Prediction of the maximum spoutable bed height in spout-fluid beds

A model for predicting the ratio of the maximum spoutable bed height in a spout-fluid bed to the maximum spoutable bed height in a spouted bed is presented and experimentally verified. The model is a further extension of the basic Mamuro and Hattori force balance model. The ratio H_mSF/H_m is found to be a function of the external annular fluid flowrate and a parameter C, which is the ratio of fluid velocity at the top of the annulus to that at minimum fluidization. C = 0.935 gives a best fit of our data.