OBJECTIVES

Determine the phenomena related to flows in solid-liquid system.

Determine the minimum speeds of Fluidization
Determine the loss of head in a bed of particle
Determining the expansion of the bed
INTRODUCTION
It is called Fluidization process of contact that occurs between a solid and a fluid in
which the bed
formed by finely divided solid particles rises and is stirred by
means of a current fluid upward.
The flow of fluids through beds of solid particles (Fluidization) is a process of wide
use inindustrial operations such as: filtration, ion exchange and solvent extraction,
absorption and Catalytic reactors.
The team is composed by:
a) Column of Fluidization: consists of a tube which traveled the fluid that will
suspend the particles.
b) Section uniformity: it is a diffuser cone that exists in
to obtain a profile of desired speed.

order

c) Distributor: consists of a plate with some holes, its design impact on the qual
ity of Fluidization.
d) Fluid supply system: consists of systems flow regulating valves,
instruments, flow meters, heaters, and other devices to provide the
fluid in the thermodynamic conditions.
e) Pressure measurement system: it is important to measure the pressure drop
in a fluidized bed.
f) Temperature measurement system.

In a bed of particles with upward flow, the flow of a gas or a liquid at low speed not
produces the particles movement. The fluid circulates through the holes of the bedl
osing pressure. This pressure drop in a stationary bed of solids is given by theequa
tion of Ergun. The Ergun equation allows predicting losses by friction suffering asin
gle phase fluid as it passes through a bed packaged.
Otherwise, if the fluid velocity is increased progressively, increases the pressure dr
opand the friction on the individual particles. It reaches a point where particles do
notremain stationary longer, but begin to move and are suspended in fluid, i.e.,
"fluidizing" by the action of liquid or gas.
The behavior of a bed fill is primarily characterized by the following quantities:

Bedding or fraction of voids, porosity : is the relationship between the volume ofvo
ids of the bed and the total volume of the same (more solid holes)

Apparent mass of the pellets bed: ap is the

relationship between volume and massof pearls or beads occupied by them.

Fluidization mechanism:
He is a short, vertical tube partially filled with a material to granular.
If the speed of the fluid upward is large enough, on solids thrust force is equal to th
enet weight of the particles, a moment in which they begin to move freely and mix
with
others. The speed of the fluid for which these conditions are reached is calledFluidi
zation (Umf) minimum speed and the bed of particles known as fluidized bed.
As it can
be seen in Figure
2, in a fixed bed of particles from section A and whoseweight is
W, when it reaches the minimum Fluidization speed loss of load acquires itsmaxim
um value (w/a) and stays on until the particles drag, decreasing sharply in thattime.
A progressive expansion of the bed, which is having one porosity
(), from thepoint of minimum speed increasing of
Fluidization
(mf) is also observed during thisprocess.
The useful for Fluidization speed range is between Umf and the speed, (ua)
for which the solid particles are dragged out of bed, the porosity is approaching the
unit and ellecho ceased to exist as such.

The team of Fluidization

1. it wasdetermined which was the flow which began to advantage one of the b
edswith the 3 valves open and the pressure in each of the beds.

TABLE STABLE 1 : LECHO WITH THE SAME FLOW

LECHO

DISTANCIA

CAUDAL

1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3

40
40.5
38.5
40
40.5
38.5
40
40.5
38.5

1500
1500
1500
1400
1400
1400
1700
1700
1700

PRESIN
H2O)
22.4
21.7
19
17.1
16.5
13.5
23.5
23.1
19.5

(cm

2. Remained open only one valve (1, 2 or 3 consecutively) and observed the n
ecessaryflow to start advantage appropriate bedding. Pressure and flow dat
a were recorded.(3 measurements were made)

BED

FLOW
(L/min)
1
60
2
320
3
1000
1
60
2
280
3
1000
1
40
2
180
3
1100
TABLE 2: CAUDAL REGULATED BEFORE FLUIDIZAR

PRESSURE
(cmH2O)
23
25.7
23
33.2
25
20.5
33.5
20.9
24.3

3. It regulated the flow

rate at which each bed was fluid to a certain height. (3measurements were
made)

TABLE 3 :FLUIDIZED REGULATED FLOW

BED

HEIGHT
(mm)
65
64
60
58
59
59
58
59.5
60

1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3

FLOW
(L/min)
600
1000
2400
600
1000
3000
600
1000
3000

PRESSURE
(cmH2O)
41.8
44
48.5
41.5
45
34
41.9
45.2
55.5

4.
A stream to which the three beds were fluidized
beds to a certain height wasdetermined. (3 measurements were made)
TABLE 4: BED FLUIDIED WITH SAME FLOW

BED
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3

HEIGHT
(mm)
86
71
54
79
64
47
78
63
47.5

FLOW
(L/min)
4000
4000
4000
4000
4000
4000
4000
4000
4000

PRESSURE
(cmH2O)
45
47.5
45
48.5
45.5
46
46
47.7
44.9

AVERAGES

BED

HEIGHT
(mm)

FLOW
(L/min)

PRESSURE
(cmH2O)

1
2
3

81
66
49.5

4000
4000
4000

45.6666
47.9
45.1333

RESULTS
From previous data were requested:
The curve of the loss of load for the three fluidized beds.
The curve of Fluidization of balls for each of the fluidized beds.
minimum Fluidization rate.
The curve of the variation of the height of the bed
TABLE 5: DATA GENERAL ' S COLUMNS

COLUMN

1
2
3

INTERN
DIAMETER
(mm)
60
60
100

HEIGHT
(mm)
1000
1000
1000

TRANSVERSAL
SECTION AREA
(mm2)
2827.433388
2827.433388
7853.981634

Case 1: Beds with the same flow just before advantage.

TABLE 6. THE BEDS TOGETHER BEFORE ADVANTAGE TEST DATA

COLUMN
1
1
1
2
2
2
3
3

HEIGHT
(mm)
40
40
40
40.5
40.5
40.5
38.5
38.5

FLOW
(L/min)
1400
1500
1700
1400
1500
1700
1400
1500

P(cmH2O
)
17.1
22.4
23.5
16.5
21.7
23.1
13.5
19

VEL(m/s
)
0.0037
0.0040
0.0045
0.0037
0.0040
0.0045
0.0005
0.0005

VEL
PROM
0.00407
0.00407
0.00053

Speed
minimum of
Fluidization

38.5

1700

19.5

0.0006