Principles of Elutriation Tank:
Elutriation Tank Separates particles based on their settling velocities in a fluid.
Finer particles are carried upward by the fluid flow, while coarser particles settle at the bottom.
Construction:
Tank: A vertical tank filled with fluid.
Fluid Inlet: At the bottom to introduce fluid flow.
Feed Inlet: For introducing the material to be separated.
Outlets: Separate outlets for fine and coarse particles.
Control System: To regulate fluid flow rate and separation efficiency.
Working:
Material is introduced into the tank where fluid flows upward.
Finer particles with lower settling velocities are carried upward with the fluid.
Coarser particles with higher settling velocities settle at the bottom.
Separated particles are collected at respective outlets.
Uses:
Classification of particles in the mineral processing, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries.
Used in wastewater treatment for sediment removal.
Merits:
Simple design with low operational costs.
Effective for a wide range of particle sizes.
Minimal energy consumption compared to other methods.
Demerits:
Limited to particles with significantly different settling velocities.
Not suitable for very fine particles that remain suspended.
Requires large volumes of fluid for effective separation.