Mechanical Operations

November 2005
Part A ( 10 x 2 = 20 marks)
1) Define volume surface mean diameter.
2) How individual solid particles are characterized?
3) Define open (or) closed circuit grinding
4) State Rittingers law (or) Bonds law.
5) State the basic rule upon which Tyler standard screens are made.
6) What is the meaning of the rotation 14/20 in mesh analysis?
7) Name some filtration equipments.
8) Define filter cake resistance (or) Filter medium resistance Rm.
9) Define power number Np
10) Define a bin, silo and mention their uses.
Part B ( 5 x 16 = 80 Marks)
11. i) Derive from fundamental mass balance, the equation for the efficiency of a screen
(8 marks)
ii) A quartz mixture having the screen analysis shown below is screened through a standard 10
mesh screen. The cumulative screen analysis of overflow, feed and underflow are given. Calculate
the mass rations of overflow and underflow to feed and the overall efficiency of the screen
(8 marks)
Mesh No Dp mm Cumulative mass fraction larger than Dp
Feed
Overflow
Underflow
4
4.699 0
0
6
3.327 0.025
0.071
8
2.362 0.15
0.43
0
10
1.651 0.47
0.85
0.195
14
1.168 0.73
0.97
0.58
20
0.833 0.835
0.99
0.83
28
0.589 0.94
1.00
0.91
35
0.417 0.96
0.94
65
0.208 0.98
0.975
Pan
0
1.00
1.000
12. (a) Write short notes on the following
1) Particle shape 2) Particle size 3) Specific surface of mixture 4) No. of particles in mixture

(Or)
b) i) Discuss in detail with diagram, the principle, operation of pneumatic conveying of solids.

(8 marks)
ii) List out the different methods of storage of solids and briefly discuss about them
(8 marks)
13) a) i) Derive from fundamentals, the formulae for finding the critical speed of a ball mill
ii) With a neat sketch explain the open and closed circuit grinding. Bring out the advantages
of each.
(Or)
b) i)Derive the three laws of crushing from fundamental equation. ( 3 x4 = 12)
ii) Define work index
(4)
14 (a) (i) From fundamentals, derive an expression connecting time of filteration t, volume of
filterate collected V, specific cake resistance and filter medium resistance Rm? Find the relation
between and P and hence define compressibility coefficient of the cake.
(Or)
b) i) With a diagram, explain the principle operation to working of a filter press.
ii) With a neat sketch, explain the working of a Top suspended basket centrifuge.

15) a) i) With a diagram, explain the working of different kneaders used for mixing of solids and
pastes ii) Explain any one blending equipment with a neat sketch.
Or
b) i) Show that power No. Np is a function of Reynolds No Nre and Froude No Nfr by
dimensional analysis ii) List out the various equation used for the calculation of power
delivered to liquids.

November 2002

Part A ( 10 x 2 = 20 marks)
1) What do you mean by closed circuit grinding?
2) What are filter aids?
3) Define shape factor.
4) Define effectiveness of a screen.
5) What is meant by differential analysis in screen analysis?
6) Define angle of nip.
7) What are characteristics of an ideal crusher?
8) Write the Bonds law of crushing.
9) Define terminal settling velocity.
10) Define mixing index.
Part B ( 5 x 16 = 80 marks)
11. Trap rock of specific gravity 2.87 and work index Wi = 19.32 is crushed in gyratory crusher. The
differential screen analysis of the product is given below.
Mesh
4
4/6
6/8
8/10
10/14
14/20
20/28
28/35
35/48
48/65
65/100

Clear opening (mm)

4.699
3.327
2.362
1.651
1.168
0.833
0.583
0.417
0.295
0.208
0.147

Product weight fraction retained

3.1
10.2
20.0
18.6
15.2
12.0
9.5
6.5
4.3
0.5

Using the Bond method, estimate the power necessary for the grinding.

