The influence of bed moisture on fluidization characteristics of fine powders

The effect of bed moisture on fluidization characteristics of fine powders has been studied. Beds of glass microspheres and catalytic particles have been tested at variable water content and gas velocity up to the minimum for bubbling. Measurements include bed permeability, settled and fluidized bed voidages.Results indicate that the sensitivity to moisture drastically changes from porous to non-porous materials. There are also differences among porous materials with regard to the effect of water content on minimum velocity for fluidization and for bubbling, and on voidage—velocity relationship in the bubble-free range of fluidization.     

The effect of pressure on fluidized bed behaviour

The influence of pressure on the behaviour of different particles fluidized by nitrogen was experimentally investigated. The powders used were mostly in Geldart's group B and the pressure was varied in the range 100 to 3500 kPa. The results for bed voidage and gas velocity at both the minimum fluidization and minimum bubbling conditions are compared with results of other authors and are discussed in the light of available correlations.     

气固搅拌流化床压力脉动的小波分析

在内径188 mm、静床高400 mm的搅拌流化床中,采用Geldart D类颗粒为实验物料,通过小波分析研究了不同气速和搅拌桨转速下搅拌流化床的压力脉动行为.实验发现,搅拌桨的转动作用促使在普通流化床中不易散式流态化的D类颗粒形成了散式流态化.随着气速的增加,第1尺度的小波能量特征值在某一个气速范围内发生急剧变化,进而提出了将该气速范围的下限和上限分别定义为临界鼓泡速度和充分鼓泡速度的判据.随搅拌转速的增加,散式流态化的气速操作范围线性增加.在鼓泡流态化状态下,气速是流化床气泡行为的主导因素,搅拌桨转速的增加对气泡产生的频率无明显影响但可使气泡的直径变小.     

振动流化床中双组分颗粒流化特性的研究

本文研究了内径为１４８ｍｍ振动圆柱床中等密度和不等密度的双组分颗粒流化特性,考察了不同振动强度对双组分颗粒的床层空隙率、最小流化速度及相图的影响,给出了床层空隙率和最小流化速度的计算式,此计算值与实验值基本相符,且对振动流化床的实际操作和工程设计起到一定的指导作用。     

HYDRODYNAMICS OF MAGNETOFLUIDIZED ADMIXTURE BEDS

Hydrodynamic behavior of a magnetofluidized bed is investigated over a wide range of magnetic-field intensity values as a function of superficial air velocity. The bed comprises of different proportions of copper and iron particles and is contained in a Plexiglas column of 0.102 m internal diameter. The uniform constant magnetic field is created by a Helmholtz electromagnet. In particular, the bed pressure drop is measured as a function of superficial air velocity and characteristic bed voidage and fluidizing velocities are determined at minimum fluidization and bubbling bed conditions. These characteristic properties of the magnetically stabilized fiuidized beds are reported as a function of magnetic-field intensity, and are correlated by suitable expressions. These will be useful for prediction purposes related to design and operation.     

HYDRODYNAMICS OF MAGNETOFLUIDIZED ADMIXTURE BEDS

Hydrodynamic behavior of a magnetofluidized bed is investigated over a wide range of magnetic-field intensity values as a function of superficial air velocity. The bed comprises of different proportions of copper and iron particles and is contained in a Plexiglas column of 0.102?m internal diameter. The uniform constant magnetic field is created by a Helmholtz electromagnet. In particular, the bed pressure drop is measured as a function of superficial air velocity and characteristic bed voidage and fluidizing velocities are determined at minimum fluidization and bubbling bed conditions. These characteristic properties of the magnetically stabilized fiuidized beds are reported as a function of magnetic-field intensity, and are correlated by suitable expressions. These will be useful for prediction purposes related to design and operation.     

Hydrodynamics of Reduced Pressure Fluidization Employing Particles with Variable Density

A series of experiments was carried out to study the hydrodynamics of a fluidized bed operating at reduced pressure and employing particles with variable moisture content; that is, of variable density. In these experiments, four different types of particles were used and fluidization characteristics very similar to the ones encountered in atmospheric pressure operations were observed. A novel method to measure the minimum fluidization velocity of particles with varying density was proposed. The experimental results demonstrated that the minimum fluidization velocity increased with decreased operating pressure, increased operating temperature, and increased particle moisture content. However, the bed voidage under minimum fluidization conditions showed very little sensitivity to variations in operating pressure. Two equations were developed to predict the minimum fluidization velocity and the results were compared with the experimental data as well as with the predictions of equations available in the technical literature.     

