Unit 1
Agitators and Reaction vessels
Agitation
•Agitation refers to forcing a fluid by
mechanical means to flow in a circulatory or
other pattern inside a vessel.
•Mixing usually implies the taking of two or
more separate phases, such as a fluid and a
powdered solid or two fluids, and causing
them to be randomly distributed through one
another.
Purpose of Agitation
1. Blending of two miscible liquids, such as ethyl alcohol
and water.
2. Dissolving solids in liquids, such as salt in water.
3. Dispersing a gas in a liquid as fine bubbles,
- such as oxygen from air in a suspension of
microorganisms for fermentation or for the activated
sludge process in waste treatment.
4. Suspending of fine solid particles in a liquid,
- in the catalytic hydrogenation of a liquid, solid catalyst
particles and hydrogen bubbles are dispersed in the
liquid.
5. Agitation of the fluid to increase heat transfer between
the fluid and a coil or jacket in the vessel wall.
Types of agitators models, application and comparison:
Agitator models Application Advantages Disadvantages
•Paddle: •Solid mixing •Heavy duty mixing •High
Flat paddles •Slurry mixing •Adjustable to 2 or 4 powerconsumption
•Finger paddles blades •Inefficient liquid
•Gate paddles •Excellent for low speed circulation
Counter rotating Paste mixing •Efficient in laminar •Vibrates at high
paddles condition speed
•Blending •Not suitable for liquid
mixing
Tumbling Blending Paste and viscous material Not suitable for fluid
mixing solutions
Disk and cone Polymers and Viscous solution mixing Paste mass cannot be
dispersion with 60 revolution per handled
preparation second
Free shaft suspension Sugar processing Suspension, Thickening High power
operation requirement
Impeller type Emulsion •Good temperature Not for viscous
preparations control materials
•Creates axial flow
•Good phase mixing
Types of agitators models, application and comparison:
Agitator models Application Advantages Disadvantages
•Turbine agitator Liquid and gas •Excellent for dispersion Only for less viscous
Straight blade reactions operations liquid below 15 to
•Pitched blade •Creates good radial 20 Ns/m2
•Vaned disk flow
•Curved blade
•Slotted rotary Powders and Unique particle size and •Minimum axial flow
Rotating disk cosmetics homogeny product •Operates better
formation only for 0.1 to
0.01mm particle size
solids
•Screw Food and snack Homogenization of high Not suitable
Screw in cone processing viscous materials formiscibility
operations
•Helical Polymer and Handles viscoelastic Less radial
Ribbon type paints processing liquids that are more flow patterns
•Helical screw than 20 Ns/m2
Types of agitators models, application and comparison:
Agitator models Application Advantages Disadvantages
Gate Blending •Good speed control Not for suitable
operations •Handles for gas to liquid
pseudoplastic liquids operations
•Anchor Milk and fat Efficient heat •High power
Round anchor processing exchange between consumption
•Combine anchor the reactor walls and •Requires heavy
and gate reaction mass (fluids) duty gear box
Propeller •Dairy and food •Less Metzner –Ott •Motion of liquid
processing shear rate constant starts on one spot
•Chemicals •Homogenization •Dead spots
processing •Good miscibility formation at high
rotation speeds
•Occurrence of
solids settling at
low speeds
Various types of Agitators
• For gas dispersion
operation radial turbine
impeller is used and
axial turbine impeller is
used for chemical
reactions, suspension
solid and miscible liquid
mixing.
Equipment for Agitation
•Three-blade propeller agitator
•Paddle agitators
•Turbine agitators
•Helical-ribbon agitators
1. Three-blade propeller agitator
FIGURE. Baffled tank and three-blade propeller agitator
with axial-flow pattern:
(a) side view, (b) bottom view
Various types of Agitators
• Propeller agitators are commonly made of three
bladed attached to the main shaft.
• They are flexible in operations and mostly used in
mechanical mixing of low to medium viscosity fluids.
• These type of propellers are also called as marine type
propellers.
• The diameter of the propellers depends on the
rotational speed and diameter of the batch reactor or
the agitator vessel.
