Sedimentation of Binary Particle Mixtures

Abstract An equation is given, based on proposals of previous workers, for the slip velocity of each particle species within a polydisperse particle mixture moving vertically through a liquid. It is demonstrated how the initial settling velocity of each particle species may be determined when such a mixture undergoes sedimentation. A simplified graphical construction is developed for a binary particle mixture similar to that of Kynch, which was for a single species. It is shown how the zone boundary velocities and the sediment rise velocities may be determined using the proposed construction. The method is confirmed by experiments in which a mixture of particles consisting of two distinct sizes was allowed to settle to completion.