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The Chemical Engineering Journal, 14 (1977) 113 - 118

0 Elsevier Sequoia S.A., Lausanne - Printed in the Netherlands

Rates of Induced Aeration in Agitated Vessels

D. A. WHITE and J. U. DE VILLIERS


Department of Chemical and Mineral Processing Engineering, The University, Stellenbosch (South Africa)
(Received 9 December 1976; in final form 2 June 1977)

Abstract liquid and air to take place, thereby aerating


the contents of the main tank. In this config-
The paper describes a preliminary investiga- uration the rotor will absorb a given power P
tion into aeration rates in stirred tanks as a and will draw in a given quantity Q of air per
function of operating variables. A tentative second. Q can be called the rate of aeration,
correlation is proposed for a laboratory aer- but both P and Q are important in design
ator. This is affected by the mode of aeration considerations.
which in turn is a function of the physical The correlation of power in aerated stirred
properties of the liquid in the tank. The tanks has been considered elsewhere. Both
geometry of the aerator has an important Arbiter et al. [l] and Calderbank [2] report a
effect on the rates at which air is sucked into correlation of the type
the vessel.

INTRODUCTION
where PO is the power absorbed with no aera-
Flotation machines, aerated fermenters and tion at given N and D, P is the power absorb-
sewage digesters are widely used in the ed with aeration and Q/ND3 = Ae is the aera-
process industries. Many of these machines tion number. Typical results show that P/PO
are self-aerated. Other machines employ will drop rapidly from unity when Ae = 0 to
direct aeration by means of low pressure air P/P, = 0.5 at Ae = 0.04. At higher values of
blown into the aerated vessel. The subaerated the aeration number the drop in P/PO
unit consists of a rotor of diameter D spinning becomes less rapid. Other work [ 31 has
at a speed iV inside a stator assembly (Fig. 1). shown that the power requirements in an
The rotor and stator are immersed at a mean aerated vessel are not so simple. Recirculation
depth h below the surface of the fluid or of air within the impeller can make correla-
slurry in the tank. The rotation of the tions for power more complex. Thus P/PO can
assembly causes a forced vortex to form be lower than predicted by eqn. (1). However,
inside the stator, which enables mixing of there is a general trend that P/PO approaches
constant asymptotic values at high aeration
Air in 0
rates. Moreover, it is known [4] that in non-
aerated vessels the power number Npo (Pa/
pN3D5) attains a constant value at an impeller
Reynolds number Re in excess of 5 X lo*.
The impeller Reynolds number Re is given by
pN2D/p where I_(is the viscosity of the fluid in
the vessel. From these considerations it
STATOR appears that at high Re and high Ae in an
ROTOR
aerated vessel

P
NP = - = constant (2)
Fig. 1. Aeration of a stirred tank. pN3D5

113
114

This conclusion is supported by Rind [ 51 for of immersion hR as well as on the rotational