• Depending on the agitator vessel size and the fluid
viscosity the power consumption of the propeller
agitator may exceed more than 50kW.
2. Paddle Agitators
• often used at low speeds, between about 20 and 200 rpm.
• Two-bladed and four-bladed flat paddles are often used, as shown in
Fig. a.
FIGURE. Various types of agitators: (a) four-blade paddle, (b) gate or
anchor paddle, (c) six-blade open turbine, (d) pitched-blade turbine.
• At low speeds mild agitation is obtained in an unbaffled
vessel.
• At higher speeds, baffles are used
- since, without baffles, the liquid is simply swirled
around with little actual mixing.
• The paddle agitator is ineffective for suspending solids
- since good radial flow is present but little vertical or
axial flow.
• An anchor or gate paddle, shown in Fig. b, is often used.
• It is used with viscous liquids where deposits on walls
can occur and to improve heat transfer to the walls.
• However, it is a poor mixer. Paddle agitators are often
used to process starch pastes, paints, adhesives, and
cosmetics.
3. Turbine Agitator
• Turbines resemble of multibladed paddle agitators with
shorter blades
• used at high speeds for liquids with a very wide range of
viscosities.
• The turbines usually have four or six blades.
• Figure shows a flat six-blade turbine agitator with disk.
• They are also useful for good gas dispersion;
- the gas is introduced just below the impeller at its axis
and is drawn up to the blades and chopped into fine
bubbles.
• Often a pitched-blade turbine with only four blades is
used in suspension of solids.
Figure. Baffled tank with six-blade turbine
agitator with disk showing flow patterns: (a) side
view, (b) bottom view, (c) dimensions of turbine
and tank.
4. Helical-Ribbon Agitator
• used in highly viscous solutions
• operates at a low rpm in the laminar region.
• The ribbon is formed in a helical path and is
attached to a central shaft.
• The liquid moves in a tortuous flow path down the
center and up along the sides in a twisting motion.
• Similar types are the double-helical-ribbon agitator
shown in Fig. b and the helical-screw impeller
shown in Fig. c.
FIGURE. Other types of agitators: (a) high-efficiency, three-blade
impeller (b) double-helical-ribbon, (c) helical-screw.
Agitated Vessel
Power Used in Agitated Vessel
•In the design of an agitated vessel, an important factor is the
power required to drive the impeller.
•Empirical correlations have been developed to predict the power
required.
•Reynolds number, ' is defined as:
N Re
Da2 N
Where:
'
N Re = ---- Eq. (1)
Da = impeller (agitator) diameter (m)
N = rotational speed (rev/s)
ρ = fluid density (kg/m3)
µ = fluid viscosity (kg/m.s)
•Power consumption is related to fluid density ρ, fluid
viscosity µ, rotational speed N and impeller diameter Da
by plots of power number Np versus '
N Re
•The power number is defined as:
P (SI)
Np = ----------------- Eq. (2)
N Da
3 5
(English)
Pgc
Np =
N Da
3 5
Where P = power (J/s) or (W).
In English units, P = ft.lbf/s.
Figure shows the power correlations for various impellers
and baffles
Curve 1. Flat six-blade turbine with disk
D/W = 5; four baffles each D/J = 12.
Curve 2. Flat six-blade open turbine Da/W =
Curve
8;four3.baffles
Six-blade open= turbine
each D/J 12. (pitched-blade)
but blades at 450 Da/W = 8; four baffles each
Dt /J = 12.
Curve 4. Propeller pitch 2D four baffles each
Dt /J = 10; also holds for same propeller in
angular off-center position with no baffles.
Da- Turbine Diameter Curve
Curve 5. 6. High-efficiency
Propeller; pitch = Dimpeller
four four baffles
baffles each each
D
a t /J = 10;
W – Width of Turbine alsoDholds
t /J = 12.
for same propeller in angular off-center position
Dt – Tank Diameter with no baffles.
J – Width of Baffle
Figure :Power correlations for various impellers and baffles
(Geankoplis, 4th ed.)
• Curve 1. Flat six-blade turbine with disk D/W = 5; four baffles
each D/J = 12.
