Mathematical modeling of the sedimentation process for determining the fractional composition of suspensions

Abstract

Exceptional prospects for use in science, technology and industry are opened by highly dispersed powders (ultradispersed diamonds, nanoceramics, medicinal powders) and materials based on them. The properties of such materials depend on the particle size determined by sedimentation analysis. An equation is proposed for processing sedimentation analysis data, which does not depend on the size distribution law of polydisperse system particles, and is used to describe the distribution functions of particles with radii for clay suspensions. A program in the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) language has been created for calculating the fractional composition of suspensions according to the proposed equation; the correctness of its operation on a model system has been checked and confirmed. Experimental research has confirmed that the use of the developed program and the "Search for a solution" add-on for the MS Excel environment makes it possible to determine the fractional composition of suspensions. It has been proven that the proposed method can be used to analyze polydisperse systems. It has been found that for the suspensions under consideration, as containing 25 fractions, it is possible to determine the integral curve of the distribution of the masses of the particles of the dispersed phase along the radii. This allows to assert the possibility of using the proposed equation for processing sedimentation analysis data, which does not depend on the law of mass distribution of polydisperse system particles by size. Thus, there is reason to assert about the possibility of a reasonable determination of the fractional composition of any polydisperse systems. It is possible to obtain certain effects from the introduction of sedimentation analysis data processing according to the proposed equation in production, where the fractional composition of dispersed phases is regulated.