Minimum fluidization velocity of binary mixtures

The fast defluidization method was used to measure the minimum fluidization velocities of binary systems. Based on the experimental data obtained from the published literature and from this work, different correlations used for predicting the minimum fluidization velocities of binary systems were evaluated and compared.     

Transition to turbulent fluidization in a binary solids fluidized bed

This paper presents a study on the transition velocity from bubbling to turbulent fluidization in a binary solids fluidized bed. Experiments were carried out with two kinds of binary solids mixtures with FCC as fine particles and silica sands as coarse particles. The onset velocity to turbulent fluidization, U_c, determined by the measurement of pressure fluctuations, was found to increase with increasing the fraction of coarse/heavy solids. By introducing an equivalent particle diameter and an equivalent particle density, the results obtained in this study can properly be described by a general correlation of U_c proposed by Cai and co-workers (1989) for mono-density particles with relatively narrow size distribution.     

The effect of column diameter and bed height on minimum fluidization velocity

Experiments show that the minimum fluidization velocity of particles increases as the diameter of the fluidization column is reduced, or if the height of the bed is increased. These trends are shown to be due to the influence of the wall. A new, semicorrelated model is proposed, which incorporates Janssen's wall effects in the calculation of the minimum fluidization velocity. The wall friction opposes not only the bed weight but also the drag force acting on the particles during fluidization. The enhanced wall friction leads to an increase in the minimum fluidization velocity. The model predictions compare favorably to existing correlations and experimental data. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010     

Prediction of minimum velocity and minimum bed pressure drop for gas-solid fluidization in conical conduits

Experimental investigations have been carried out for spherical and non-spherical particles using beds comprised of single-sized particles and mixtures in the size and particle density ranges of 439 to 1524 μm and 1303 to 4948 kg/m³, respectively. Five conical fluidizers with varying apex angles of 8.86, 14.77, 19.60, 32.0 and 43.2 degrees were used. Experimental values of minimum velocity and bed pressure drop with air as the fluidizing medium have been compared with their respective values obtained from different models available in the literature. Deviations for each chosen model have been presented.     

Particle velocity and solids circulation rate in a jet-spouted bed

Radial distribution of particle velocities, solids circulation rate and radial variation in bed voidage in a jet-spouted bed were investigated in a 0.2 m diameter conical-cylindrical column. The upward particle velocity is strongly dependent on gas velocity and its radial profile is the Gaussian. The solids circulation rates are of the same order of magnitude as those in a conventional spouted bed and are proportional to the gas velocity. Estimation of the variation in bed voidage in the radial direction revealed that the annulus voidage of about 0.90 was greater than the spout voidage of around 0.70. This tendency is contrary to that in a conventional spouted bed.     

Determination of minimum fluidization velocity by pressure fluctuation measurement

Using the standard deviation of pressure fluctuations to find the minimum fluidization velocity, U_mf, avoids the need to de-fluidize the bed so U_mf, can be found for operational bubbling fluidized beds without disrupting the process provided only that the superficial velocity may be altered and that the bed remains in the bubbling fluidized state. This investigation has concentrated on two distinct aspects of the pressure fluctuation method for U_mf determination: (1) the minimum number of pressure measurements required to obtain reliable estimates of standard deviation has been identified as about 10000 and (2) pressure fluctuation measurements in the plenum below the gas distributor are suitable for U_mf determination so the problems of pressure probe clogging and erosion by bed particles may be avoided.     

气-固微型流化床压降特性及最小流化速度的实验研究

在内径3～20 mm的4个气-固微型流化床中,分别考察了A类和B类两种类型颗粒的流化特性,同时研究了床几何结构、操作条件、物相性质等各因素对其最小流化速度的影响.结果 表明,气-固微型流化床中的床层压降特性与颗粒类型密切相关,不同的流动状态下两种类型颗粒的流动特性存在显著地差异.在固定床阶段,与B类颗粒相比,A类颗粒与...     

