Fluidization
• When a fluid is passed upwards through a bed of particles
the pressure loss in the fluid due to frictional resistance
increases with increasing fluid flow
• A point is reached when the upward drag force exerted by
the fluid on the particles is equal to the apparent weight of
particles in the bed
• At this point the particles are lifted by the fluid, the
separation of the particles increases and the bed becomes
fluidized
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• The force balance across the fluidized bed dictates that
the fluid pressure loss across the bed of particles is
equal to the apparent weight of the particles per unit
area of the bed
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A plot of fluid pressure loss across the bed versus
superficial fluid velocity through the bed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFhrpSJZzck
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• OA is the packed bed region
• Solid particles do not move relative to one another and their
separation is constant
• Pressure loss vs fluid velocity relationship is described by the
Carman-Kozeny equation and the Ergun equation
• BC is the fluidized bed region
• At point A, pressure loss rises above the value predicted
• This rise is more marked in small vessels and in powders which
have been compacted to some extent before the test
• Associated with the extra force required to overcome wall
friction and adhesive forces between bed and distributor
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• Superficial fluid velocity at which the packed bed
becomes a fluidized bed is known as the minimum
fluidization velocity, Umf.
• Sometimes referred to as the velocity at incipient
fluidization
• Umf increases with particle size and particle density and
is affected by fluid properties
• To derive expression for Umf, equate expression for
pressure loss in a fluidized bed with pressure loss across
a packed bed
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Applying the Ergun equation-
Multiplying with viscosity, particle mean diameter, and fluid density-n
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or
Where Ar is the dimensionless number known as the
Archimedes number
And Remf is the Reynolds number at incipient fluidization
In order to obtain a value of Umf, we need to know the
voidage of the bed at incipient fluidization, = mf
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• A typical value of mf is 0.4
• Wen and Yu (1966) produced an empirical correlation for Umf
• This correlation is valid for spheres in the range 0.01 < Remf < 1000
and is often expressed in the form:
• For gas fluidization, the Wen and Yu correlation is often taken as
most suitable for particles larger than 100 mm.
• The correlation of Baeyens and Geldart (1974) is best for particles
less than 100 mm
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Relevant Powder and Particle Properties
• The correct density for use in fluidization equations is the
particle density
• Defined as the mass of a particle divided by its hydrodynamic
volume
• Volume ‘seen’ by the fluid in its fluid dynamic interaction with
the particle
• It Includes the volume of all open and closed pores
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• Bed density is also used in connection with fluidized beds
• For non-porous solids, this is easily measured by a gas
pycnometer or specific gravity bottle, but these devices should
not be used for porous solids since they give the true or
absolute density abs of the material of which the particle is
made and this is not appropriate where interaction with fluid
flow is concerned.
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• For porous particles, the particle density p (also called
apparent or envelope density) is not easy to measure directly.
Bed density is another term used in connection with fluidized
beds; bed density is defined as-
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Hydrodynamic volume of a particle
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• Another density often used is the bulk density, defined in a
similar way to fluid bed density-
• The most appropriate particle size to use in equations relating
to fluid-particle interactions is a hydrodynamic diameter i.e. an
equivalent sphere diameter derived from a measurement
technique involving hydrodynamic interaction between the
particle and fluid.
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Where xi is the arithmetic mean of adjacent sieves between
which a mass fraction mi is collected.
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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
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Bubbles in gas fluidized bad
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• Most liquid fluidized systems, except those involving very dense
particles, do not give rise to bubbling.
• The Figure shows the bed of glass spheres fluidized by water
exhibiting non-bubbling fluidized bed behavior.
Expansion of a liquid fluidized bed: (a) just above Umf (b) liquid
velocity several times Umf
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• 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
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Applications of Fluidized Beds
Physical processes
• Physical processes include drying, mixing, granulation, coating,
heating and cooling.
• These processes take advantage of the excellent mixing
capabilities of the fluidized bed.
• Good solids mixing gives rise to good heat transfer,
temperature uniformity and ease of process control
• One of the most important applications is to the drying of
solids.
• Fluidized beds are currently used commercially for drying such
materials as crushed minerals, sand, polymers, pharmaceuticals,
fertilizers and crystalline products.
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• 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
Schematic diagram of a
fluidized bed solid cooler
Schematic diagram of a fluidized bed solid cooler
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Chemical Processes
• Gas fluidized bed is also a good medium to carry out a chemical
reaction involving a gas and a solid.
Advantages of the fluidized bed for chemical reaction include:
• 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
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Fluid catalytic cracking
(FCC) unit, a celebrated
example of fluidized bed
technology for breaking
down large molecules in
crude oil to small
molecules suitable for
gasoline, etc.
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Types of gas–solid chemical reactions employing fluidization
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References
Martin Rhodes, "Introduction to Particle Technology", 2nd Edition,
John Wiley & Sons, 2008.
Mechanical Operations. Authors: A.K. Swain, H. Patra and G.K. Roy.
Publisher: Tata McGraw Hill Education Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi
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