CHE 503 FLUID FLOW

CHAPTER 5

AGITATION LIQUIDS

OVERVIEW
Introduction and Definition
Purpose of Agitation & Mixing
Agitated Equipment
Types of Impeller
Flow Pattern in Agitated Vessel
Standard Turbine Design

DEFINITIONS

AGITATION forcing of homogenous material by

mechanical method to flow in a circulatory or other
pattern inside a vessel.

MIXING involve the taking of two or more separate

phases, such as a fluid and a powdered solid, or 2 fluids,
and causing them to be randomly distributed through
one another.

PURPOSES OF
AGITATION / MIXING

Blending miscible liquids (e.g ethyl alcohol & water)

Dispersing a gas through the liquid (fine bubbles)
Dispersing a second liquid to form an emulsion or
suspension
Dissolving solids in liquids (e.g. salt in water)
Agitation of the fluid to increase heat transfer between
fluid and coil or jacket in vessel wall.

AGITATION AND MIXING

AGITATION AND MIXING

AGITATION AND MIXING

INTRODUCTION TO MIXING

Most common operations carried out in the chemical,

processing and allied industries.
Applied to the processes used to reduce the degree of
non-uniformity, or gradient of a property in a system
such as concentration, viscosity, temperature and so
on.
Achieved by moving material from one region to another
and also when achieving a desired degree of homogeneity
Used to promote heat and mass transfer, often where a
system is undergoing a chemical reaction.

TYPE OF MIXING
Single-phase liquid mixing
Mixing of immiscible liquids
Gas-liquid mixing
Liquid-solids mixing
Gas-liquid-solids mixing
Solids-solids mixing

TASK (15 MINUTES)

Discuss process that get involve in all this mixing

types:
Single-phase liquid mixing
Mixing of immiscible liquids
Gas-liquid mixing
Liquid-solids mixing
Gas-liquid-solids mixing
Solids-solids mixing

INTRODUCTION TO MIXING

1. Single-phase liquid mixing:

Two or more miscible liquids must be mixed to give a

product of a desired specification.
This is the simplest type of mixing as it involves neither
heat nor mass transfer, nor indeed a chemical reaction.

Example:
1. The use of mechanical agitation to enhance the rates of heat
and mass transfer between the wall of a vessel, or a coil, and
the liquid (brine solution= HCl+H2O).

2. In the blending of petroleum products of different viscosities.

MIXING

2. Mixing of immiscible liquids:

When two immiscible liquids are stirred together, one phase
becomes dispersed as tiny droplets in the second liquid which
forms a continuous phase.
Example: Liquid-liquid extraction, a process using successive
mixing and settling stages.

The liquids are brought into contact with a solvent that will
selectively dissolve one of the components present in the mixture.
Vigorous agitation causes one phase to disperse in the other and,
if the droplet size is small, a high interfacial area is created for
interphase mass transfer.
When the agitation is stopped, phase separation takes place, but
care must be taken to ensure that the droplets are not so small
that a diffuse layer appears in the region of the interface; this can
remain in a semi-stable state over a long period of time and
prevent effective separation from occurring.

MIXING

3. Gas-liquid mixing:
Numerous processing operations involving chemical reactions,
such as aerobic fermentation, wastewater treatment,
oxidation of hydrocarbons, and so on, require good contacting
between a gas and a liquid.
The purpose of mixing here is to produce a high interfacial
area by dispersing the gas phase in the form of bubbles into
the liquid.
Generally, gas-liquid mixtures or dispersions are unstable and
separate rapidly if agitation is stopped.

MIXING

4. Liquid-solids mixing:
Mechanical agitation may be used to suspend particles in a liquid
in order to promote mass transfer or a chemical reaction.
The liquids involved in such applications are usually of low
viscosity, and the particles will settle out when agitation ceases.
5. Gas-liquid-solids mixing:
In some applications such as catalytic hydrogenation of
vegetable oils, slurry reactors, froth flotation, evaporative
crystallization, and so on, the success and efficiency of the
process is directly influenced by the extent of mixing between
the three phases.

MIXING

6. Solids-solids mixing:
Mixing together of particulate solids, sometimes referred to as
blending, is a very complex process in that it is very dependent,
not only on the character of the particles density, size, size
distribution, shape and surface properties.
Mixing of sand, cement and aggregate to form concrete
and of the ingredients in gunpowder preparation are examples of
the mixing of solids.
Other industrial sectors employing solids mixing include food,
drugs, and the glass industries.

MIXING

Miscellaneous mixing applications:

For example, the rotational speed of an impeller in a

mixing vessel is selected to achieve a required rate of heat
transfer, and the agitation may then be more than sufficient
for the mixing duty.
Excessive or overmixing should be avoided as it is not only
wasteful of energy but may be detrimental to product quality.

INTRODUCTION TO MIXING (CONT)

In mixing, two problems need to be considered how to

design and select mixing equipment for a given duty, and
how to assess whether a mixer is suitable for a particular
application.
Aspects of the mixing process that should be understood:
(i) Mechanisms of mixing,
(ii) Scale-up or similarity criteria,
(iii)
Power consumption,
(iv)
Flow patterns,
(v) Rate of mixing and mixing time,
(vi)
The range of mixing equipment available and its
selection.

