Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 22 views

    TL2 - Decanter

    Uploaded by

    Afif Ruzaini
    Decanters use density differences between liquids to separate them. They allow droplets of the dispersed phase time to rise or settle to the interface between phases and coalesce. Decanters contain three zones - clear heavy liquid, separating dispersed liquid, and clear light liquid. Decanter design involves calculating settling velocities and continuous phase velocities to size the vessel such that the continuous phase velocity is less than the settling velocity of droplets. Scale models may be used to optimize designs where performance is critical.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    TL2 - Decanter

    Uploaded by

    Afif Ruzaini
    22 views3 pages
    Decanters use density differences between liquids to separate them. They allow droplets of the dispersed phase time to rise or settle to the interface between phases and coalesce. Decanters contain three zones - clear heavy liquid, separating dispersed liquid, and clear light liquid. Decanter design involves calculating settling velocities and continuous phase velocities to size the vessel such that the continuous phase velocity is less than the settling velocity of droplets. Scale models may be used to optimize designs where performance is critical.

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    Decanters use density differences between liquids to separate them. They allow droplets of the dispersed phase time to rise or settle to the interface between phases and coalesce. Decanters contain three zones - clear heavy liquid, separating dispersed liquid, and clear light liquid. Decanter design involves calculating settling velocities and continuous phase velocities to size the vessel such that the continuous phase velocity is less than the settling velocity of droplets. Scale models may be used to optimize designs where performance is critical.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    22 views3 pages

    TL2 - Decanter

    Uploaded by

    Afif Ruzaini
    Decanters use density differences between liquids to separate them. They allow droplets of the dispersed phase time to rise or settle to the interface between phases and coalesce. Decanters contain three zones - clear heavy liquid, separating dispersed liquid, and clear light liquid. Decanter design involves calculating settling velocities and continuous phase velocities to size the vessel such that the continuous phase velocity is less than the settling velocity of droplets. Scale models may be used to optimize designs where performance is critical.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    You are on page 1of 3

    The text is extracted from Sinnott RK (2005) Chemical Engineering Design, Vol 6, 4th Ed., page 440-443.

    Decanters (settlers)

    Decanters are used to separate liquids where there is a sufficient difference in density between the liquids
    for the droplets to settle readily. Decanters are essentially tanks which give sufficient residence time for
    the droplets of the dispersed phase to rise (or settle) to the interface between the phases and coalesce.
    In an operating decanter there will be three distinct zones or bands: clear heavy liquid; separating
    dispersed liquid (the dispersion zone); and clear light liquid.

    Decanters are normally designed for continuous operation, but the same design principles will apply to
    batch operated units. A great variety of vessel shapes is used for decanters, but for most applications a
    cylindrical vessel will be suitable, and will be the cheapest shape. Typical designs are shown in Figures
    10.38 and 10.39. The position of the interface can be controlled, with or without the use of instruments,
    by use of a syphon take-off for the heavy liquid, Figure 10.38.

    Figure 10.38. Vertical decanter

    Figure 10.39. Horizontal decanter

    where 𝜌1 = density of the light liquid, kg/m3


    𝜌2 = density of the heavy liquid, kg/m3
    z1 = height from datum to light liquid overflow, m
    z2 = height from datum to heavy liquid overflow, m
    z3 = height from datum to the interface, m
    The height of the liquid interface should be measured accurately when the liquid densities are close, when
    one component is present only in small quantities, or when the throughput is very small. A typical scheme
    for the automatic control of the interface, using a level instrument that can detect the position of the
    interface, is shown in Figure 10.40. Where one phase is present only in small amounts it is often recycled
    to the decanter feed to give more stable operation.

    Figure 10.40. Automatic control, level controller detecting interface

    Decanter design

    A rough estimate of the decanter volume required can be made by taking a hold-up time of 5 to 10 min,
    which is usually sufficient where emulsions are not likely to form. Methods for the design of decanters
    are given by Hooper (1997) and Signales (1975).

    The decanter vessel is sized on the basis that the velocity of the continuous phase must be less than
    settling velocity of the droplets of the dispersed phase. Plug flow is assumed, and the velocity of the
    continuous phase calculated using the area of the interface:
    𝐿𝑐 Equation 10.6
    𝑢𝑐 = < 𝑢𝑑
    𝐴𝑖
    where 𝑢𝑑 = settling velocity of the dispersed phase droplets, m/s
    𝑢𝑐 = velocity of the continuous phase, m/s
    𝐿𝑐 = continuous phase volumetric flowrate, m3/s
    𝐴𝑖 = area of the interface, m2

    Stokes’ law is used to determine the settling velocity of the droplets:


    𝑑𝑑2 𝑔(𝜌𝑑 − 𝜌𝑐 )
    𝑢𝑑 = Equation 10.7
    18𝑢𝑐
    where 𝑑𝑑 = droplet diameter, m
    𝑢𝑑 = settling (terminal) velocity of the dispersed phase droplets with diameter d, m/s
    𝜌𝑐 = density of the continuous phase, kg/m3
    𝜌𝑑 = density of the dispersed phase, kg/m3
    𝑢𝑐 = viscosity of the continuous phase, N s/m2
    𝑔 = gravitational acceleration, 9.81 m/s2
    Equation 10.7 is used to calculate the settling velocity with an assumed droplet size of 150 µm, which is
    well below the droplet sizes normally found in decanter feeds. If the calculated settling velocity is
    greater than 4 × 10-3 m/s, then a figure of 4 × 10-3 m/s is used.

    For a horizontal, cylindrical, decanter vessel, the interfacial area will depend on the position of the
    interface.

    and
    1
    𝑤 = 2(2𝑟𝑧 − 𝑧 2 )2
    where 𝑤 = width of the interface, m
    𝑧 = height of the interface from the base of the vessel, m
    𝑙 = length of the cylinder, m
    𝑟 = radius of the cylinder, m

    For a vertical, cylindrical decanter:


    𝐴𝑖 = 𝜋𝑟 2
    The position of the interface should be such that the band of droplets that collect at the interface
    waiting to coalesce and cross the interface does not extend to the bottom (or top) of the vessel. Ryon et
    al. (1959) and Mizrahi and Barnea (1973) have shown that the depth of the dispersion band is a function
    of the liquid flow rate and the interfacial area. A value of 10 per cent of the decanter height is usually
    taken for design purposes. If the performance of the decanter is likely to be critical the design can be
    investigated using scale models. The model should be scaled to operate at the same Reynolds number as
    the proposed design, so that the effect of turbulence can be investigated; see Hooper (1975).

    Example

    Design a decanter to separate a light oil from water.


    The oil is the dispersed phase.
    Oil : flowrate = 1000 kg/h
    density = 900 kg/m3
    viscosity = 3 mN s/m2
    Water : flowrate = 5000 kg/h
    density = 1000 kg/m3
    viscosity = 1 mN s/m2

    You might also like