Minimum fluidization velocity and gas holdup in gas–liquid–solid fluidized bed reactors

Experiments were performed to study the hydrodynamics of a cocurrent three‐phase fluidized bed with liquid as continuous phase. Based on the 209 experimental data (with four liquid systems and five different particles) along with 115 literature data from six different sources on minimum fluidization velocity, a unique correlation for the estimation of minimum fluidization velocity in two‐phase (u_g = 0) as well as in three‐phase systems is developed. A data bank consisting of 1420 experimental measurements for the fractional gas phase holdup data with a wide range of variables is used for developing empirical correlations. Separate correlations are developed for two flow regimes observed in this present work. The proposed correlations are more accurate and simpler to use. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry     

Continuous separation of mixed solids using a rotating-screen fluidized bed

The rotating-screen fluidized bed was shown to be an efficient separator for particles in the size range 1 - 5 mm immersed in a fluidizing medium composed of finer particles. Destruction of bubbles by the rotating screens attenuated wake-induced vertical mixing to an extent that permitted the device to approximate a liquid phase float/sink separator. A theoretical model gave realistic values for diffusivity and differential settling velocities, but was incompatible with the observed lack of influence of bed depth on separation effectiveness.     

Prediction of pressure fluctuations and minimum fluidization velocity of binary mixtures of geldart group b particles in bubbling fluidized beds

A simple method was proposed to find the pressure fluctuations of binary systems of Geldart Group B particles under bubbling fluidized bed conditions. The pressure fluctuations of binary systems could be predicted from the pressure fluctuations of the individual particles component which comprised the binary systems for completely mixed and partially mixed systems. The predicted pressure fluctuations could be used to calculate the minimum fluidization velocity of the binary systems. The predicted and experimental values of pressure fluctuations and the minimum fluidization velocity of binary systems were in fairly good agreement.     

Prediction of minimum fluidization velocity for vibrated fluidized bed

The prediction of minimum fluidization velocity for vibrated fluidized bed was performed. The Geldart group A and C particles were used as the fluidizing particles. The method based on Ergun equation was used to predict the minimum fluidization velocity. The calculated results were compared with the experimental data.The calculated results of minimum fluidization velocity are in good agreement with experimental data for Geldart group A particles. For group C particles, the difference between the calculated results and experimental data is large because of the formation of agglomerates. In this case, the determination of agglomerate diameter is considered to be necessary to predict the minimum fluidization velocity.     

Modified gas‐perturbed liquid model (GPLM) for minimum fluidization velocity in a two‐phase inverse fluidized bed reactor with Newtonian and non‐Newtonian systems

In the present investigation minimum fluidization velocity, U_mf, in a two‐phase inverse fluidized bed reactor is determined using low‐density polyethylene and polypropylene particles of different diameters (4,6 and 8 mm) by measuring pressure drop. In a glycerol system U_mf decreased gradually with increase in viscosity up to a value of 6.11 mPa s (60%) and on further increase there was a slight increase in U_mf. In the case of the glycerol system the U_mf was found to be higher when compared to water. In the non‐Newtonian system (carboxymethylcellulose), U_mf decreased with increase in concentration in the range of the present study. The U_mf was found to be lower when compared to water as liquid phase. The modified gas‐perturbed liquid model was used to predict the minimum fluidization liquid velocity (U_lmf) for Newtonian and non‐Newtonian systems. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry     

Voidage and particle velocity profiles in a spout‐fluid bed

Detailed hydodynamic measurements have been obtained for fully cylindrical spout‐fluid beds of 1.3 mm, 1.8 mm and 2.5 mm glass beads in a fully cylindrical column of diameter 152 mm using three different types of optical fibre probes. The reallocation of up to 43% of the air to auxiliary air introduced through the conical base caused some decrease in spout voidages, but remarkably little change in spout diameter compared with spouted beds where there was no auxiliary air addition. Auxiliary air led also to some decrease in particle velocities in the spout and to a modest decrease in the net solids circulation rate.     