• Curve 2. Flat six-blade open turbine Da/W = 8;four baffles each
D/J = 12.
• Curve 3. Six-blade open turbine (pitched-blade) but blades at
450 Da/W = 8; four baffles each Dt /J = 12.
• Curve 4. Propeller pitch 2D four baffles each Dt /J = 10; also
holds for same propeller in angular off-center position with no
baffles.
• Curve 5. Propeller; pitch = Da four baffles each Dt /J = 10;
also holds for same propeller in angular off-center
position with no baffles.
• Curve 6. High-efficiency impeller four baffles each Dt /J = 12.
Example 1 Power Consumption in an agitator
A flat blade turbine agitator with disk having six blades is installed
in a tank similar to Fig. 3.4-3. The tank diameter Dt is 1.83 m, the
turbine diameter Da is 0.61 m, Dt = H, and the width W is 0.122 m.
The tank contains four baffles, each having a width J of 0.15 m. The
turbine is operated at 90 rpm and the liquid in the tank has a
velocity of 10 cp and a density of 929 kg/m3.
a) Calculate the required kW of the mixer.
b) For the same conditions, except for the solution having a
viscosity of 100,000 cp, calculate the required kW.
Solution
• For part (a) the following data are given:
Da = 0.61 m W = 0.122 m Dt = 1.83 m J = 0.15 m
90 kg
N= = 1.50 rev/s = (10 cp)(1 x 10 -3
) = 0.01 = Pa.s
60 m.s
= 929 kg/m 3
• Using Eq. (1), the Reynolds number is:
Da2 N (0.61) 2 (1.50)(929)
N '
= = = 5.187 104
Re
0.01
• Using Curve 1 in Fig 3.4-5, since
Da / W = 5 and Dt / J = 12, N p = 5 for N Re
'
= 5.187 10 4
• Solving for P in Eq. (3.4-2) and substituting known values
P = N p N 3 Da5 = (5)(929)(1.50)3 (0.61)5
P = 1324 J/s = 1.324 kW (1.77 hp)
•For part (b)
kg
= 100,000(1 x 10 ) = 100
-3
m.s
Da2 N (0.61) 2 (1.50)(929)
'
N Re = = = 5.185
100
•This is the laminar flow region. From Figure 3.4-5, Np = 14.
P = N p N 3 Da5 = (14)(929)(1.50)3 (0.61)5
P = 3707 J/s = 3.71 kW (4.98 hp)
•Hence, a 10,000-fold increase in viscosity only increases the
power from 1.324 to 3.71 kW.
Agitator Scale-Up
• Scale-up the laboratory-size or pilot-size agitation system to a
full-scale unit.
• Scale-up procedure:
1. Calculate the scale-up ratio R. Assuming that the original
vessel is a standard cylinder with DT1 = H1, the volume is:
DT21 DT31 ----------------- Eq. (3.4-6)
V1 = ( H1 ) =
4 4
The ratio of the volume is
V2 DT22 / 4 DT3 2
= 2 ( H1 ) = 3 ----------------- Eq. (3.4-7)
V1 DT 1 / 4 DT 1
The scale-up ratio is then
1/ 3
V D
R = 2 = T 2
V1 DT 1
----------------- Eq. (3.4-8)
2. Using this value of R, apply it to all of the dimensions in
Table 3.4-1 to calculate the new dimensions. For Example,
Da2 = RDa1, J2 = RJ1…
3. Determine the agitator speed N2, to be used to duplicate the
small scale results using N1. The equation is:
n
DT 1
n
1 ----------------- Eq. (3.4-10)
N 2 = N1 = N1
R DT 2
Where n = 1 for equal liquid motion, n = ¾ for equal
suspension solids and n = 2/3 for equal rates of mass transfer
(which equivalent to equal power per unit volume, P1V1 =
P2V2 ). This value of n is based on empirical and theoretical
considerations.
4. Knowing N2, the power required can be determined using Eq.
(3.4-2) and Figure 3.4-5.