(16)

12. a) i) Derive the basic laws of crushing from a single differential equation defining the energy
required for size reduction. ii) 5 Kg has to be supplied to a machine crushing material at the rate of
0.5 Kg / s from 12.5 mm cubes to a product having the following sizes.
80%
10%
10%

3.175 mm
2.50 mm
2.25 mm

What would be the power required by this machine to crush 0.5 Kg / s of the same material form 7.5
mm cube to 2 mm cube.
(Or)

b)i) Derive an expression for theoretical capacity of a Roll Crusher

ii) A 60 cms diameter Roll crusher takes a feed equivalent to a sphere of 4 cms diameter. If the
coefficient of friction is 0.29. What should be the clearance between the rolls for effective crushing?
13a) i) Describe the working principle of a rotary drum filter. ii) The performance of filter press is
( V + 5)2 = 78 (t + 0.2). How many hours should each filtration run last between shut down in
order to obtain the maximum amount of filtrate in a day if the total time required for each cleaning
shut down is 1 hour?
(10)

(Or)

b)i) Derive an expression relations the thickness of the cake and the volume of filtrate for
filtration at constant pressure.
ii) Classify filtration equipments and discuss any one of them with a neat sketch.
14) a) Explain various industrial dust removal equipments with their sketches.
(Or)
b) Describe the working of a door thickener. Explain how will you conduct the experiment to obtain
the data necessary for the design of thickener.
15) a) Discuss on pneumatic conveying of solids and different methods of storage of solids.
(Or)
b) Explain the various types of mixtures used in industry and discuss the criteria of mixture
effectiveness.

November 2002

Part A ( 10 x 2 = 20 marks)

1)
2)
3)
4)

What is the need to characterize particulate solids

Define the terms i) Friability ii) Friction
Mention the laws of cominution and state Rittingers law
What should be the diameter of a set of rolls to take feed of a size equivalent to 1.5 inches
spheres and crush 0.5 inches if the coefficient of friction is 0.35?
5) List out the types of screening equipments.
6) What do you understand by a Gravity settling process?
7) Give a brief account of classification of centrifuges.
8) In what way does Filtration differ from other separation techniques?
9) Specify the factors which influences Rate of Mixing.
10) What are Buckel elevators?
Part B
11) i) How do you determine the nature of the feed for size reduction?
ii) What do you know about tumbling mills?
iii) With the help of neat diagram describe the functions and working of a smooth roll crusher
mentioning its parts and applications.
12) a) i) Derive the expressions relating to shape factor and particle size.
ii) Define the Angle of NIP and Discuss the theory pertaining to Blake Jaw Crusher
iii) What is a Rotary knife cutter?
(OR)
b) i) For a crusher which accepts a feed of rock whose size is 0.75 inches diameter and
discharges a product of size 0.2 inches diameter, the power required to crush 12 tons / hr is 9.3 hp.
What should be the power consumption if the capacity is reduced to 10 tons / hr. the product size
being 0.15 inches diameter? The mechanical efficiency remains unchanged.
ii) How many methods are involved in screening analysis?
iii)Discuss and derive the related expressions for the material balance, effectiveness / efficiency and
the effect of mesh size on capacity of actual screens.

13 a) i) What are said to be stationary screens?

ii) Distinguish between ideal and actual screens
iii) Give a brief account on general laws of settling?
iv) How do you separate course particles from liquids?

(OR)
b) i) Define settling and enumerate the types of settling and sedimentation operations
ii) What are said to be centrifugal methods of separation
iii) What is a thickener?
iv)Discuss the Kynch theory of sedimentation

14a) i) What are pressure filters?

ii) How do you make the selection of filtration equipments.
iii) A plate and frame filter press filtering a slurry, gave a total of 8m3 of filtrate in 1800 sec and
11m3 in 3600 sec when the filtration was stopped. Estimate the washing time in seconds if 3 m3 of
wash water is used. The resistance of the cloth can be neglected and a constant pressure is used
throughout.
(OR)
b) i) How do your classify mixing operation?
ii) Discuss the variety of mixing liquids with liquids
iii) What are kneaders?
iv) Enumerate the characteristics of mixing impellers.
15a) i) List out at least four types of conveyors. What are bulk conveyors?
ii) What do you understand by silos?
iii) Relate the significance of storage and conveying with respect to chemical industries.
(Or)
b) Write short notes on any four
i) Fluid energy mill ii) Trommels iii) Froth flotation iv) Filter aids and filter media v) Banbury mixer
vi) Pneumatic conveyors.

CH 1201 Mechanical operations November / December 2005

1) Define Shaper factor

2) Write three distinctive properties of solid masses
3) Write the different ways of comminution of solid particles in size reduction machines.

4)
5)
6)
7)

What is differential screen analysis

State the difference between a clarifier and classifier
Name the different types of impellers commonly used for agitation of fluids
How will you define Reynolds number of agitator inside an agitated tank with agitator speed,
N?
8) What are filter aids? Name few commonly used filter aids.
9) Define the term specific cake resistance
10) What are the types of conveyors used for vertical transportation of materials?