MIXING MECHANISMS

In order to produce a uniform mixture, it is necessary to

understand how liquids move and approach this condition.
In liquid mixing devices, two requirements must be satisfied.
There must be bulk or convective flow no dead
(stagnant) zones.
There must be a zone of intensive or high-shear
mixing inhomogeneities are broken down.
Both processes are energy-consuming and ultimately the
mechanical energy is dissipated as heat; the proportion of energy
attributable to each varies from one application to another.
Depending on the fluid properties (e.g. viscosity), the flow in
mixing vessels may be laminar or turbulent, with a
substantial is transition zone and frequently both flow types will
occur simultaneously in different parts of the vessel.

MIXING / AGITATED EQUIPMENT

The wide range of mixing equipment available

commercially reflects the enormous variety of mixing duties
encountered in the processing industries.
It is reasonable to expect therefore that no single item of
mixing equipment will be able to carry out such a range of
duties effectively.
This has led to the development of a number of distinct
types of mixer over the years.
The choice of a mixer type and its design is therefore
primarily governed by experience. In the following
sections, the main mechanical features of commonly used
types of equipment together with their range of applications
are described qualitatively.

STIRRED TANK DESIGN

Energy required to achieve amount of agitation or quality of

mixing are based on:
Fluid properties
Size of vessel

Dimensions and arrangement of impellers, baffles

Other internals factors.

The internal arrangements depend on the objectives of the

operation: whether it is to maintain homogeneity of a reacting
mixture or to keep a solid suspended or a gas dispersed or to
enhance heat or mass transfer.

A BASIC STIRRED TANK DESIGN

A BASIC STIRRED TANK DESIGN (CONT)

THE VESSEL:
A dished bottom requires less power than a flat one. When a
single impeller is used, DT=H, with the impeller located at the
center for an all-liquid system.
BAFFLES:
Baffles are needed to prevent vortexing and rotation of the
liquid mass as a whole.
A baffle width, W = D /10
B
T

Often fitted to the walls of the vessel.

Generally not required for high viscosity liquids because the
viscous shear is then sufficiently great to damp out the rotary
motion.

A BASIC STIRRED TANK DESIGN (CONT)

IMPELLERS:

A rotating impeller in a fluid cause flow and shear to it, that

shear resulting from the flow of one portion of the fluid past
another.
The liquids will flow in the axial or radial directions and the
impellers are classified conveniently according to which flows is
dominant.
Those generate currents parallel with the axis of the impeller
shaft are called axial-flow impeller and those that generate
currents in a radial or tangential direction are called radial
flow impeller.

AGITATION AND MIXING

Axial flow impeller

Radial flow impeller

PROPELLER

An axial-flow, high speed (400 1750 rpm) impeller for

liquids of low viscosity (< 3000 cp).
The direction of rotation is usually chosen to force the liquid
downward, and the flow currents leaving the impeller
continue until deflected the floor of the vessel.
Because of the persistence of the flow currents effective
in very large vessels.
For deep tank- two or more maybe mounted on the same
shaft.
Type: Standard 3-blade marine propeller with square pitch
(common in used), four blade, toothed/other designed.

TURBINES

Type 1: The turbine with flat vertical blades extending to the

shaft is suited to the vast majority of mixing duties up to 100,000
CP or so at high pumping capacity. The currents it generates
travel outward to the vessel wall and then flow either upward or
downward. Such impellers are sometimes called paddles.

Type 2 & 3: Create zones of high shear rate. Good in dispersing

gas in a liquid (gas is forced at high shear rate to flow radially to
the blade tips)

HIGH- EFFICIENCY
IMPELLER

The pitched-blade turbine have been developed to provide more

uniform axial flow in addition to radial flow for better mixing, as
well as to reduce the power required for a given flow rate.
These impeller are widely used to mix low or moderate viscosity
liquids, but they are not recommended for very viscous liquids or
for dispersing gases.

Fluid foil impeller

HIGHLY VISCOUS LIQUID

IMPELLER

Use for liquid with viscosities more than 20 Pa.s or 20,000 cP

Diameter helix approximately to inner diameter of tank
Provide good agitation near the floor of the tank;
No vertical motion
Promotes good heat transfer to/from the vessel.

a) Double-flight helical-ribbon impeller

b) Anchor impeller

FLOW PATTERN

The way of liquid moves in an agitated vessel depends on;

a)
the type of impeller;
b)
the characteristics of the liquid, especially its viscosity;
c)
the size and proportions of the tank, baffles and impeller.
The liquid velocity at any point in the tank has three components:
) The first velocity component - radial and acts in a direction
perpendicular to the shaft of the impeller.
) The second component- longitudinal and acts in a direction
parallel with the shaft.
third component- tangential, or rotational, and acts in a
direction tangent to a circular path around the shaft.

) The

FLOW PATTERN

FLOW PATTERN: 3-BLADE PROPELLER

AGITATOR

Axial flow fluids flow axially down the center

axis or propeller shaft and up on the sides of the
tank

FLOW PATTERN: TURBINE AGITATOR

ASSIGNMENT 2 (4 MEMBERS/GROUP)

MIXING OPERATIONS AVAILABLE IN INDUSTRY

Choose 1 type of mixing operation available in industry and
your discussion shall includes;
1. AGITATION AND MIXING PROCESSES BACKGROUND
2. DESIGN OF MIXING TANK
- Production Rate

- Tank Dimension (D and H), Agitated System, No of baffles,

3. THE FLOW PATTERNS
4. CALCULATION OF POWER CONSUMPTION
Date of Report Submission: 19/11/2012
Date of Presentation: 26/11/2012