一个基于双流体理论预测三维流化床内流动特性的数学模型(Ⅰ)气固体系散式或鼓泡流态化特性

将考虑拟平衡状态下颗粒与流体相互作用的附加力添加到基于双流体理论动量方程的数学模型中,用于Geldart A类物料散式流态化和B类物料鼓泡/床层塌落特性的三维数值模拟。该模型主要特点是将表征颗粒离散属性的特征长度视为颗粒直径的同一数量级且只需曳力系数一个关联式来封闭控制方程。在商业软件CFX4.4平台上,通过增加用户自定义子程序模拟了长0.2 m、宽0.2 m和高0.5 m流化床内瞬态流动特性。为了检验数学模型的实用性和数值模拟的可靠性,首先考察了两种A类物料在表观气速为u_mf和1.5u_mf下的散式流态化特性,结果展示出床层均匀膨胀的固有属性。随后,考察了扰动对A类物料在网格尺度上的局部空隙率和固体速度分布以及在设备尺度上床层压降的影响,探索了B类物料在网格尺度上鼓泡和床层塌落以及在设备尺度上鼓泡过程中床层压降和塌落过程中平均床层高度和相界面标准偏差的动态特性。上述模拟结果与经典的Geldart理论、前人的实验或模拟结果相吻合,说明该模型可以用来预报三维气固流化床内A类物料散式流态化和B类物料鼓泡及塌落的时空特性。     

Effects of pressure and type of gas on particle-particle interaction and the consequences for gas—solid fluidization behaviour

The fluidization behaviour of cracking catalyst has been studied up to pressures of 15 bar with different fluidization gases (Ar, N₂, H₂). A number of parameters of both the homogeneous and heterogeneous fluidized bed has been examined experimentally.The experimental results reveal that the minimum fluidization velocity (U_mf) is independent of the pressure. The bubble point velocity (U_bp) and the maximum bed expansion (H_bp) at this velocity increase with increasing pressure. This also holds for the dense phase voidage (ε_d) and the dense phase gas velocity (U_d) in the bubbling bed. The bubble size decreases drastically with increasing pressure. However, the above-mentioned parameters are also strongly dependent on the type of fluidization gas used.The cohesion constant of the powder was measured, using a tilting bed technique. The results reveal that the cohesion constant increases with increasing pressure. Analysis of the results of adsorption measurements of the different gases to the solid reveals for the adsorption as well as for the cohesion and for the beu expansion the same pressure dependence.It is believed that the gas adsorption influences the cohesion between the particles and hence the elasticity modulus introduced by Rietema and Mutsers [1,2]. The increasing elasticity modulus with increasing pressure also explains the increasing bed expansion with pressure.     

Hydrodynamic characteristics of magnetically stabilized fluidized admixture beds of iron and copper particles

Hydrodynamic characteristics of fluidized beds of pure iron (1416 μm), copper (934 μ) and their admixture (25, 50 and 75 mass %) particles when exposed to a uniform magnetic field collinear with the gas flow are investigated. Bed pressure-drop data taken as a function of increasing and decreasing gas velocities (up to about 8 m/s) for different values of magnetic-field intensity over a wide range (0 to 17 272 A/m) are employed to determine the superficial minimum bubbling and fluidization gas velocities at ambient temperature and pressure. The minimum bubbling velocity is found to increase with an increase in the value of the magnetic-field intensity, as well as with the mass fraction of magnetizable particles in the bed. These data are correlated with an empirical relation, as well as with a semi-theoretical expression. The bed voidage data are also generated and analyzed, as also the bed quality fluidization in terms of interparticle magnetic forces. These hydrodynamic properties of magnetically stabilized fluidized-bed reactors are useful in their design and operation for a variety of chemical and biochemical applications.     

