MIXING the process of putting together

two or more different materials

in order to produce a
homogeneous product.

≠ AGITATION
APPLICATIONS
Blending of miscible liquids

Dissolving solids in liquids

Dispersing a gas in a liquid as fine bubbles

Suspending solid particles in a liquid

Up surging the heat transfer between the fluid and a coil or jacket
in the container wall
MECHANISMS

Dispersive Distributive

Interfacial tension is Repeated rearrangement of

decreased by subjecting the minor component
it to mechanical stress.
MIXING EQUIPMENT
Continuous Stirred-Tank
Reactor
 MIXING EQUIPMENT
Agitator Types

Three-blade Propeller Paddle Agitator Turbine Agitator Helical-ribbon Agitator

used for low viscosity liquids incorporates good axial flow; used for liquids with very wide used in highly viscous
and has axial flow as the flow but there is a little vertical or range of viscosity; resembling solutions and in laminar region;
pattern axial flow, thus it is inefficient paddle agitators with multiple works at low rpm
for suspending solids and short blades
MASS BALANCE IN A NON-REACTING
MIXING SYSTEM
Accumulation= Inflow + Generation – Output – Consumption
d(C3 V) Inflow = C1Q1 + C2Q2
Accumulation =
dt
Output = C3Q3
Generation = 0
Consumption = 0 C1 is the concentration of solute in inlet solution (g/L)
C2 is the concentration of solute in inlet solvent (g/L)
C3 is the concentration of solute in the exiting stream (g/L)
Q1 is the volumetric flowrate of inlet solution (L/min)
Q2 is the volumetric flowrate of inlet solvent (L/min)
𝐝(𝑪𝟑 𝐕) Q3 is the volumetric flowrate of exit stream (L/min)
= 𝑪𝟏 𝑸𝟏 + 𝑪𝟐 𝑸𝟐 − 𝑪𝟑 𝑸𝟑 V is the volume of fluid in tank, ≤ 80% of total tank volume (L)
𝒅𝒕
MASS BALANCE IN A NON-REACTING
MIXING SYSTEM
𝑉 (C1 Q1 −C3 Q3 )
Solvent: Pure Water − ln =t
Q3 C1 Q1
C2=0
Q t
(C1 Q1 −C3 Q3 ) − 3
d(C3 V) =e Q
= C1 Q1 − C3 Q3 C1 Q1
dt
−𝑸𝟑 𝒕
d(C3 Q) = (C1 Q1 − C3 Q3 ) dt 𝑪𝟑 =
𝑸 𝟏 𝑪𝟏
𝟏− 𝒆 𝑸
𝑸𝟏 +𝑸𝟐
C3 d(C3 ) t
V ‫׬‬0 (C Q −C Q ) = ‫׬‬0 dt Outlet Concentration at any time, t
1 1 3 3
MASS BALANCE IN A NON-REACTING
MIXING SYSTEM
As time approaches Mixing time, t
infinity Five times the mean residence time, 𝜏
(𝒕 = 𝟓𝝉)
𝑡→∞
𝑸 𝟏 𝑪𝟏 𝜏 is defined as: 𝝉 = 𝑽/𝑸𝟑
𝑪𝟑 =
𝑸𝟏 +𝑸𝟐
Steady-state outlet
𝒕 = 𝟓(𝑽/𝑸𝟑 )
concentration
SPECTROPHOTOMETRY:
METHOD OF DETERMINING CONCENTRATION
Determines how much light a chemical substance absorbs
by measuring light intensity passing through the sample through
the use of a spectrophotometer
SPECTROPHOTOMETRY:
METHOD OF DETERMINING CONCENTRATION
The amount of light absorbed is related to concentration by
Beer’s Law.

𝑨 = 𝒂𝒃𝒄
A is the absorbance
a is the absorptivity (L/g-cm)
B is the path length (cm)
c is the concentration (g/L)
SPECTROPHOTOMETRY:
METHOD OF DETERMINING CONCENTRATION
Standard Curve
Linear plot of absorbance
versus concentration
Used to determine
absorptivity and path length
(or a just a single term)
Equation is used to determine concentration from absorbance
measurements of the same solute at the same wavelength (𝜆𝑚𝑎𝑥 )
A study on a mixing system with continuous inlet and outlet streams
would demonstrate material balancing for steady-state operation,
which is critical for stabilizing the mixing efficiency.

In employing spectrophotometric method for concentration

determination, the Beer’s Law would be applied.

Evaluating the system for varied inlet concentration would provide

useful information for efficiently utilizing the mixer for future operation.

