Phase distributions in a gas–liquid–solid circulating fluidized bed riser

The distributions of the three phases in gas–liquid–solid circulating fluidized beds (GLSCFB) were studied using a novel measurement technique that combines electrical resistance tomography (ERT) and optical fibre probe. The introduction of gas into a liquid–solid circulating fluidized bed (LSCFB), thus forming a GLSCFB, caused the increase of solids holdup due to the significantly decreased available buoyancy with the lower density of the gas, even with a somewhat increased liquid velocity due to the decreased liquid holdup giving space for the gas holdup. The gas passed through the riser in the form of bubbles, which tended to flow more through the central region of the riser, leading to more radial non‐uniformity in radial holdup of the phases. The gas velocity has the most significant effect on the gas phase holdup. While the gas velocity also has an obvious effect to the solids holdups, the liquid flow rate had a much more considerable effect on the phase holdups. The solids circulation rate also had a significant effect on the phase holdups, with increasing solids circulation rate causing much more increased solids holdup in the central region than close to the wall. A correlation was developed for the relative radial distributions of solids holdup in GLSCFB, as such radial profiles were found similar over a wide range of operating conditions, like those in a typical gas–solid circulating fluidized beds (GSCFB). Finally, the axial solids profiles in a GLSCFB was found to be much closer to those in an LSCFB which are very uniform, than those found in a GSCFB which are less uniform and sometime having a S shape. Water was used as the continuous and conductive phase, air was the gas phase and glass bead and lava rock particles were used as the solid and non‐conductive phase.