The influence of the gas-distributing grid diameter on the transition velocity and hydrodynamics of the bottom layer in circulating fluidized bed installations

The dependences of dimensionless fluidization velocities separating bubble, transition, and fast fluidization regimes on the properties of dispersed material for particles belonging to groups B and D (according to D. Geldart’s classification) are presented. Correspondence between the considered dependences and experimental data obtained by different researchers and their correlation with critical fluidization velocities and particle terminal velocities are shown. The hydrodynamic mechanisms governing the saturation of fluidized bed with bubbles on reaching the transition fluidization velocity in installations having different sizes are considered. Factors due to which a bottom bubble layer disappears in narrow installations and is retained on large-diameter grids in an intense channel forming mode are explained. Experimental data are presented from which it is seen that the bubble layer hydrodynamics depends on the gas-distributing grid diameter and that this diameter has an insignificant influence on the fluidization velocity during the transition from a bubble to fast fluidization regime.