The study would provide a performance evaluation of the equipment

used.
To determine the best flowrate combination of the inflow streams to
attain steady state mass flow through the mixer

To determine the concentration (in terms of absorbance) of the

solute in the outflow stream over time

To compare the concentration profiles of the solute in the outflow

streams read at various initial solute concentrations

To compare the experimental and theoretical solute concentration

profiles in the outflow stream
MIXING TANK
Infante (2008)

60-L cylindrical tank with a

conical bottom

Six 9-cm flat-blade turbine

impeller, rotated by a motor at
260 rpm
 MIXING OTHER MIXING
COMPONENTS ELEMENTS
Orange Food Coloring Submersible pump Hose
Powder

Rubber tubings Pails

Water
SOLUTION PREPARATION

100-mL Volumetric flasks Analytical balance

SPECTROPHOTOMETER BUCKET METHOD
Hach 1-L Graduated cylinder

Stopwatch timer
DETERMINATION OF WAVELENGTH OF
MAXIMUM ABSORBANCE

Multi- The wavelength

wavelength where
0.4 g/L solution
analysis of the absorbance
was prepared
solution was was maximum
performed was recorded
STANDARD CURVE PREPARATION

Absorbance of
Absorbances
Solutions of each solution
were plotted
different were measured
against the
concentrations at the previously
corresponding
was prepared determined
concentrations
wavelength
DETERMINATION OF BEST FLOWRATE
COMBINATION FOR STEADY-STATE

All streams
The pump The hose The flow rates
were allowed
and outlet flow rate was of all the
to flow until
flow rates estimated by
the liquid level streams were
were material
was constant measured
measured balance
(48L)
MIXING EXPERIMENT
Samples
The pail All streams
were taken at
where the were
the outlet Absorbance
pump was allowed to
stream for of each
submersed flow under
every one- sample was
was filled with the previously
minute measured
solution (0.3, determined
interval for 15
0.1 g/L) rates
minutes
STANDARD CURVE
Wavelength of maximum
absorbance (𝜆𝑚𝑎𝑥 )
Determined in order to maximize
the sensitivity of the instrument
to the solute
Dilute solution was used (0.4
g/L) to conform to the
applicability of the Beer’s Law
and the instrument

𝝀𝒎𝒂𝒙 = 𝟒𝟓𝟐 𝒏𝒎
STANDARD CURVE
Application of the Absorbance Data of known concentrations
Beer’s Law CONCENTRATION
ABSORBANCE
Generated using known (g/L)
concentrations, for 0.00 0.000
further application on 0.02 0.140
determining unknown 0.04 0.282
concentrations of the 0.06 0.432
same solute 0.08 0.564
Dilute solutions were 0.10 0.705
required 0.15 1.047
0.20 1.388
0.30 2.002
0.40 3.115
STANDARD CURVE
PARAMETER VALUE UNITS
Linear regression plot
R-squared 0.990988936 Unitless
Slope 7.426896552 L/g
Y-intercept -0.03513103 Unitless
Path length 1.5 Cm
Absorptivity 4.951264368 L/(g-cm)

𝑳
𝑨 = 𝟕. 𝟒𝟐𝟔𝟗 𝒄 − 𝟎. 𝟎𝟑𝟓𝟏
𝒈

𝑨+𝟎.𝟎𝟑𝟓𝟏 Formula for the

𝒄= 𝑳
“conversion” of
absorbance to
𝟕.𝟒𝟐𝟔𝟗 concentration
𝒈
BEST FLOWRATE COMBINATION
Determined in order to maintain steady-state system during the mixing experiment

EXPERIMENTAL
STREAM FLOWRATE
(L/min)
Food coloring solution (Q1) 2.61 Fixed, then
Water (Q2) 23.06 measured
Outflow (Q3) 27.51
Varied until
Liquid level was maintained at 80 % of the total reactor volume liquid level
to prevent undesirable swirling that might cause splattering. was constant,
then measured
BEST FLOWRATE COMBINATION
Steady-state validation by total mass balance (constant density)
෍ 𝐼𝑁𝐿𝐸𝑇 𝑆𝑇𝑅𝐸𝐴𝑀𝑆 = ෍ 𝑂𝑈𝑇𝐿𝐸𝑇 𝑆𝑇𝑅𝐸𝐴𝑀𝑆

𝑃𝑢𝑚𝑝 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 + 𝐻𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝐹𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 = 𝑂𝑢𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑡 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒

𝐿 𝐿 𝑳
𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝐻𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 = 𝑂𝑢𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑡 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 − 𝑃𝑢𝑚𝑝𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 = 27.51 − 2.61 = 𝟐𝟒. 𝟗𝟎
𝑚𝑖𝑛 𝑚𝑖𝑛 𝒎𝒊𝒏

