FLUIDIZED BED

I. INTRODUCTION

Fluidized beds are used widely in chemical processing

industries for separations, rapid mass and heat transfer operations,
and catalytic reactions. A typical fluidized bed is a cylindrical column
that contains particles and through which fluid, either gaseous or
liquid, flows. In the case of fluidized bed reactors, the particles
would contain a catalyst, and for separations, the particles might be
an absorbent or adsorbent. The velocity of the fluid is sufficiently
high to suspend, or fluidize, the particles within the column,
providing a large surface area for the fluid to contact, which is the
chief advantage of fluidized beds

Multiple flow patterns within fluidized beds can be observed

depending upon the velocity of the fluid. For sufficiently low rates of
flow, fluid passes through the void space between particles without
disturbing them. This case where the bed of particles remains in
place is referred to as fixed bed. At higher rates of flow, the drag
forces acting on the particles can exceed the gravitational forces
and lift particles. However when the bed of particles expands, the
drag force drops as fluid velocity in the void spaces declines. The
result is a highly dynamic state to which we refer as fluidization.
Regimes of fluidization which can be easily identified from
qualitative observations include bubbling and slugging patterns at
relatively low flow rates and turbulent flow patterns at higher flow
rates. At very high rates of fluid flow, the drag force can exceed the
net gravitational forces on individual particles, even when the
particles are widely separated. In this regime of pneumatic
conveying, particles are carried through the container and must be
reintroduced externally.

The minimum velocity at which a bed of particles fluidizes is a

crucial parameter needed for the design of any fluidization
operation. The details of the minimum velocity depend upon a
number of factors, including the shape, size, density, and
polydispersity of the particles. The density, for example, directly
alters the net gravitational force acting on the particle, and hence
the minimum drag force, or velocity, needed to lift a particle. The
shape alters not only the relationship between the drag force and
velocity, but also the packing properties of the fixed bed and the
associated void spaces and velocity of fluid through them.
 II. SPECIFICATIONS

Flow Rate: 0.1 L/min

Height: 51/28 m
Maximum Height: 56 m
Maximum Flow Rate: 55 L/min
Voltage: 220 V Current: 4.7 A
Power: 0.75 kW
Capacitor: 16 F
- Thermally protected
- Continuous duty

III. PARTS AND FUNCTIONS

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1. CYLINDER. A cylindrical transparent column which is filled with

suitable packing material in the fluidized bed. The liquid in this cylinder
is distributed uniformly as possible at the top and flows downward,
wetting the packing material.

2. PUMP. A device that moves fluids either liquids or gases, or sometimes

slurries, by mechanical action.

2.1 Parts of a Pump

 2.1.1 Housing/casing The outer shell of the pump which
protects most of the components from the outside
elements. The casing of the pump should be of materials
suitable to withstand the environmental conditions of the
application (e.g. submersible pumps should be water and
rust corrosion resistant
2.1.2 Impeller A rotating disk with a set of vanes coupled to a
shaft. When the impeller rotates, it imparts energy to the
fluid to induce flow. Flow characteristics of the pump vary
widely based on the impeller design.
2.1.3 Motor The power source of the pump which drives the
shaft. AC motors and DC motors are the most common
power sources for pumps, but internal combustion
engines (ICEs), hydraulic power, and steam power are
other possibilities.
2.1.4 Shaft The shaft connects the impeller to the
motor/engine that provides power for the pump.
2.1.5 Volute The inner casing that contains the impeller and
collects, discharges, and (sometimes) recirculates the
fluid being pumped. The materials used to construct the
lining of the pump volute must be compatible with the
handled media.
2.1.6 Bearing assembly The mechanical support that allows
continuous rotation of the impeller and is continuously
lubricated.
2.1.7 Hub Device attached to the bearing assembly which is
the connecting point for the motor or engine.
2.1.8 Seal Protects the bearing assembly from being
contaminated by the pumped media. Some pump designs
are seal less, meaning the pumping mechanism is
completely contained within a pressurized volute
chamber with static seals (e.g. gaskets or O-rings).
3. GATE VALVE. The valve is designed to turn the flow of liquid through
pipes on and off.
 4. GLASS BEADS. Glass beads served as the indicator of the dynamic
properties of fluid such as velocity and fluidization quantity.