a series of commercial flotation machines. speed of the mechanism.
The aeration flow rate in these machines Thus the aeration rate Q will be a function
and similar equipment is also an important of N, g, D and h, ; hence Ae (= Q/ND3) will be
parameter. However, less seems to be known a function of the Froude number and a geo-
about this than about the power require- metrical constant h,/D (hR = h for self-aerat-
ments. Arbiter and Harris [6] suggest that ing machines). A formulation of the Froude
optimal flotation performance is obtained in a number in the following form has some
set of similar machines if the aeration number advantages :
is held constant. It is apparent, however, that N’D”
in a self-aerating machine the volume of air fi=-
(4)
drawn into the rotor will itself depend on the
operating parameters. Expressing this idea in It is possible to see how this definition can be
terms of dimensionless quantities, the used to determine the point of onset of aer-
aeration number will depend on the cell ation in a flotation machine, which occurs at
Froude and Reynolds numbers and in a certain critical speed N,. At this particular
machines of different design geometrical size speed the rotor will develop a pressure drop V
ratios will also appear in the correlation. To across the forced vortex. This pressure will
make some progress with this problem it is depend on the speed of the rotor and its
assumed that at high Reynolds numbers the diameter as well as on the density of the fluid
aeration number is only dependent on the in the vortex, which will be devoid of air
Froude number, as is the case with the power bubbles at the point of onset of aeration.
number of a stirred vessel at high Re. It is the Dimensional considerations give
purpose of this paper to make some observa- V = kpN,2D2 (5)
tions on obtaining aeration correlations with
liquids in a laboratory aerator. When this vortex pressure drop is equal to the
equivalent hydrostatic head pghR, a slight
increase in rotor speed will cause aeration to
occur. Equating the two pressures gives
THE ROLE OF THE ROTOR-STATOR IN
AERATION
pgh, = kpN2D2
c
Thus the value of the Froude number Fr, at
It is the practice in some flotation plants to the onset of aeration is given by
control aeration rates by blowing low pressure N2D2 1
air through the machines as shown in Fig. 1. F&=2- =-
(6)
The role of this step is to aid the rotor over- &a k
come the main resistance to aeration, which is and will be a constant for a given rotorstator
due to the hydrostatic head pgh of the fluid system. Thus simple considerations initially
above it. Increasing the applied pressure A indicate that the correlation for the aeration
across the air inlet of the machine results in number can be formally written
an increase in aeration rates and a reduction
in the net hydrostatic head across the rotor. (7)
This reduced hydrostatic head h, is given by
subject to the condition that Ae = 0 for Fr <
h,=h-i? Fr,-
Pg
Conversely if the depth of immersion h of the
impeller in a self-aerating machine were reduc- EXPERIMENTAL
ed, the aeration rate obtained in the unit
would be correspondingly increased. It is the In order to test some of the ideas developed
practice in many plants to control pulp levels in the previous section an experimental
carefully where self-aeration units are employ- laboratory aerator was constructed. The
ed. Accordingly the aeration rates in a flota- apparatus used in the experimental investiga-
tion cell will depend on the equivalent depth tion consisted of a stator and rotor as shown
115

Airtight seal
TABLE 1
/
Surface Viscosity
tension
(N m-l) (N s m-l)

Tap water 6.01 1.00 x 1o-3


0.1% Teepol solution 3.03 1.00 x 1o-3
Glycerine solution no. 1 5.18 9.36 X 1O-3
Glycerine solution no. 2 5.59 3.11 x 1o-3

RESULTS

V-844
Runs were carried out with these solutions
using rotation speeds varying from 7 to 19 rev
Fig. 2. Diagram of the experimental apparatus
(dimensions in millimetres). s-l and for immersion depths of 89 - 184 mm.
In one case a set of runs was carried out with
a positive pressure applied to the air inlet to
in Fig. 2. The dimensions on the sketch are in test the usefulness of the reduced hydrostatic
millimetres. The stator was made of a Perspex head concept. For each set of runs the speed
tube and it was sealed to the top shaft with an of the rotor was gradually increased until the
airtight seal. This was made of two ceramic point of onset of aeration was reached. The
pressure seals which were water lubricated. critical speed NC was recorded and the onset
The rotor turned in two airtight bearings Froude number Fr, was calculated. Owing to
which were mounted on either side of the an instability in the drive mechanism NC was
seals, Sixteen evenly spaced vertical slots were somewhat difficult to measure. However for
cut into the bottom part of the stator, as the present set of data Fr, was reasonably
shown, to allow for aeration. The rotor constant with a mean of 0.230 and a standard
consisted of an upper tapering shaft with two deviation of kO.022. It is concluded that these
rubber impellers from a peristaltic pump. results confirm the validity of the concept of
Each had twelve vanes and was 56 mm X 30 mm a critical Froude number for aeration. The
in size. The speed of the shaft was measured maximum experimental Froude number
with a hand tachometer and the air flow rate obtained in these experiments was about 2.0.
was measured with a soap bubble meter made It was also calculated that the minimum
of a glass tube 50 mm in diameter with a trap Reynolds number used in these tests was
downstream to prevent soap getting into the 1.6 X lo6 for water and the Teepol-water
aerated tank. The assembly was driven by a solutions and 1.6 X 10’ for the more viscous
variable speed drive via a rubber vee-belt. glycerine solution. Maximum Reynolds
Finally the pressure of the air inside the stator numbers were 5 X 10’ and 5 X lo4 respec-
stand pipe was measured. The stator and rotor tively. Data indicate that baffled impellers
were enclosed in a large cylindrical glass jar may be expected to operate in a regime where
290 mm in diameter and 430 mm high that the power number is constant and indepen-
contained liquid. Tap water, glycerine-water dent of Reynolds number in conditions in
and Teepol-water solutions were used in the which the latter is in excess of 2 X 104. For
experiments. The density of the glycerine these experiments it may therefore be expect-
solutions was measured to determine the ed that aeration performance, like power
composition and hence the solution viscosity. requirements, is unaffected by fluid friction.
The surface tensions of all fluids used in the The data for runs with water are plotted in
experiments were measured using a thin plate Fig. 3 for several different values of hR /R and
hoop attached to an analytical balance. The for one series of runs with assisted aeration.
hoop was cleaned between experiments and In the last case a positive pressure was applied
standardized using pure benzene. The surface over the agitator. The data in Fig, 3 are
tension measurements and the calculated plotted with the logarithm of Fr - Fr, as
viscosities are shown in Table 1. abscissa and log,, M as ordinate:
116

