Sedimentation in process engineering

What is sedimentation? The definition

In process engineering, sedimentation or sedimentation (from the Latin sedimentum = sediment) means the deposition of particles from liquids or gases under the influence of weight or centrifugal force. The layer of suspended matter that forms is called sediment or loose sediment. In contrast to sedimentary rock, loose sediment is an unconsolidated rock.

During sedimentation, the deposited particles stratify according to their density and size due to their different sedimentation velocities (settling velocities). The particles with the highest sedimentation velocity are deposited first, i.e. they are at the bottom. As the sedimentation rate is essentially determined by the density, different substances can be deposited separately in layers, which can also be used to separate the different substances in a mixture. If only one material is deposited or materials of similar density, large particles are deposited faster and lie at the bottom first, while small particles lie at the top. The greater the density, the faster the material sinks to the ground. In the case of foamed material, for example igneous pumice stones, inverse grading can occur; smaller particles then have a higher sedimentation velocity and are deposited at the bottom, while larger particles are deposited at the top.