Part B ( 5 x 16 = 80 marks)
11)i) Differentiate between differential and cumulative screen analysis( 3)
ii) Explain the Tylers standard screen series
iii) One tonne per hour of calcite is produced by crushing and then screening through a 14 mesh
screen. According to the screen analysis given below, calculate
1) the total load to the crusher
2) the effectiveness of the screen
Mesh
4
8
14
28
48
100 on
100 through

Feed %
14.3
20.0
20.0
28.5
8.6
5.7
2.9
100.0

Undersize(%)
0
40
30
20
10
100.0

Oversize (%)
20
28
28
24
0
100.0

12 a) i) Classify the equipments used for size reduction. Discuss their basic principles
(10)
ii) With the help of a neat sketch, explain the operation of a conical ball mill. What is
centrifuging?
(6)
(Or)
b) i) What are the different laws of crushing? Explain their limitations. (6)
ii) A set of crushing rolls has rolls of 100 cm diameter by 38 cm width face. They are set so that
the crushing surfaces are 1.25 cm apart at the narrowest point. The recommended speed is maximum
100 rpm and the angle of nip is 300. If these rolls are used to crush a rock having specific gravity of
2.35, what should be the maximum permissible size of feed and the maximum actual capacity in tons
per hour, if the actual capacity is 15% of the theoretical? (10)

13) a) i) Classify filtration equipments. With the help of a neat sketch, explain the operation of a
rotary vacuum filter
(10)

ii) A plate and frame press, filtering a slurry gives 25m3 in 60 min when filtration was
stopped. Estimate the washing time in minutes if 10m3 of wash water was used. Constant pressure
was used throughout and resistance of the cloth may be neglected.
(Or)
b) i) Explain constant pressure and constant rate filtration. Derive an expression for estimating time
for a given volume of filtrate in sludge / slurry.
ii) Explain briefly the equipment used for ultra filtration of sludges / suspensions.
14a) i) Using dimensional analysis, prove that NP = f ( NRe, Nfr) for Newtonian liquids during
agitation inside a tank, Np and NRe and Nfr represent power number, Reynolds no and Froudes
number respectively.
ii) Classify the equipments used for blending and kneading. Draw a neat sketch of Two- arm
kneader and explain its working.
(Or)
b) i) Write short notes on the following
1) Mixer effectiveness 2) Ribbon blenders 3) Tumbling mixers
ii) A flat blade turbine with six blades is installed centrally in a vertical tank. Tank is 1.83 m in
diameter and the turbine is 0.61 m in diameter, positioned at 0.61 m from the bottom of the tank.
Tank is filled to a depth of 1.83 m with a solution of 50% caustic soda and the turbine is operated at
90 rpm. Tank is baffled and is having four baffles, each having 19 cm width.
Calculate the Reynolds number and power consumption for the operation of the agitator if power
function is 6.0.
Given: Density of 50% caustic soda is 1.5 gm / cc and viscosity is 12 CP.
15a) i) What are the various types of equipments used for conveying of solids in chemical
industries? With the help of a neat sketch, explain the principle of belt conveyor.
ii) What are the common equipment used for bulk storage of solids? Discuss in detail
(Or)
b)i) What are bins, hoppers and silos? Derive an expression for estimating the pressure exerted by
granular solid on the floor of a circular bin.
ii) Explain briefly the working principle of screw conveyor with the help of a neat sketch.

May / June 2006

Part A
1) Explain the term agglomeration of solids.
2) Explain the difference size analysis techniques used
3) What is comminution?
4) Which size reduction equipment can be used for grinding explosive ore?
5) Explain the sedimentation operation.
6) What is floatation?
7) What is cake porosity?
8) Explain kneaders
9) What are silos?
10) What is power number?

Part B ( 5 x 16 = 80 marks)
11) i) Derive the expression for the effectiveness of screen. Clearly state the assumptions (12)
ii) How capacity of a screen affects its efficiency
(4)
12)a) Explain the working of the Blake jaw crusher with neat diagram
(Or)
b) Derive the three laws of crushing from the basic differential equation
13) a) With suitable example discuss about the different methods of size analysis
(Or)
b) Discuss the working of electro static precipitator with diagram
14) a) A CaCO3 slurry in water containing 0.0723 weight fraction is to be filtered by a 1 m by
1m plate and frame filter press with forty frames, each 6 cm thick with a pressure differences
of 3 abr. The effective filtering area per frame is 1 sq.m and the volume of the filtrate
necessary to build up a fictitious filter cake ( The resistance of which is equal to the
resistance of the filter medium and piping) is 3.27 x 10-4 m3. Find the volume of the slurry
that will be handled until the frames are full and the time required. Data: filtrate = 1.1 cp,
of filtrate = 1 gm /cc, Sp.gravity of carbonate = 3, Dry cake density 1.6 gm / cc, = 1.73 x
1012 cm / gm.
(Or)
b) Discuss about membrane and ultra filtration with suitable examples. Compare the merits
and demerits of the same.