lOg,o( Fr- FL-)---C -l,o -0.5 0

Fig. 3. Results for aeration in clear water: A, ordinary logro (Fr- Fr, )
runs; n, assisted aeration.
Fig. 4. Results for aeration in solutions.

Fig. 4 correlates the data for increased aer-


(8) ation under conditions of significant gas hold-
up as
A reasonable straight-line correlation of the
M = 0.0977 (Fr - Fr,)2.33 (10)
data was obtained with
It is clear that the production of fine
M = 0.0231 (Fr - I?+84 (9) bubbles and the inhibition of coalescence
For all the clear water results it was noted within the bulk of the fluid are the reasons
that the height of the water in the tank for the appearance of significant hold-up in
remained steady as the aeration rate increas- the bulk of the tank itself. Both the added
ed. This indicated that there was little hold-up viscosity and the increased effect of surfac-
of bubbles within the tank and that these tan& brought about by adding either
rapidly rose to the surface. No measurements glycerine or Teepol to the water will clearly
of bubble sizes were made in the present retard the motion of fine bubbles. This
series of experiments but a comparison be- concept is clear and obvious. However it does
tween the results for water on the one hand not account for the increase observed in aer-
and for the glycerine-water and Teepol-water ation rates under these conditions. The
solutions on the other showed that at higher answer to this question lies within the rotor-
Froude numbers much finer bubbles were stator assembly itself.
produced in aeration of the mixtures. For the Within the confines of this assembly there
glycerine and Teepol solutions very fine is a powerful centrifugal force. Liquid and
bubbles were noted in the tank, and the fluid water are mixed and the air bubbles flow
became quite opaque. The level of the fluid in through the stator with the liquid; the rota-
the tank rose quite noticeably and a froth tion of the agitator also acts to mix the liquid
level built up on the top of the liquid. It is itself. A centrifugal force field is similar in its
obvious that considerable hold-up of gas was effect on bubbles in a liquid to other field
occurring within the liquid. Under these forces such as gravity. In a gravity field
conditions it was noted that there was a bubbles will move upwards against the force
considerable increase in aeration rates and in a rotating system a bubble will move
compared with the water data for the same inwards against the centrifugal acceleration.
Froude number. These results are shown in In the rotor-&&or system of an aerated vessel
Fig. 4. The data do not correlate as well as the the flow of liquid outwards from the rotating
water results but some of the data at lower shaft will counter the tendency for bubbles to
Froude numbers correlate with water results move inward. The bubble size produced in the
(Fig. 4, line A). It was qualitatively noted that rotor is important. The smaller the bubble
these particular runs did not show appreciable diameter the greater will be the effect of the
air hold-up and that the aeration process was liquid viscosity on it. A small bubble will
similar to the results for water, Line B in consequently move out of the stator more
117

