Blending and Mixing

Mixing vs Agitation
In process industries many operations are dependent on effective agitation and mixing of fluids. Agitation refers to forcing a fluid by mechanical means to flow in a circulatory or other pattern inside a vessel. Mixing usually implies the blending of two or more separate phases, such as a fluid and a powdered solid, or two fluids, and causing them to be randomly distributed through one another.

Mixing vs Agitation
Mixing is much more difficult operation than agitation. In agitation, velocity and flow patterns are complex but reasonably definite and reproducible. Also, the power consumption is readily measured. In mixing studies, flow patterns are seldom highly reproducible and depend in large measure on how mixing is defined.

What is the difference between mixing and blending?

Blending in process vessels

For a standard six-blade turbine,

or

Figure . Mixing times in agitated vessels. !ashed lines are for unbaffled tan"s# solid lines are for baffled tan"s.

 In the figure, the mixing times are appreciably greater when the $eynolds numbers are in the range of %- %%%.

Figure &. 'orrelation of blending times for miscible li(uids in a turbine-agitated baffled vessel.

A general correlation given by )orwood and Met*ner for turbines +Figure &,

For -.-/ in Figure

A general correlation by Fox and 0ex for propellers +Figure

Example 1
An agitated vessel 1 ft + .2/m, in diameter contains a six-blade straight%-blade turbine & ft +%.1 m, in diameter, set one impeller diameter above the vessel floor, and rotating at 2% rpm. It is proposed to use this vessel for neutrali*ing a dilute a(ueous solution of )a3- at 4% F with a stoichiometrically e(uivalent (uantity of concentrated nitric acid. 5he final depth of the li(uid in the vessel is to be 1 ft + .2/m,. Assuming that all the acid is added to the vessel at one time, how long will it ta"e for the neutrali*ation to be complete6

Jet mixers

Figure /. Flow a submerged circular 7et.

Jet mixers
5he velocity in the 7et issuing from the no**le is uniform and constant. 5he core is surrounded by an expanding turbulent 7et, in which the radial velocity decreases with distance from the centerline of the 7et.

Suspension of solid particles

8articles of solids are suspended in li(uids for many purposes, perhaps to produce a homogeneous mixture for to a processing unit, to dissolve the solids, to cataly*e a chemical reaction, or to promote growth of a crystalline product from a supersaturated solution. Degrees of Suspension
)early complete suspension with filleting. 'omplete particle motion. 'omplete suspension or complete off-bottom suspension. 9niform suspension.

orrelations for suspension

:wietering;s correlation to measure critical stirrer speed +based on data for < types of impellers in six tan"s from 1 in = & ft in diameter,

5able . >hape factor, > for critical stirrer speed

!ower consumption
Figure ?. 8ower re(uired for complete suspension of solids in agitated tan"s using pitchedblade turbines.

Example "
An agitated vessel 1 ft + .2m, in diameter with a wor"ing depth of 2 ft +&.??m, is used to prepare a slurry of <%-mesh fluorspar in water at 4% @F. 5he solid has a specific gravity of /. 2, and the slurry is &<A solids by weight. 5he impeller is a four =blade pitched-blade turbine & ft +%.1 m, in diamter set .< ft above the vessel floor. +a, Bhat is the power re(uired for complete suspension6 +b, Bhat is the critical stirrer speed6
Sand , Cm &%% .<D .<D . . Fluorspar %? &. &. 2 2 //./ //./

#ispersion operations
Mean !iameter

E volume = surface mean diameter or >auter mean diameter E holdup +vol. fraction of dispersed phase in the system a E interfacial area per unit volume

$i%uid&li%uid dispersion
Beber number +ratio of fluid "inetic energy at the impeller tip speed to surface-tension stress,

where E density of continuous phase E interfacial tension

'orrelation for the dispersion of li(uids with standard six-blade turbine

$i%uid&li%uid dispersion
>tatic mixers
whereF E pipe diameter

E average velocity E friction factor

!rops from orifices

whereF E diameter of orifice E density of dispersed phase

Example '
'yclohexane is dispersed in water at &< ' in a baffled vessel /% cm in diameter with a normal depth of /< cm. 5he agitator is a standard six-blade turbine % cm in diameter. (a) If the stirrer speed is 1 rGs and the suspension is 2A cyclohexane by volume, calculate the power consumption and power per unit volume, and estimate the mean droplet si*e. (b) If the li(uid mixture is pumped at .& mGs through a Henics helical-element mixer that is & cm in diameter and has &% elements, each / cm long, estimate the mean droplet si*e and the power consumption. 5he friction factor may be ta"en as %.?&.

(as&li%uid dispersion
Interfacial areaF

'ritical gas velocity

Figure <. 8ower consumption in aerated turbine-agitated vessels

Agitator selection and Scaleup

.xample /. A pilot plant vessel ft +/%< mm, in diameter is agitated by a six-blade turbine impeller ? in + %& mm, in diameter. Bhen the impeller $e is %?, the blending time of two miscible li(uids is found to be < s. 5he power re(uired is & hp per %%% gal +%.?"BGm/, of li(uid. (a) Bhat power input would be re(uired to give the same blending time in a vessel 1 ft + ,2/% mm, in diameter6 (b) Bhat would be the blending time in the 1 ft vessel if the power input per unit volume were the same as in the pilot-plant vessel6