Calculation of the Velocity of Free Settling of Solid Particles in a Newtonian Liquid

A cubic equation for the velocity of free settling of solid particles in a Newtonian liquid is derived on the basis of a simple approximate expression for the drag coefficient of spherical particles as a function of the Reynolds number using the concept of the effective diameter of a particle of arbitrary shape, which characterizes the surface, volume, and midsection of the particle. The exact and approximate solutions are compared, and some experimental data are analyzed.