过热蒸汽流化床流化特性的实验研究

在底部直径为120 mm的锥型流化床中,以玻璃珠为流化颗粒,过热蒸汽为流化介质,研究了固体颗粒在过热蒸汽流化床中的流化特性,考察了操作温度和压力对临界流化速度(umf)的影响.结果表明,过热蒸汽流化床的流化行为与热空气相似,临界流化速度(umf)随床层温度的升高而减小,随床内压力的增大而减小;在相同温度条件下,过热蒸汽流化床的临界流化速度比热空气大.     

Detection of the minimum gas velocity region using Gaussian spectral pressure distribution in a gas-solid fluidized bed

The undesired phenomenon of partial or complete defluidizing can occur in industrial applications involving fluidized beds. That could be prevented by increasing the gas velocity, provided an adequate observation of changes in the hydrodynamic of the fluidized bed is detected early enough. Since the value of gas velocity on defluidization of bed is near the gas velocity at minimum fluidization condition, it is very important to use a methodology that can promptly detect the minimum fluidization velocity region, so that shutting down the process can be avoided. The literature shows that the methods to detect the region of such a velocity are limited, and in practice, the traditional method for determination of minimum fluidization velocity (pressure drop across the bed versus superficial gas velocity) is still the most used. In the present work, a methodology is proposed to detect the region where the minimum velocity takes place in a gas-solid fluidized bed, based on the spectral analysis of pressure fluctuation measurements using a Gaussian distribution curve. Results indicate that the method is satisfactory, and it could be used as a more practical indicator of the region where the defluidization phenomenon occurs.     

Measurement of longitudinal distribution of solids holdup in a three-phase fluidized bed by ultrasonic technique

A method of measurement of solids holdup in a three-phase reactor by analyzing the shape and the phase lag or lead of an ultrasonic wave has been proposed. The solids holdup in a solids-dilute three-phase fluidized bed could be measured without being affected by the presence of gas bubbles. The experimental values of solids axial dispersivity measured by the ultrasonic technique are in reasonable agreement with an empirical correlation of previous data obtained by other methods. The possibility of the application of the ultrasonic technique to the measurement of solids holdup in a three-phase fluidized bed has been suggested.     

Computation of solid circulation rates in a fluidized bed from tracer particle concentration distributions

Experimentally measured profiles of tracer particle concentration inside a fluidized bed were employed to calculate rates of bed-solid circulation induced by the presence of a central jet and by slug motion. Lagrangian minimization and direct pattern search techniques were used to determine the solids transfer rates, which should minimize the error in the tracer particle mass balance while satisfying the bed solid mass balance. Time-average steady-state mixing of bed solids and upstream weighting of tracer concentrations were employed in the formulation of the minimization scheme. Quantitative information on solid circulation for three nominal jet velocities of 52, 37 and 25 m/s is provided. The computed solid circulation rates show that there is a region of high circulation around the jet and a region of lower circulation induced by the slug motion.     

Microstructural aspects of the flow behaviour in a liquid—solids circulating fluidized bed

The local instantaneous and time‐average suspension densities were determined in a 76 mm diameter by 3 m tall liquid‐solids circulating fluidized bed riser using a fibre‐optic probe. Attempts were made to qualify the microflow structure through statistical analysis of the local bed voidage fluctuations obtained under different operating conditions for the first time. The results show that local microflow structure is uniform in the axial direction but non‐uniform in the radial direction with more flow fluctuation near the wall than in the core of the column for a given axial position. The standard deviation and intermittency index tend to increase with increasing solids circulating rates. Comparing with the gas—solids CFB, the liquid—solids CFB shows much more homogeneous flow structure in both the axial and radial microscopic flow behaviours. The microflow behaviours in the conventional liquid—solids fluidization, liquid—solids circulating fluidization and dilute‐phase liquid transport regimes are also characterized by examining the probability distribution and the intermittency index of the solids holdup.