Hydrodynamics of a superheated steam vacuum fluidized bed

Hydrodynamics of a superheated steam vacuum fluidized bed was experimentally studied. In these experiments, eight different types of large particles (1970–7430 μm) were used. In all cases, a behavior similar to that found in an air fluidized bed was observed. The minimum fluidization velocity was found to be increasing with decreasing operating pressure. In the case of employing superheated steam, the minimum fluidization conditions are established at a lower velocity than using air as the fluidizing medium. These tendencies are attributed to the variation of the mean free path of molecules. On the other hand, the experiments showed that the bed voidage in the minimum fluidization conditions is almost insensitive to the variation of the operating pressure. Several equations were developed to predict the minimum fluidization velocity. The values provided by these equations were compared with the experimental data as well as with the predictions of the correlations presented in the technical literature.     

Characteristics of fluidisation behaviour in a pressurised bubbling fluidised bed

The experiments were carried out in a bench‐scale fluidised bed of 90 mm in diameter to determine the influence of pressure on fluidisation characteristics of Geldart A and B particles over the range of pressure 0.1–4.5 MPa. For Geldart B particles, the results indicate that minimum fluidisation velocity (u_mf) was found to decrease with pressure whilst bed voidage at u_mf was unaffected, and the bed expansion height increase with pressure at fixed value of gas velocity was observed for both Geldart B and A particles. For Geldart A particles, minimum bubbling velocity (u_mb) bed voidage at u_mb and dense phase voidage were found to increase obviously with pressure, but a slight influence of pressure on u_mf was observed. The prediction values of high‐pressure fluidisation characteristics from the references' correlations developed at pressure were in agreement with the experimental data. © 2012 Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering     

Prediction of minimum bubbling velocity, fluidization index and range of particulate fluidization for gas-solid fluidization in cylindrical and non-cylindrical beds

A uniform fluidization exists between minimum fluidization velocity and minimum bubbling velocity. Experimental investigations have been carried out for determination of minimum bubbling velocity and fluidization index for non-spherical particles in cylindrical and non-cylindrical beds. In the present paper equations have been developed for the prediction of minimum bubbling velocity for gas-solid fluidization in cylindrical and non-cylindrical (viz. semi-cylindrical, hexagonal and square) beds for non-spherical particles fluidized by air at ambient conditions. A fairly good agreement has been obtained between calculated and experimental values. Based on the experimental data it is concluded that under similar operating conditions minimum bubbling velocity and the fluidization index are maximum in case of either semi-cylindrical conduit or hexagonal conduit for most of the operating conditions and minimum in case of square one. It is further observed that the range of uniform (particulate) fluidization is maximum in case of semi-cylindrical bed for identical operating conditions.     

Characteristics of a Pressurized Gas‐Solid Magnetically Fluidized Bed

The hydrodynamic, heat and mass transfer characteristics of a pressurized co‐current gas‐solid magnetically fluidized bed (MFB) were systematically investigated considering major influence factors, such as magnetic field strength, superficial gas velocity, and operating pressure. It was shown that this pressurized gas‐solid MFB has the advantages of a wider operation range of the superficial gas velocity under bubble‐free particulate fluidization, a larger bed voidage with smaller pressure drop across the bed, and larger heat transfer efficiency, compared with a conventional fluidized bed. Moreover, the minimum bubbling velocity, gas‐solid mass, and heat transfer coefficients were correlated at high accuracy within the investigated range of operating conditions.     

A Method to Predict the Minimum Fluidization Velocity of Binary Mixtures Based on Particle Packing Properties

An approach was made to predict the minimum fluidization velocity for binary mixtures of spherical particles differing in size and/or density. The spherical multiparticle model proposed by Panigrahi and Murty was employed to describe the relationship between the bed pressure drop and the gas velocity; the voidage at minimum fluidization was estimated by the Westman equation, which was originally used to calculate the packing voidage of mixtures. The predictions agree fairly well with the reported experimental data in the range of Re = 0.12 ? 156, covering both the regions of laminar flow and intermediate flow.     

Prediction of pressure fluctuations and minimum fluidization velocity of binary mixtures of geldart group b particles in bubbling fluidized beds

A simple method was proposed to find the pressure fluctuations of binary systems of Geldart Group B particles under bubbling fluidized bed conditions. The pressure fluctuations of binary systems could be predicted from the pressure fluctuations of the individual particles component which comprised the binary systems for completely mixed and partially mixed systems. The predicted pressure fluctuations could be used to calculate the minimum fluidization velocity of the binary systems. The predicted and experimental values of pressure fluctuations and the minimum fluidization velocity of binary systems were in fairly good agreement.     

