Fluidization enhancement of agglomerates of metal oxide nanopowders by microjets

The quality of gas–solid fluidization of agglomerates of nanoparticles has been greatly enhanced by adding a secondary flow in the form of a high‐velocity jet produced by one or more micronozzles pointing vertically downward toward the distributor. The micronozzles produced a jet with sufficient velocity (hundreds of meters per second), turbulence, and shear to break‐up large nanoagglomerates, prevent channeling, curtail bubbling, and promote liquid‐like fluidization. For example, Aerosil R974, an agglomerate particulate fluidization (APF) type nanopowder, expanded up to 50 times its original bed height, and difficult to fluidize agglomerate bubbling fluidization (ABF) type nanopowders, such as Aeroxide TiO2 P25, were converted to APF type behavior, showing large bed expansions and homogeneous fluidization without bubbles. Microjet‐assisted nanofluidization was also found to improve solids motion and prevent powder packing in an internal, is easily scaled‐up, and can mix and blend different species of nanoparticles on the nanoscale. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010