5. ROTAMETER. The rotameter is an industrial flowmeter used to

measure the flowrate of liquids and gases. The rotameter consists of a
tube and float. The float response to flowrate changes is linear, and a
10-to-1 flow range or turndown is standard.

6. BUTTERFLY VALVE. A quarter-turn rotary motion valve used as a

throttling valve to control flow through a system.

7. U-TUBE MANOMETER. It is used to measure the pressure difference

between different fluids. The fluid used in this manometer is mercury
(Hg).
8. OVERFLOW TANK. The overflow tank collects the overflowing fluid
from the cylinder which enters through the pipe and discharges the
fluid into the drainage system.

9. ON/OFF SWITCH. An apparatus that controls the flow of current in

order to turn the motor on and off.

v
Side View

v
Top View

IV. MECHANICS

Consider a vertical bed of solid particles supported by a porous or

perforated distributor plate, as in Figure B. The direction of gas flow is upward
through this bed. There is a drag exerted on the solid particles by the flowing
gas, and at low gas velocities the pressure drop resulting from this drag will
follow the Ergun equation, just as for any other type of packed bed. When the
gas velocity is increased to a certain value however, the total drag on the
particles will equal the weight of the bed, and the particles will begin to lift and
barely fluidize. If c is the density of the solid catalyst particles, A c the cross-
sectional area, h s the height of the bed settled before the particles start to lift,
h the height of the bed at any time, and s and the corresponding porosities
of the settled and expanded bed, respectively, then the mass of solids in the
bed, W s, is

Tracing the path backward in the Figure, gradually decreasing the

superficial velocity, in the direction of the reverse arrows in the figure, we find
that the behavior of the bed follows the curves DCE. At first, the pressure drop
stays fixed while the bed settles back down, and then begins to decrease
when the point C is reached. The bed height no longer decreases while the
pressure drop follows the curve CEO. A bed of particles, left alone for a
sufficient length of time, becomes consolidated, but it is loosened when it is
fluidized. After fluidization, it settles back into a more loosely packed state;
this is why the constant bed height on the return loop is larger than the bed
height in the initial state. If we now repeat the experiment by increasing the
superficial velocity from zero, well follow the set of curves ECD in both
directions. Because of this reason, we define the velocity at the point C in the
figure as the minimum fluidization velocity V.

The pressure drop caused by drag and kinetic energy loses is added to
be able to relate pressure drop and superficial velocity. This relation is define
by the Ergun Equation,
2 2
p K 1 V s (1 ) K 2 V s (1 )
= +
L 2s D2p 3 s D p 3

Where,
p = pressure drop across the fluidized bed
L = total height of the fluidized bed
 Vs = superficial velocity
= viscosity of the fluid
= void fraction or porosity of the bed
s = sphericity
Dp = diameter of the spherical particle
K1, k2 = Ergun Equation constants

V. OPERATING PROCEDURE

V.1 Start-up:

V.1.1 The necessary measurements of the equipments parts such as the

diameter and height of the cylinder and diameter and mass of the
glass beads are first determined.
V.1.2 The glass beads are placed in the cylinder. Fill it up with water by
opening the water supply valve near the bottom of the set-up. Open
the primary gate valve to allow the entry of the water to the cylinder.
V.1.3 Check if the level difference between the U-tube manometer is zero
at no flow. If not, adjust the amount of water inside the column to
achieve zero the difference at no flow.
V.1.4 After filling the cylinder with right amount of water, record the initial
height of the bed.
V.1.5 The pump is turned on for the start of the experiment.

V.2 Process:

V.2.1 The valve of the rotameter is opened until reaching the desired
volumetric flow rate.
V.2.2 The flowrate and the pressure drop at that rate are recorded.
V.2.3 The steps are repeated until it reaches the maximum flow rate,
taking five data points and three trials for each point.
V.2.4 Plot your experimental data for P versus V0 and L versus V0.
V.2.5 Obtain the minimum fluidization velocity from the graphs.

V.3 Clean-up:

V.3.1 Close the primary gate valve and the water supply valve.
V.3.2 Turn the power off and dispose the water into the drainage system
of the laboratory.