Settling Velocities of Particulate Systems†
Settling Velocities of Particulate Systems† F. Concha Department of Metallurgical Engineering University of Concepción.1 Abstract This paper presents a review of the process of sedimentation of individual particles and suspensions of particles. Using the solutions of the Navier-Stokes equation with boundary layer approximation, explicit functions for the drag coefficient and settling velocities of spheres, isometric particles and arbitrary particles are developed. Keywords: sedimentation, particulate systems, fluid dynamics Discrete sedimentation has been successful to 1. Introduction establish constitutive equations in processes using Sedimentation is the settling of a particle, or sus- sedimentation. It establishes the sedimentation prop- pension of particles, in a fluid due to the effect of an erties of a certain particulate material in a given fluid. external force such as gravity, centrifugal force or Nevertheless, to analyze a sedimentation process and any other body force. For many years, workers in to obtain behavioral pattern permitting the prediction the field of Particle Technology have been looking of capacities and equipment design procedures, an- for a simple equation relating the settling velocity of other approach is required, the so-called continuum particles to their size, shape and concentration. Such approach. a simple objective has required a formidable effort The physics underlying sedimentation, that is, the and it has been solved only in part through the work settling of a particle in a fluid is known since a long of Newton (1687) and Stokes (1844) of flow around time. Stokes presented the equation describing the a particle, and the more recent research of Lapple sedimentation of a sphere in 1851 and that can be (1940), Heywood (1962), Brenner (1964), Batchelor considered as the starting point of all discussions of (1967), Zenz (1966), Barnea and Mitzrahi (1973) the sedimentation process.
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