15a) Derive the expression for the power consumption by impeller mixer
(Or)
Discuss about the different methods of storing solids.

November / December 2006

Part A
1) Name few techniques used to measure the size of fine particles?
2) Define overall screen efficiency?
3) Define rejection coefficient for ultra filtration process.
4) Explain the phenomena of concentrate polarization ?
5) Define Froude number and Power number?
6) Differentiate between Bin and Silo.
7) Write the main classification of size reduction equipment.
8) Why heat removal is necessary in size reduction equipment?
9) Differentiate between Agitation and Mixing.
10) Name different conveyers used in the industry.
Part B ( 5 x 16 = 80 marks)
11 a) i) Give an account of the characterization of solid particles? (8)
ii) The screen analysis shown below applies to a sample of crushed quartz. The density of the
particles is 2650 kg / m3 and the shape factors are : = 2, s = 0.751. For the material between 4
mesh and 299 mesh in particle size calculate Ds and Dw .
(8)
Mesh no Screen opening Cumulative
Dpi
Mass fraction
Xi
4
4.699
0.000
6
3.327
0.0251
8
2.362
0.1501
10
1.651
0.4787
14
1.168
0.7278
20
0.833
0.8868
28
0.589
0.9406

Mesh Screen
No
Opening
Dpi
35
0.417
48
0.295
65
0.208
100
0.147
150
0.104
200
0.074
Pan
--------

Cumulative
Mass fraction
Xi
0.9616
0.9718
0.9795
0.9853
0.9894
0.9925
1.0000

Or
b) i) Define sphericity
ii) Characterize the particle size for single particle and mixed particles
iii) Describe the differential screen analysis and cumulative screen analysis with a neat graph.
12a) i) Derive the equation for terminal settling velocity.
ii) A rotary drum filter with 25% submergence is to be used to filter concentrate acqueous slurry
of CaCO3 containing 250 kg of solids per cubic meter of water. The pressure drop is 500 mm Hg. If
the filter cake contains 50% moisture ( wet basis), calculate the filter area required to filter
10 kg / min of slurry when the filter cycle time in 5 min. Assume that filter medium resistance is
negligible. The temperature during test cycle is 200C.
Given: 0 = 12 x 10 11 m / kg , s = 0.25, = 0 ( p)s For water = 1 CP, = 980 kg / m3 .

(Or)

b) i) Discuss the settling characteristics of fine solids from liquid using batch sedimentation test?
ii) Explain the cleaning of coal by Sink Float method?
13a) i) A flat blade turbine with six blades is installed centrally in a vertical tank. The tank is 1.5 m
in diameter, the turbine is 0.5 m in diameter and is positioned 0.5 from the bottom of the tank. The
turbine blades are 125 mm wide. The tank is filled to a depth of 1.5 m with rubber latex compound at
650C having a viscosity of 1200 P and a density of 1129 kg / m3.The turbine is operated at 95 rpm.
The tank is baffled. What power will be required to operate the mixer? The value of KL for this
situation is given as 65.
ii) Explain briefly pug mills and ribbon blenders?
(Or)

b) i) Explain fluid energy mill with neat sketch emphasing mainly on the mechanism of size
reduction?
ii) Define crushing laws with expression?
14 a) i) Derive the expression for the volumetric flow rate in a centrifugal filtration? (10)
ii) Write important characteristics of septums in any filtration process and name the few
industrial filter mediums?
Or
b) i) Explain briefly about process of flotation and flotation agents?
ii) Explain basket centrifuge with neat sketch
15 a) i) Explain briefly about the screw conveyors?

(6)
(10)
(8)

ii) The following data are given for a horizontal screw conveyor for handling moulding sand in
a foundry:
Bulk density of screw = 1600 kg / m3 , Diameter of screw = 0.4 m
Screw pitch = 0.32 m, Conveying length = 15 m
Filling coefficient = 0.125; Speed of screw shaft= 40m
Reducer efficiency = 0.77; Total coefficient of resistance = 4.0
Determine the rate of conveying of the material in kg / hour and the motor power. (8)