Chemical Engineering Department

EXPERIMENT NO.

AGITATION

EXPERIMENT NO.

Date :-

Agitation

Chemical Engineering Department

AGITATION
AIM : To verify the power required during agitation of a given fluid(Liquid or slurry) in a baffled and unbaffled vessel at various speed of agitation. APPRATUS : A baffled vessel (tank), propeller type agitator, drive motor, speed controller, stand etc. MATERIAL : Water, Lime slurry THEORY : Power required for agitation of a particular liquid in a baffled or unbaffled tank depends on viscosity and density of the liquid, impeller diameter, Speed of agitation , along with other geometrical factors like height of liquid in vessel, impeller pitch, impeller size, and impeller type etc. If liquid is assumed Newtonian the function of power required for agitation is given by P= (n, Da, gc, , g, , S1, S2, ..Sn) ..(1) (Pgc)/( n3Da5) = {(nDa2/), (n2Da/g), S1, S2, ..Sn } .(2) Here (Pgc)/( n3Da5) is a dimensionless group called Power number, so above equation can be written in terms of Dimensionless groups Np = (NRe, NFr, S1, S2, ..Sn) ..(3) Where, Np= power number = (Pgc)/( n3Da5) .(4) NRe = nDa2/ = Some function relating power number to other dimensionless group and shape Factors. = Power required for agitation = Density of fluid = Viscosity of fluid n = Speed of agitator in RPM Da = Diameter of impeller The value of Np is found out from the graph of Np v/s NRe from standard literature.

Agitation

Chemical Engineering Department

The group NRe is proportional to a Reynolds number calculated from the diameter and peripheral speed of the impeller. The power number Np is analogous to a friction factor or a drag co-efficient acting on a unit area of the impeller and the inertial stress. The inertial stress, in turn is related to the flow of momentum associated with bulk motion of the fluid. The Froude number NFr is a measure of the ratio of the inertial stress to the gravitational force per unit area acting on the fluid. It is important where there is significant wave motion on a liquid surface as in ship design. The various shape factors in above equation depends on various measurements. For a turbine agitated vessel for example S1=Da/Dt, S2=E/Da, S3=L/Da, S4=W/Da, S5=J/Dt, S6=H/Dt Dt=Diameter of tank, m E= Height of impeller above vessel floor, m H= Depth of liquid in vessel, m J=Width of baffle, m L = Length of impeller blade, m W= Impeller width, m If the tank is unbaffled, at low Reynold number below 300 the power number curve for baffled and unbaffled tanks are identical. At higher Reynold number the curve diverges, in unbaffled tank a vortex is formed and the Froude number has an effect. (Np/NFrm)= (NRe, S1, S2, ..Sn) (5) The exponent m for a given set of shape factors, empirically related to NRe. m = (a log10 NRe)/b (6) Here a and b are constants. The power number NP read from the ordinate must be corrected by multiplying NFrm. Another method of calculating the power required for agitation is based on following discussion: P = (Np n3Da5/gc) .(7)

Agitation

Chemical Engineering Department

At low Reynold number the lines of Np Vs NRe for baffled and unbaffled tank coincide and slope of line on logarithmic scale is -1. The flow becomes laminar in this range and density is no longer a factor. Here P=(KL n2Da3/gc) (8) Above equation can be used for NRe<10 In case of baffled tank at Reynold number larger than about 10,000, the power number is independent of the Reynold number and viscosity is not a factor. The flow is fully turbulent and NP= KT n3Da5/gc (9) Values of KL and KT for various impellers and tanks are obtained from literature PROCEDURE : 1. Clean the vessel and agitator. 2. Make necessarily connection for agitator motor and energy meter. 3. Measure all the dimensions for vessels after keeping the agitator properly in the vessel as shown in the figure.
Dt, Da, E, H, J, L, W etc.

4. Fill the 60% height of the tank with water. Take 4 - 5 readings of power consumed during agitation by setting different speed of agitator with the rotating of the knob of speed controller. Follow this procedure for baffled and unbaffled tank both. Also note down the speed at which vortex forms in unbaffled tank. 5. Repeat the above procedure by keeping the slurry of lime(5%, 10%)within the tank upto 60% height of the tank. Note down the readings of power at different speed of rotation.

RESULT : Power required at different speed (i) calculated values and (ii) values read from the power meter are as below :

CONCLUSION :

Agitation

Chemical Engineering Department

OBSERVATION : Type of impeller : Da= Impeller diameter, m = Dt=Diameter of tank, m = E= Height of impeller above vessel floor, m = H= Depth of liquid in vessel, m = No. of baffles attached= J=Width of baffle, m = L = Length of impeller blade, m = W= Impeller width, m = OBSERVATION TABLE : (1) Unbaffled tank(water & Slurry) Sr. Knob Speed of Voltmeter No. Positio Agitation Reading n RPM & RPS (Volt)
water water water water water Slurry Slurry Slurry Slurry Slurry

Ameter Reading (Amp)

Power W=VI (Watt)

Calculate d Power (Watt)

(2) Baffled tank(water and Slurry) Sr. Knob Speed of Voltmeter No. Positio Agitation Reading n RPM & RPS (Volt)
water water water water water Slurry Slurry Slurry Slurry

Ameter Reading (Amp)

Power W=VI (Watt)

Calculate d Power (Watt)

Agitation

Chemical Engineering Department

Slurry

CALCULATION:
1. Speed of Agitator n : ___________ RPM

2. Calculation of Nre : NRe = n Da2 /

Where, = Density of fluid = = Viscocity of fluid in poise = n= Speed of agitator in RPM = Da = diameter of impeller = 3. Also calculate Froude No. NFr = n2Da/g

4. Power consumption : Read the power number Np from the graph of Np Vs NRe Now calculate the power using Equation (7) or (9) in case of baffled tank P = (Np n3Da5/gc) .(7) NP= KT n3Da5/gc (9)

Agitation

Chemical Engineering Department

5. Calculate the power consumption using equation (8) or equation (5) & (6) P=(KL n2Da3/gc) (8) (Np/NFrm) = (NRe, S1, S2, ..Sn) (5) m = (a log10 NRe)/b (6)

Agitation