Fluidization

A bed of ion-exchange beads 8-ft deep is to be back washed to
remove dirt with water having a viscosity 0.01 poise. The particle
have a density 1.24 g/cm3 and an average size of 1.1 mm. What
is the minimum fluidization velocity of water at 20 oC? The
beads are assumed to be spherical and εm is taken as 0.4.
Bubbling and Non-bubbling Fluidization
• Beyond the minimum fluidization velocity bubbles or particle-
free voids may appear in the fluidized bed
• At superficial velocities above the minimum fluidization

velocity, fluidization may in general be either bubbling or non-
bubbling
• Some combinations of fluid and particles give rise to only
bubbling fluidization and some combinations give only non-
bubbling fluidization
• Most liquid fluidized systems do not give rise to bubbling
• Gas fluidized systems give either only bubbling fluidization or

non-bubbling fluidization beginning at Umf, followed by
bubbling fluidization as fluidizing velocity increases
• Non-bubbling fluidization is also known as particulate or
homogeneous fluidization
• Bubbling fluidization is often referred to as aggregative or
heterogeneous fluidization
Classification of Powders
• Geldart (1973) classified powders into
four groups according to their
fluidization properties at ambient
conditions
• The Geldart classification of powders is
now used widely in all fields of powder
technology
• Group A – powders which when
fluidized by air at ambient conditions
give a region of non-bubbling
fluidization beginning at Umf, followed
by bubbling fluidization as fluidizing
velocity increases
• Group B – powders which under these
conditions give only bubbling
fluidization
• Group C – powders which are very
fine, cohesive and are incapable of
fluidization
• Group D – large particles distinguished
by their ability to produce deep
spouting beds
• Since the range of gas velocities over which non-bubbling
fluidization occurs in Group A powders is small, bubbling
fluidization is the type most commonly encountered in gas
fluidized systems in commercial use
• The superficial gas velocity at which bubbles first appear is
known as the minimum bubbling velocity Umb
• Premature bubbling can be caused by poor distributor design
or protuberances inside the bed
• Abrahamsen and Geldart (1980) correlated the maximum
values of Umb with gas and particle properties using the
following correlation
• Where F is the fraction of powder less than 45 mm

• In Group A powders, Umb > Umf
• Bubbles are constantly splitting and coalescing and a
maximum stable bubble size is achieved
• This makes for good quality, smooth fluidization
• In Groups B and D powders, Umb = Umf

• Bubbles continue to grow, never achieving a maximum size
• This makes for rather poor quality fluidization associated with
large pressure fluctuations
• In Group C powders, the
interparticle forces are large
compared with the inertial forces
on the particles
• Particles are unable to achieve
the separation required to be
totally supported by drag and
buoyancy forces
• True fluidization does not occur
• Bubbles do not appear, instead
the gas flow forms channels
through the powder
• Since the particles are not fully
supported by the gas, pressure
loss across the bed is always less
than apparent weight of the bed
per unit cross-sectional area
• When the size of the bubbles is greater than about one-third
of the diameter of the equipment their rise velocity is
controlled by the equipment and they become slugs of gas
• Slugging is attended by large pressure fluctuations and so it is
generally avoided in large units since it can cause vibration to
the plant
• Slugging is unlikely to occur at any velocity if the bed is
sufficiently shallow
• Slugging will not occur provided the following criterion is
satisfied:
• If the bed is deeper than this critical height, then slugging will
occur when the gas velocity exceeds Ums:
Entrainment
• The term entrainment describes the ejection of particles from the
surface of a bubbling bed and their removal from the vessel in the
fluidizing gas
• Other terms such as ‘carryover’ and ‘elutriation’ are often used
• Entrainment of particles in an upward-flowing gas stream is a
complex process
• Rate of entrainment and size distribution of entrained particles will
in general depend on particle size and density, gas properties, gas
velocity, gas flow regime and vessel diameter
• Prediction of entrainment from first principles is not possible and in
practice an empirical approach must be adopted
• Define coarse particles as particles whose terminal velocities are
greater than the superficial gas velocity (UT > U)
• Fine particles are particles which UT < U
• Region above fluidized bed
surface is considered to be
composed of several zones
• Freeboard – region between the
bed surface and gas outlet
• Splash zone – region just above
the bed surface in which coarse
particles fall back down
• Disengagement zone – region
above the splash zone in which
the upward flux and suspension
concentration of fine particles
decreases with increasing height
• Dilute-phase transport zone –
region above the disengagement
zone in which all particles are
carried upwards, particle flux and
suspension concentration are
constant with height
• Transport disengagement height (TDH) – height from the bed
surface to the top of the disengagement zone
• Above TDH the entrainment flux and concentration of
particles is constant
• From design point of view, in order to gain maximum benefit
from the effect of gravity in the freeboard, gas exit should be
placed above TDH
• Many empirical correlations for TDH are available in the
literature
• Where dbvs is the equivalent volume diameter of a bubble at

the surface
Applications of Fluidized Beds
• Physical processes include drying, mixing, granulation, coating,
heating and cooling
• These processes take advantage of the excellent mixing capabilities
of the fluidized bed
• One of the most important applications is to the drying of solids
• Fluidized beds are often used to cool particulate solids following a
reaction
• Cooling may be by fluidizing air alone or by use of cooling water
passing through tubes immersed in the bed
• Gas fluidized bed is also a good medium to carry out a chemical
reaction involving a gas and a solid
• Gas-solid contacting is generally good
• Excellent solids circulation within the bed promotes good heat
transfer between bed particles and fluidizing gas and between the
bed and heat transfer surfaces immersed in the bed
• Gives rise to near isothermal conditions even when reactions are
strongly exothermic or endothermic
• Good heat transfer gives rise to ease of control of the reaction
• Fluidity of the bed makes for ease of removal of solids from reactor

Fluidization

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Fluidization

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Fluidization

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

A bed of ion-exchange beads 8-ft deep is to be back washed to

• At superficial velocities above the minimum fluidization

• Gas fluidized systems give either only bubbling fluidization or

• Where F is the fraction of powder less than 45 mm

• In Groups B and D powders, Umb = Umf

• Where dbvs is the equivalent volume diameter of a bubble at

You might also like