If a process that involves solids in suspension loses power, it can be difficult to re-suspend the solids, depending on the particle characteristics. This article offers some practical solutions.
It is probably an example of the Second Law of Thermodynamics, or of Murphy’s Law, to say that whenever a process involves solids in suspension, a power failure will occur sooner or later, and the solids will settle out.
This article addresses particle re-suspension in a practical manner, with the goal of re-suspending solids without breaking the agitator (which typically consists of a motor, gear drive, shaft, and impellers). The article covers both the process design aspects of re-suspension and the mechanical integrity aspects. A key assumption of this article is that the agitator is well-designed for at least off-bottom suspension for the normal operating condition. This article does not discuss how to design an agitator to suspend solids, as that topic is covered extensively in the literature (1–5)...
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