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Unit Operation: Liquid Separation by Centrifugal

The document discusses liquid separation by centrifugal force. It explains that a centrifuge separates a liquid-liquid mixture into its components by exploiting differences in density. Milk is commonly separated into cream and skim milk using a centrifuge. The centrifuge works by creating a pressure difference across its radius due to centrifugal force, with the heavier liquid separating towards the outside. An equation is provided to calculate the radius of the neutral zone where the pressures of the separating liquids are equal.

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136 views

Unit Operation: Liquid Separation by Centrifugal

The document discusses liquid separation by centrifugal force. It explains that a centrifuge separates a liquid-liquid mixture into its components by exploiting differences in density. Milk is commonly separated into cream and skim milk using a centrifuge. The centrifuge works by creating a pressure difference across its radius due to centrifugal force, with the heavier liquid separating towards the outside. An equation is provided to calculate the radius of the neutral zone where the pressures of the separating liquids are equal.

Uploaded by

abdulqadir
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Unit OperatiOn

LIQUID SEPARATION BY CENTRIFUGAL

The separation of one component of a liquid-liquid mixture ,


where the liquids are immiscible but finely dispersed , as in an
emulsion , It is particularly common in the dairy industry in
which the emulsion , milk , is separated by a centrifuge into
skim milk and cream . It seems worthwhile, on this account, to
examine the position of the two phases in the centrifuge as it
operates. The milk is fed continuously into the machine , which
is generally a bowl rotating about a vertical axis , and cream and
skim milk come from the respective discharges . At some point
within the bowl there must be a surface of separation between
cream and the skim milk .

Liquid centrifuge (a) pressure difference (b) neutral zone

Consider a thin differential cylinder, of thickness dr the


differential centrifugal force across the thickness dr is given by ;

dFc = (dm) rω2 = (ρ dV) rω2


dFc = (2πρrbdr) rω2

Lecturer . Shymaa Ali Hameed 2013-2014


Unit OperatiOn
where dFc is the differential force across the cylinder wall,
dm is the mass of the differential cylinder,
ρ is the density of the liquid
b is the height of the cylinder .
The area over which the force dFc acts is 2πrb , so that , the
differential pressure dP across the wall of the differential
cylinder is ;

dP = dFc / A=dFc /2π r b = ρ ω2 r dr

P2 - P1 = ρω2 (r22 – r12 )/2

Last Equation shows the radial variation in pressure across the


centrifuge. Consider now Fig. 2(b) , which represents the bowl
of a vertical continuous liquid centrifuge. The feed enters the
centrifuge near to the axis , the heavier liquid A discharges
through the top opening 1 and the lighter liquid B through the
opening 2 .

Let r1 be the radius at the discharge pipe for the heavier liquid
r2 that for the lighter liquid .
rn (neutral zone) radius of interface between the two liquids , the
heavier and the lighter at hydrostatic balance .
For the system to be in hydrostatic balance , the pressures of
each component at radius rn must be equal , so
PA = PB

ρAω2(rn2 - r12)/2 = ρBω2(rn2 - r22)/2

rn2 = (ρA r12 – ρB r22) /(ρA - ρB) (*)

where
ρA is the density of the heavier liquid
ρB is the density of the lighter liquid .

Lecturer . Shymaa Ali Hameed 2013-2014


Unit OperatiOn

Equation (*) shows that as the discharge radius for the heavier
liquid is made smaller , then the radius of the neutral zone must
also decrease . When the neutral zone is nearer to the central
axis, the lighter component is exposed only to a relatively small
centrifugal force compared with the heavier liquid. The feed to a
centrifuge of this type should be as nearly as possible into the
neutral zone so that it will enter with the least disturbance of the
system. This relationship can , therefore , be used to place the
feed inlet and the product outlets in the centrifuge to get
maximum separation .

Ex. :
If a cream separator has discharge radii of 5 cm and 7.5 cm and
if the density of skim milk is 1032 kg/m3 and that of cream is
915 kg/m3, calculate the radius of the neutral zone so that the
feed inlet can be designed.

Solution
For skim milk , r1 = 0.075m , ρA=1032 kg/m3,
cream r2 = 0.05 m , ρΒ= 915 kg/m3

rn2 = [1032 x (0.075)2 - 915 x (0.05)2] / (1032 - 915)


= 0.03 m2
rn = 0.17 m = 17 cm

Lecturer . Shymaa Ali Hameed 2013-2014

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