CFD study of the minimum bubbling velocity of Geldart A particles in gas-fluidized beds

The minimum bubbling velocity, which demarcates the homogeneous and heterogeneous fluidization regimes, plays a pivotal role in gas fluidization of Geldart A particles. We systematically study the effect of gas and particle properties on the minimum bubbling velocity of Geldart A particles in gas-fluidized beds using both Eulerian–Eulerian and Eulerian–Lagrangian models. We find that the minimum bubbling velocities as obtained from the simulations are in reasonable agreement with the well-known experimental correlation of Abrahamsen and Geldart (Powder Technology, 1980, 26: 35–46). To our best knowledge, this is the first time that the minimum bubbling velocity is correctly predicted by Eulerian–Eulerian models, without using an artificial ad-hoc modification of the gas–solid interaction force. Furthermore, we have performed a systematic investigation into the effect of the specific method that is used for determining minimum bubbling velocity. Our simulations show that the minimum bubbling velocity that would be obtained from the simulated bed contraction is larger than the one obtained from visual observation, which in its turn exceeds the one obtained from sudden change of standard deviation of pressure drop. We find that the abrupt change of the granular temperature with increasing superficial gas velocity may be a more suitable indicator for identifying the onset of heterogeneous fluidization.     

声场高温流化床流化特性

在内径50 mm、高1000 mm的声场高温鼓泡流化床中,研究Geldart A, B两类颗粒的流化特性,考察了床层温度、声波频率及声压级对流化床最小流化速度的影响. 结果表明,引入声场后,颗粒的最小流化速度随温度升高而下降;固定温度及频率,最小流化速度随声压级增大而减小;固定声压级与温度,颗粒最小流化速度随声波频率增大先减小后增大,存在一个最佳频率范围. 对床内压力波动信号进行分析,得出声场影响高温流化床流化质量的判据：当声压大于110 dB、频率在100~200 Hz范围内时压力波动偏差与最小流化速度值最小.     

Flow characteristics in an acoustic bubbling fluidized bed at high temperature

The pressure fluctuation of the quartz sand and SiO₂ particles was investigated using pressure transducer in high temperature fluidized bed with sound assistance. The effects of bed temperature, sound wave frequency, and sound pressure level (SPL) on the pressure fluctuation were examined. It indicates that the minimum fluidization velocity decreases with an increase in sound pressure level at the same sound frequency. At the same SPL and bed temperature, there always exists an optimal frequency range achieving good fluidization quality. As the sound frequency increases, the minimum fluidization velocity decreases firstly and then increases. Based on the statistical analysis of pressure signals, the effect of sound frequency on the fluidization quality at high-temperature fluidized bed was presented. On basis of discrete wavelet transform, an original signal was resolved into five-detailed scale signal. Furthermore, the peak frequency for Scale 3 detail signal represents the bubbling frequency.     

Experimental investigation of particle contact time at the wall of gas fluidized beds

The contact time of particles at the walls of gas fluidized beds has been studied using a radioactive particle tracking technique to monitor the position of a radioactive tracer. The solids used were sand or FCC particles fluidized by air at room temperature and atmospheric pressure at various superficial velocities, covering both bubbling and turbulent regimes of fluidization. Based on the analysis of tracer positions, the motion of individual particles near the walls of the fluidized bed was studied. The contact time, contact distance and contact frequency of the particles at the wall were evaluated from these experimental data. It was found that in a bed of sand particles, the mean wall contact time of the fluidized bed of sand particles decreases by increasing the gas velocity in the bubbling and increases in the turbulent fluidization. In other words, the particle-wall contact time is minimum at the onset of turbulent fluidization in the bed of sand particles. However, the mean wall contact time is almost constant in both regimes of fluidization in the bed of FCC particles. All the existing models in the literature predict a decreasing contact time when the gas velocity in the bed is increased. It was also shown that the contact distance increases monotonously by increasing the gas velocity in the bed of sand particles, while it is almost constant for the bed of FCC particles. Contact frequency has a trend similar to that of the contact time for both sand and FCC particles.