EXPERIMENT NO: 1

STUDY AND DEMONSTRATION OF THE PH PROCESS RIG THEORY

pH process rig is a self-contained assembly to demonstrate the problems associated with the pH level control and effluent treatment methods. This unit allows us to study the principles of process control using the pH of the mixed effluent and reagent fluids as the process variable.

INSTRUMENTS USED

Flow meter pH probe

VARIABLE AREA ROTAMETER

Rota-meter is a variable area flow meter and is used to measure the flow rate of liquid or gas in a closed tube. It is a simple, robust and is mostly used for small scale applications and measures the flow rate by allowing the cross-sectional area the fluid travels through to vary, causing some measurable effect.

WORKING PRINCIPLE
In variable area meters the size of the restriction is adjusted such that the pressure differential remains constant when the flow rate changes and the amount of adjustment required is proportional to the flow rate. The rotameter contains an element inside known as float and when gravity, buoyancy and drag forces acting on the float are balanced the flow rate is indicated.

Variable area flow meter ADVANTAGES

It is a mechanical device and requires no external power or fuel, uses only the inherent properties of the fluid, along with gravity to measure flow rate. Relatively simple device that can be mass manufactured out of cheap materials, allowing for its widespread use Relatively low cost Handles wide variety of corrosives Has a linear scale, relatively long measurement range

DISADVANTAGES

Must be mounted vertically due to its use of gravity Not good in pulsating services Limited to relatively low temperatures Requires in-line mounting

Glass tube subjected to break

PH METER
A pH meter is an electronic instrument used for measuring the pH (acidity or alkalinity) of a liquid (through special probes are sometimes used to measure the pH of semi-solid substance) A typical pH probe consists of a special measuring probe (a glass electrode) connected to an electronic meter that measures and displays the pH reading. The pH probe measures the pH as the activity of hydrogen cations surrounding a thinwalled glass bulb at its tip. The probe produces the small voltage (about 0.06 volt per pH unit) that is measured and displayed as pH units by the meter. When you place pH electrode in a solution of unknown pH you will find that an electrical potential difference is produced. This is due to the difference of H+ ion concentration between the test solution and the glass bulb electrode (part of pH electrode that is sensitive to H+ ion concentration). After that the potential difference of the reference electrode(another part of pH electrode) is measured and compared to the potential of the glass bulb electrode by means of a meter. Results are read from 014.

pH probe The porous glass of the electrode prevents the H+ ions to diffuse from both sides, but allows the exchange of the Na+ ions(contained in the silicates of the glass) with the external solution, for keeping the continuity of this electrical system. The H+ activity difference between the solution inside the electrode and the external one is measured as electric potential difference and then is converted in pH units (014) by the instrument. [Soft Break]

ADVANTAGES
With the help of pH meter we can get the nature of any liquid rather it is acidic or basic. Gives a numerical value Simple to use Exact pH

PROCEDURE

The effluent to be treated is stored in the effluent tank. It is fed via filter to a constant speed high speed pressure circulating pump. The effluent passes through a flow meter/manual needle-valve combination and a manual electric on-off solenoid valve (sv1) before entering the reaction vessel. As the reaction vessel is a continuous stirred tank reactor. So after being mixed with the reagent, the treated effluent exits through manual drain valve and an overflow to the treated fluid tank. The pH of the liquid in the reaction vessel is monitored using the pH probe. The reagent is stored in the reagent tank and is fed via filter to a second pump.

The liquid passes through a flow meter/manual needle-type servo valve before entering the reaction vessel. The treated fluid tank can be drained via manual valve and associated pipe work.

PIPING AND INSTRUMENTATION DIAGRAM