Chapter 11 Unit Operations Problems

1. Particle Size in Dried Material

Surface area = 1200m2
Density = 1450 kgm-3
Total weight = 360 kg
= 1.75
Volume = 0.24m3

A = (6 m)/ (DP)
1200 = (6 x 1.75 x 360)/(1450 x DP)

DP = (6x 1.75 x 360)/(1450 x 1200) kg/kgm-3 x m2

= 0.0022 m
= 2.2 mm
= 2200 microns

2. Surface areas of cylinders and tetrahedra

(a)Shape factor of a cylinder
From its geometry, L = 2D
Area = 2end areas + cylindrical surface
= D2 /2 + 2D2
= (5D2 /2)
= 7.85D2

Volume = end area x height

= 1/2D3
= 1.57D3

And from equation 11.5

Ap /Vp = 6 /Dp
= 7.85D3 / 6 x1.57D3
= 7.85/ (6 x 1.57)
= 0.83

(b)Shape factor of a tetrahedron with equilateral triangles of base Dp

The length of the edge of all triangles is DP the height is H
The area is 4 times the area of one triangle.
Area = 4 x area of one triangle
= 4 (base x vertical height)/2
= 3 Dp2
= 1.73 DP2

Volume = 1/3 area of one triangle x vertical height of tetrahedron

And working from the equilateral and right-angled triangles
= Dp/3 [(3DP2 )/4 x (2/3)]
= (DP3 2)/12
= 0.118 DP3
Ap /Vp = 6 /Dp
 = 1.73 DP3 / 6 x 0.118 DP3
= 2.4
Mean value = (2.4 + 0.83)/2
= 1.6
(c)Specific surface area of powder
Number of particles = 4 x 103 kg-1
Density cylinders = 1330 kgm-3
Density tetrahedra = 1500 kgm-3

This is the surface area in m2kg-1, so work on 1kg powder

So there are 0.5kg of cylinders and of tetrahedra. 2000 particles of each

For cylinders: volume of one particle = 0.5/(2000 x 1330)

= 1.88 x 10-7 m3
and this = 1.57 DP3
Therefore Dp = 4.95 x 10-3m
Surface area of particle A = 7.85D2
= 1.93 x 10-4m2
2
for 2000 particles A = 0.39m

And for tetrahedra: volume of one particle = 0.5/(2000 x 1330)

= 1.88 x 10-7m3
and this = 0.118D3
Therefore Dp = 0.011m
Surface area of partcle A = 1.73D2
= 2.09 x 10-4m2
for 2000 particles A = 0.42m2
So total surface area of the 4000 particles = 0.39 + 0.42
= 0.81m2
Specific volume = 0.81 m2 kg-1

3. Energy requirement in grinding

Reduction in particle size (1) 1cm to 0.3cm Energy 11kJkg-1
(2) 0.1cm to 0.01cm

(a) Kicks Law

E = Kk fc ln (L1 /L2)
But it is the same material so:
E1 / E2 = ln (L1 /L2)/ ln (L1 /L2)
11 / E2 = ln (1 /0.3)/ ln (0.1 /0.01)
= ln (3.3)/ ln (10)
= 1.19 /2.30
= 0.517
E2 = 11/0.517
= 21kJkg-1
(b) Rittingers Law
E = KR fc (1/L2 1/L1 )

E1 / E2 = (1/L2 1/L1 )/(1/L2 1/L1 )

11/ E2 = (1/0.3 1/1)/(1/0.01 1/0.1)
= (3.3 1)/(100 10)
= 2.3/90
= 0.026
E2 = 11/0.026
= 423 kJkg-1
(c) Bonds Law
E = Ei(100/L2 )0.5 [ 1 (1/q)0.5]
E = Ei(100/L2 )0.5 [ 1 (L2 /L1)0.5]
E1/ E2 = (100/L2 )0.5 [1 (L2 /L1)0.5]/ (100/L2 )0.5 [ 1 (L2 /L1)0.5]
11/E2 = [(100/0.3)0.5 (1 (1/0.3)0.5)]/ [(100/0.01 )0.5 (1 -.(01)0.5)]
= [18.3 x 0.45]/[100 x 0.68]
= 0.121
E2 = 11/0.121
= 91 kJkg-1

4.Oxidation rate with different surface areas

Assuming that the rate is controlled by surface reactions, then the surface areas will be in the
ratios of, in the first case, 12/0.32 10:1; and in the second case 0.12 /0.012 = 100:1 with shelf
lives accordingly. If the shape is broadly retained, then the shape factor will not affect the
result.

5. Separation of milk
7 days = 7 x 24 x 60 x60 = 6.048 x 105 s
g = 9.81 ms-1 cream = 1010 kgm-3 milk = 1030 kg m3 = 2.12 x 10-3 Nsm-2
H = 10cm = 0.1m

v = D2 g ( cream -milk )/18

0.1/6.048 x 105 = D2 x 9.81 (1010 1030))/18 x 2.12 x 10-3
D2 = [0.1 x 18 x 2.12 x 10-3]/ [6.048 x 105x 9.81 x 20]
= [3.816 x 10-3] / [1186.6 x 105]
= 0.00322 x 10-8
D = 0.0567 x 10-4 m
= 5.67 microns