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[1] Castellan, G. (1987). Fisicoquimica. 2da edici�n. Editorial Pearson. M�xico.
Pp: 820, 821, 822.
[2] Skoog, D.A., West, D.M. (1987). An�lisis Instrumental. 2da edici�n. Editorial
Interam�ricana. Pp: 671-682.
[3] Brunatti, C., De Napoli, H. (2010). Titulaciones Conductim�tricas. [Documento
en l�nea] Disponible en <www.ciens.ucv.ve> Consultado el 09 de junio del 2012.

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With the use of the batch sedimentation data collected from the column with slurry
of concentration 100g/L CaCO3, the continuous thickener parameters calculated were
as follows:
Table 5. Continuous Thickener Design Parameters
Feed concentration (g CaCO3/L) 100
Feed rate (kg dry solids/hr) 30000
Underflow concentration (g CaCO3/L) 350
Thickener Cross-sectional Area 455.8957 m2
Diameter of Cylindrical Thickener (D) 24.10 m
Volume of Compression Zone 240.1858 m3
Height of Compression Zone 0.5268 m
Total Height of the Thickener (H) 2.2032 m

The unit area requirement for a certain concentration may be calculated using
Equation 1 (Perry,2008).
a=(1/c_l -1/c_u )/v_l Equation 1
Where a is the unit area, c_l is the concentration at the interfacial velocity v_l
and c_u is the concentration of the underflow. From the unit areas calculated, the
largest value is used for the calculation of the cross-sectional area of the
thickener. Theory holds that for any specific sedimentation set up, there exists a
critical concentration which limits the settling rate of solids in the fluid
(Perry, 2008). Thus, in designing thickeners, the settling rates at different
concentration are considered to ensure that the area of the thickener is sufficient
for satisfactory clarification of the overflow and concentration of the underflow.
A rate limiting layer is identified and is used as the basis for the calculations.
This layer corresponds to the layer in the sedimentation set up that has the lowest
capacity for the passage of the solid particles (Foust, 1980) and thus requires the
largest area.
Table 6. Unit Area at Different Concentrations
Time, tl (min) Concentration of Slurry, cl (g/cm3) Settling Velocity, vl
(cm/min) Unit Area, a (cm2 min/g)
10 0.1000 1.3000 5.4942
30 0.1057 1.0767 6.1348
40 0.1232 0.7625 6.9006
50 0.1542 0.4520 8.0227
60 0.1754 0.3250 8.7494
70 0.1935 0.2536 9.1179
90 0.2140 0.2011 9.0277
108 0.2329 0.1681 8.5443
120 0.2481 0.1479 7.9306
138 0.3756 0.0622 -3.1306
150 0.4505 0.0357 -17.8768

From the calculated values, the largest unit area is 9.1179 cm2 min/g. To solve for
the final thickener area, Equation 2 is used.
A=L_o a Equation 2
where L_o is the mass feed rate of dry solids per unit time.
The volume required for the compression zone in the continuous thickener is
given by Equation 3 (Brown, 1950). This is equal to the sum of the volume occupied
by the solids plus the volume of the associated fluids.
V=(L_o (t-t_c ))/?_s +?_(t_c)^t�(L�L_o)/(S�?_l ) Equation 3
where V = the volume of the compression zone
L_o = mass of solids per unit time
t = time in which the solids have reached the desired
underflow concentration
t_c =time when all solids at critical concentration go to compression
L =mass of liquid in compression zone
S =mass of solid in compression zone

With the assumption that the concentration of the solids in the compression
zone of a continuous thickener at any time is the same as the average concentration
of the compression zone of the batch test at time equal to the retention time of
the solids in the continuous thickener, then the time required for the slurry in
the batch test to pass from the critical concentration to the desired underflow
concentration is the retention time of the solids in the continuous thickener
(Brown, 1950). The plot of the height of the interface of the supernatant liquid
and the slurry versus time may be described by Equation 4.
ln ((z-z_8 ))/((z_c-z_8 ) )=-kt Equation 4

Where z is the height of the interface at time t and z_8 is the height at infinite
time.
If the batch sedimentation basis has an initial slurry concentration at its
critical concentration, that is when t0 corresponds to z_c which is the height of
the compression zone at critical concentration cc, then plotting ((z-z_8 ))/((z_c-
z_8 ) ) versus time would give a straight line. Since the initial concentration of
the slurry in the experimental batch sedimentation was not at cc, then tc is
determined by extrapolating the compression curve from the critical point to zero
time and then locating the time when the upper interface is at a height halfway
between the initial slurry height z0 and the extrapolated zero-time compression
zone height z0� (Brown, 1950). The tc obtained from the batch test was 9.4 min from
Figure--.
The density of the slurry is constant at 1.0831 g/cm3 as well as the feed
rate L_o at 30000 kg/hr. To obtain the volume of the compression zone, the area
under the curve in Figure 10 is obtained and values were inputted to Equation 3.
The height was obtained by dividing the volume of the compression zone to the
area. Height allowances for the bottom pitch of the thickener, storage capacity and
for the submergence of feed were added to the initial computed height (Foust, 1980)
to get the total height of the thickener. Suggested allowances are given below:
For the pitch of the bottom 0.3048-0.6096 m
For the storage capacity to cover interruptions or irregularities in discharge
0.3048-0.6096 m
For submergence of feed 0.3048-0.9144 m