EXPERIMENTAL BALANCE PERCENT ERROR

23.06 L/min 24.90 L/min -7.39 %
OUTFLOW CONCENTRATION PROFILES
Experimental: Absorbances of outflow samples were measured at
𝜆𝑚𝑎𝑥 and were “converted” to concentration using the rearranged
standard curve equation:
𝑨+𝟎.𝟎𝟑𝟓𝟏 Example:
𝒄= 𝑳
𝟕.𝟒𝟐𝟔𝟗𝒈 Given: Solution:
Absorbance = 0.108 𝐿
𝐴 = 7.4269 𝐶 − 0.0351
𝑔
Find: 𝐿
Concentration 7.4269 𝐶 = 𝐴 + 0.0351
𝑔
𝐴 − 0.0351 0.108 + 0.0351 𝒈
𝐶= = = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟏𝟗
𝐿 𝐿 𝑳
7.4269 𝑔 7.4269 𝑔
OUTFLOW CONCENTRATION PROFILES
EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
0.070 0.025
Outflow Concentration, g/L

0.060

Outflow Concentration (g/L)

0.020
0.050
0.040 0.015

0.030
0.010
Trial 1 Trial 1
0.020
Trial 2 0.005 Trial 2
0.010
0.000 0.000
0 5 10 15 20 0 5 10 15 20
Time, min Time (min)

0.3 g/L Inlet Concentration 0.1 g/L Inlet Concentration

OUTFLOW CONCENTRATION PROFILES
Varying initial concentration
The solution produced from 0.3 g/L inlet solution was of higher
concentration than that of 0.1 g/L inlet solution
Could be traced from solute balance:
𝑪𝟏 𝑸𝟏 = 𝑪𝟑 𝑸𝟑
At constant Q1 and Q3, C3 increases with increasing C1
OUTFLOW CONCENTRATION PROFILES
Varying initial concentration
0.025

0.1 g/L data was less

Outflow Concentration (g/L)

0.020
dispersed, and seemed to
0.015
approximate a logarithmic
curve, and even exhibited an 0.010
Trial 1
approximately steady-state 0.005 Trial 2

concentration 0.000
0 5 10 15 20
Time (min)
OUTFLOW CONCENTRATION PROFILES
Varying initial concentration
0.070
0.3 g/L data was rather more

Outflow Concentration, g/L

0.060

dispersed and unfitting, and a 0.050

0.040
logarithmic curve and steady-
0.030
state approximation was Trial 1
0.020
barely observable 0.010
Trial 2
Could be due to lower
0.000
concentration difference between
0 5 10 15 20
the inlet stream and that of the Time, min
tank
OUTFLOW CONCENTRATION PROFILES
Theoretical: Outflow concentrations through time were calculated by
mass balance using the equation:
−𝑸𝟑 𝒕
𝑸 𝟏 𝑪𝟏
𝑪𝟑 = 𝟏− 𝒆 𝑸
𝑸𝟏 +𝑸𝟐
Example: Find:
Outflow concentration (C3)
Given:
Inlet solution concentration (C1) = 0.3 g/L Solution:
Inlet solution flowrate (Q1) = 2.61 L/min 0.3𝑔 2.61𝐿 𝐿
27.51 15min
𝐶1 𝑄1 𝑄 𝑡
− 𝑉3 𝐿 min min
Outlet flowrate (Q3) = 27.51 L/min 𝐶3 = 1− 𝑒 = 1 − 𝑒− 48 𝐿
𝑄3 𝐿
Time (t) = 15 min 27.51 𝑚𝑖𝑛
Reactor liquid volume (V) = 48 L 𝒈
= 𝟎. 𝟎𝟐𝟖𝟓
𝑳
OUTFLOW CONCENTRATION PROFILES
THEORETICAL RESULTS
0.0300

0.0250
Outflow concentration (g/L)

0.0200

0.0150
0.3 g/L
0.1 g/L
0.0100

0.0050

0.0000
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
Time (min)
OUTFLOW CONCENTRATION PROFILES
Comparison of experimental and theoretical results
0.0700 0.0250

0.0600
0.0200
Outflow Concentration, g/L

Outflow Concentration, g/L

0.0500

0.0150
0.0400
Theoretical Theoretical
0.0300 Trial 1 Trial 1
0.0100
Trial 2 Trial 2
0.0200
0.0050
0.0100

0.0000 0.0000
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
Time, min Time, min
OUTFLOW CONCENTRATION PROFILES
Comparison of experimental and theoretical results
0.0250