rapidly than a larger one. Thus in a glycerine- curve C. In addition, the bubbles were
water or Teepol-water mixture the inhibition physically observed to be much finer with the
of bubble coalescence brought about by baffles inserted. Thus the geometrical design
either an increased viscosity or the presence of an impeller has an important bearing on
of surfactants will result in the formation of a the performance of an aeration machine.
smaller bubble than would be found in the
aeration of pure water under the same condi-
tions. The result of this is the production of a CONCLUSIONS
finer bubble which is less affected by centri-
fugal force and a consequent increase in aer- The following conclusions are suggested by
ation rate. this present work.
In addition to affecting h/D it is obvious (1) Aeration in a flotation or similar
that the design and geometrical configuration machine will begin once the Froude number
of the rotor-stator unit will have an impor- has exceeded a critical value.
tant bearing on the rates of aeration within (2) A correlation has been proposed which
the tank itself. Qualitative work was also fits the data for aeration in water with vary-
carried out on the change in aeration rates ing Froude numbers and with varying depth
caused by varying the geometry of the stator. of immersion of the rotor.
In these runs the impeller depth was kept (3) Increasing the viscosity of the solution
constant at a value h of 0.106 m. In the first or introducing surfactants can lead to an
series of runs alternate slits in the rotor were increase in aeration rate. Correlation of aer-
covered with masking tape. The results are ation under these circumstances is not as
given in Fig. 5. The aeration curve with the accurate.
normal impeller is given by A in the figure; It is clear that this paper represents only an
with half the slits blocked off the aeration initial statement on a complex problem and
rate drops markedly, as the results show more work will be necessary. There are two
(Fig. 5, curve B). A second alteration was aspects that need further study. Firstly the
made to the stator: baffles about 5 mm wide runs with the present apparatus should be
were stuck inside midway between all the extended to the study of aeration in slurries
vertical slits. The idea behind this innovation with and without the addition of trace
was to catch bubbles and force them out. amounts of surfactants and secondly work
However, the insertion of baffles causes dead should be carried out using larger aeration
areas to form on the inside surface of the machines.
rotor and this further reduced the aeration
rate to the experimental values given in Fig. 5,
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We are grateful to Mr. P. van Reenen who


constructed the apparatus and to Mr. P. Smit
who helped with some of the experimental
work.

NOMENCLATURE

Ae Q/ND3, aeration number


D rotor diameter, m
Fr N2D2/ghR, Froude number
J% critical Froude number
g gravitation constant, m K2
h mean rotor immersion depth, m
hrt h - A /pg, corrected rotor immersion
Fig. 5. Aeration in clear water with various rotor
depth
geometries. k constant
118

M (Q/ND3) (D/ha)1/2, modified aeration P fluid viscosity


number P fluid density
N rotor rotation speed, rev s-l
N, critical rotation speed for the onset of
aeration, rev s- ’
NP P/pN3D5, cell power number during REFERENCES
aeration
NPO Po/pN3D5, cell power number without 1 N. Arbiter, C. C. Harris and J. Staninger, Trans.
aeration Sot. Min. Eng. AIME, 229 (1964) 70.
2 P. H. Calderbank, Trans. Inst. Chem. Eng., 36
P cell power drawn, W (1958) 443.
PO cell power drawn without aeration, W 3 K. Vant’riet, J. M. Boom and J. M. Smith, Trans.
Q rate of aeration, m3 s-l Inst. Chem. Eng., 54 (1976) 124.
Re p ND'/p , cell Reynolds number 4 J. H. Ruston, E. W. Costich and H. J. Everett,
Chem. Eng. Prog., 46 (1950) 395; 467.
5 P. Kind, J. S. Afr. Inst. Min. Metall.. 76 (1976)
Greek symbols
345 - 362.
A pressure rise across the air inlet 6 N. Arbiter and C. C. Harris, Trans. Sot. Min. Eng.
manifold, N rnd2 AZME, 244 (1969) 115.

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