity in cubic meters per hour of a clarifying centrifuge operating
under the following conditions?
Diameter of bowl 600 mm
Thickness of liquid layer, 75 mm
Depth of bowl, 400 mm
Speed, 1200 rpm
Specific gravity of liquid, 1.2
Specific gravity of solid, 1.6
Viscosity of liquid, 2 cp
Cut size of particles, 30 m
Ans: q = 210 m3/h or 0.0584 m3/s

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