Theoretically, outlet
0.0200
concentrations increased at a

Outflow Concentration, g/L

decreasing rate until a 0.0150

Theoretical

constant steady-state 0.0100 Trial 1

Trial 2
concentration was achieved 0.0050
Clearly exhibited in 0.1 g/L data,
though at relatively higher values 0.0000
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
The time when the steady state Time, min

concentration was almost the same

OUTFLOW CONCENTRATION PROFILES
Comparison of experimental and theoretical results

Experimental data from both inlet concentrations were generally

higher than that of theoretical
May be due to different water sources used in the calibration of the
spectrophotometer and that used in the mixing experiment
Impurities may be present in the mixing experiment set-up
OUTFLOW CONCENTRATION PROFILES
Comparison of experimental and theoretical results

Percent error was calculated to account for the deviation

INLET AVERAGE PERCENT

TRIAL AVERAGE
CONCENTRATION ERROR
1 44%
0.3 g/L 83%
2 85%
1 29%
0.1 g/L 28%
2 27%
OUTFLOW CONCENTRATION PROFILES
Comparison of experimental and theoretical results

Another strategy to evaluate the conformity of the experimental

results to the theoretical model equation was to perform linear
regression analysis.
The theoretical equation was linearized to:

𝑸𝟑 𝑸 𝒕
− 𝑽𝟑 x values:
y values: 𝟏 − 𝑪𝟑 =𝒆
C3 is the main 𝑪𝟏 𝑸𝟏 t is the main varied factor
(other factors are constant)
response factor
(other factors
are constant)
OUTFLOW CONCENTRATION PROFILES
Comparison of experimental and theoretical results
0.3 g/L Trial 1 0.3 g/L Trial 2
1.0 0.5
Linear regression 0.5 0.0 R² = 0.9644
R² = 0.8126
evaluation 0.0 -0.5
0 0.2 0.4 0.6

y
0 0.2 0.4 0.6
Good fit of 0.1 g/L data -0.5 -1.0
-1.0 -1.5
validated the observation of x x
logarithmic approximation
0.1 g/L Trial 1 0.1 g/L Trial 2
based the visual inspection of
0.0 0.8
the concentration profile 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.6
R² = 0.9806
Lowest goodness of fit is 0.3 g/L -0.5 0.4

y
y R² = 0.9825
0.2
Trial 1 where an unexpected -1.0
0.0
decrease was observed in the -1.5
0 0.2 0.4 0.6
x x
concentration profile
Mixing behavior was studied using a continuous stirred tank reactor.

Experimental concentrations were determined by spectrophotometric

method.

The wavelength of maximum absorbance of the solute in the Hach

spectrophotometer was determined to be at 452 nm.

A standard curve of good fit (R2=0.991) was generated according to

Beer’s Law. The absorptivity of the solute at 452 nm was determined to
be 4.95 g/L-cm, based on a path length of 1.5 cm.
The best flowrate combination was determined and maintained at 2.61
L/min, 23.06 L/min, 27.51 L/min for pump, hose, and outlet,
respectively, to ensure a steady-state operation.

Outlet concentrations from varying inlet concentrations (0.3 g/L and 0.1
g/L) were compared. Higher inlet concentration produces higher
outlet concentration. Better-fit data was obtained at lower
concentration.

Theoretical outlet concentrations through time were calculated using

material balance, and were compared to the experimental data.
Higher values were obtained from the experimental data, relative to
the theoretical data. Impurities contribute to this. The deviation
accounted to 83% and 28% for 0.3 g/L and 0.1 g/L inlet concentrations,
respectively.

Linear regression analysis was further employed to evaluate the fit of

the experimental data to the theoretical model. For this, R2 values were:
0.8126 and 0.9644 for Trial 1 and Trial 2 of 0.3 g/L inlet concentration;
and 0.9825 and 0.9806 for Trial 1 and Trial 2 of 0.1 g/L inlet
concentration.
The steady state condition of the tank must be highly regulated.
Ensure that flowrates do not vary after setting up the best flowrate
combinations.
Use of flowmeters
If economics would not permit, high precision in flow rate measurements
using the bucket method must always be observed.
Alternative method to visual inspection of the liquid level.
Current method is highly subjective

Hach vials for the spectrophotometer must always be free of

fingerprints and other disturbances to the beam of light.
Availability of more vials; If not feasible, thorough cleaning and washing of the
vials in between measurements must be strictly implemented.
Mixing components must be consistent with that used in the
preparation of standard curve.
However, using distilled water for the mixing experiment is uneconomical.
Check for the validity of using tap water in the preparation of standard curve.
Thank you!