Example 2 Scale up of Turbine Agitation System
An existing agitation system is the same as given in
Example 1a for a flat-blade turbine with a disk and
six blades. The given conditions and sizes are DT1 =
1.83 m, Da1 = 0.61 m, W1 = 0.122 m, J1 = 0.15 m, N1
= 90/60 = 1.50 rev/s, ρ = 929 kg/m3 and µ = 0.01
Pa.s. It is desired to scale up these results for a vessel
whose volume is 3.0 times as large. Do this for the
following two process objectives:
a) Where equal rate of mass transfer is desired.
b) Where equal liquid motion is needed.
Solution
Since H1 = DT1 = 1.83 m,
the original tank volume, V = (DT21 / 4)( H1 ) = (1.83)3 / 4 = 4.813 m3
1
Volume V2 = 3.0 (4.813) = 14.44 m3.
Following the steps in the scale-up procedure, and using Eq.(3.4-8):
1/ 3
V2
1/ 3
14.44
R = =
V1 4.813
The dimensions of the larger agitation system are as follows:
DT2 = RDT1 = 1.442 (1.83) = 2.64 m, Da2 = 1.442 (0.61) = 0.880 m,
W2 = 1.442 (0.122) = 0.176 m and J2 = 1.442 (0.15) = 0.216 m.
For part (a), for equal mass transfer, n = 2/3 in Eq. (3.4-10):
2/3 2/3
1 1
N 2 = N1 = (1.50) = 1.175 rev/s (70.5 rpm)
R 1.442
•Using Eq (3.4-1)
Da2 N (0.880) 2 (1.175)(929)
'
N Re = = = 8.453 104
0.01
•Refer to Figure 3.4-5, Curve 1 and NRe = 8.453 x 104, gives
Np = 5.0
•Using Np = 5.0 in Eq. (3.4-2)
P1 = N p N D = (5)(929)(1.5) (0.61)
3
1
5
a1
3 5
P1 = 1324 J/s = 1.324 kW
P2 = N p N D = (5)(929)(1.175) (0.880)
3
2
5
a2
3 5
P2 = 3977 J/s = 3.977 kW
•The power per unit volume is P1 1.324
= = 0.2752 kW/m3
V1 4.813
P2 3.977
= = 0.2752 kW/m3
V2 14.44
1.0 1.0
1 1
N 2 = N1 = (1.50) = 1.040 rev/s
R 1.442
•The value of 0.2752 kW/m3 is somewhat lower than the approximate
guidelines of 0.8 to 2.0 for mass transfer.
For part (b), for equal liquid motion, n = 1.0
P2 = N p N 23 Da52 = (5)(929)(1.040)3 (0.880)5
P2 = 2757 = 2.757 kW
P2 2.757
= = 0.1909 kW/m3
V2 14.44
Mixing Times of Miscible Liquids
•Figure 3.4-6 shows a Correlation of mixing time for miscible
liquid using a turbine in a baffled tank.
•Mixing factor ft is defined as:
f t = tT
(ND )
2 2/3
a g 1/ 6 Da1/ 2
1/ 2 ----------------- Eq. (3.4-16)
H Dt3 / 2
•Where tT is the mixing time in seconds. For N ' 1000,
Re
ft is approximate constant, then tT N2/3 is constant.
•For scaling up from vessel 1 to another vessel 2 with similar
geometry and with same power/unit volume in the turbulent
region, the mixing times are related by:
11/ 18
tT 2 Da 2
= ----------------- Eq. (3.4-17)
tT 1 Da1
•The mixing time increases for the larger vessel.
•For scaling up while keeping the same mixing time, the
power/unit volume (P/V) increases significantly :
11/ 4
P2 / V2 Da 2
= ----------------- Eq. (3.4-18)
P1 / V1 Da1
•Usually, in scaling up to large-size vessels, a somewhat
larger mixing time is used so that the power/unit volume
does not increase significantly.
Example 3 Scale-up of Mixing Time in a Turbine
Agitation System
Using the existing conditions for the turbine with a disk as in
Example 1 part (a), do as follows:
a) Calculate the mixing time
b) Calculate the mixing time for a smaller vessel with a similar
geometric ratio, where Dt is 0.30 m instead of 1.83 m. Do
this for the same power per unit volume as used in part (a).
c) Using the same mixing time calculated for the smaller vessel
in part (b), calculate the new power per unit volume for the
larger vessel in part (a).
