SETTLING VELOCITIES OF PARTICULATE SYSTEMS .6. KYNCH SEDIMENTATION PROCESSES - BATCH SETTLING

The theory of Kynch is presented as a unified kinematical process for ideal suspensions in ideal thickness. A rigorous mathematical approach starts from the theory of mixtures: differencial balances are deduced, mass jump conditions are established across discontinuities and constitutive equations for the solid flux density completes the kinematical process. Batch sedimentation is treated as an initial value problem and solutions are obtained with the method of characteristics. For a flux density function with one inflection point only three modes of sedimentation exists, while flux density functions with two inflection points produce five different modes of sedimentation. The constructions of solutions by graphical methods is stressed.