Solution
In part (a), Dt = 1.83 m, Da = 0.61 m, Dt = H, N = 90/60 = 1.50
rev/s, ρ = 929 kg/m3, µ = 10 cp = 0.01 Pa.s. From example 1,
'
N Re = 5.185 ,10
N4p = 5, P1 = 1.324 kW. For the tank volume,
(1.83) 2 (1.83)
V1 = = 4.813 m3
4
The power per unit volume is
P1 1.324
= = 0.2751 kW/m3
V2 4.813
From the Figure 3.4-6 , N ' = 5.185 10, 4ft = 4.0. Substituting in
Re
Eq. (3.4-16)
f t = 4.0 =
( )
2 2 / 3 1/ 6 1/ 2
tT N1 Da1 g Da1
H11/ 2 Dt31/ 2
4.0 =
(
tT 1.5 0.61 )
(9.80665)
2 2/3 1/ 6
(0.61)1/ 2
(1.83)1/ 2 (1.83)3 / 2
tT = 17.30s
•For part (b)
R = DT 2 / DT 1 = 0.30 / 1.83 = 0.1639
Da 2 = RDa1 = 0.1639(0.61) = 0.1000m
11/ 18
tT 2 Da 2
=
tT 1 Da1
11/ 18
0.100
tT 2 = 17.30
0.61
tT2 = 5.73 s
* Mixing time decrease for smaller vessel from 17.30 to 5.73 s.
•For part (c)
tT2 = 5.73 s for smaller vessel
Calculate the P / V for the larger vessel
11/ 4
P2 / V2 Da 2
=
P1 / V1 Da1
11/ 4
0.2751 0.1000
=
P1 / V1 0.6100
P1/V1 =39.73 kW/m3
Heat Transfer in Agitated Vessel
• Often it is necessary to cool or heat the contents of the vessel
during agitation.
• This is usually done by heat-transfer surfaces, which may be in
the form of:
1) cooling or heating jackets in the wall of the vessel
2) coils of pipe immersed in the liquid.
Vessel with heating jacket
•When heating, the fluid entering is often
steam, which condenses inside the jacket and
leaves at the bottom.
•The vessel is equipped with an agitator and in
most cases also with baffles (not shown).
•Correlations for the heat-transfer coefficient
from the agitated Newtonian liquid inside the
vessel to the jacket walls of the vessel have
the following form:
where:
h is the heat-transfer coefficient for the agitated liquid to
the inner wall in W/m2.K,
Dt is the inside diameter of the tank in m,
k is thermal conductivity in W/m.K,
Da is diameter of agitator in m,
N is rotational speed in revolutions per sec,
ρ is fluid density in kg/m3,
µ is liquid viscosity in Pa.s
EXAMPLE 4.13-1. Heat-Transfer Coefficient in
Agitated Vessel with Jacket
A jacketed 1.83-m-diameter agitated vessel with baffles is
being used to heat a liquid which is at 300 K. The agitator
is 0.61 m in diameter and is a flat-blade turbine rotating at
100 rpm. Hot water is in the heating jacket. The wall
surface temperature is constant at 355.4 K. The liquid has
the following bulk physical properties: ρ = 961 kg/m3,
cp = 2500 J/kg.K, k = 0.173 W/m.K, and µ = 1.00 Pa.s at
300 K and 0.084 Pa.s at 355.4 K.
Calculate the heat-transfer coefficient to the wall of the
jacket.
Vessel with heating coil
•Correlations for the heat-transfer coefficient to the outside surface
of the coils in agitated vessel have the following form:
a) for a paddle agitator
cp
0.65 1/ 3 0.14
hDt D N 2
= 0.87 a
k k w
b) for vertical baffle tube with a flat-blade turbine:
0. 4
cp
0.65 1/ 3 1/ 3 0.2
hDo D N
2
Da 2
= 0.09
a
k k Dt nb f
Do is outside diameter of the coil tube (in m), nb is number of
vertical baffle tubes and µf is the viscosity of the mean film
temperature
