Applications

Dr. Britt Halvorsen

Telemark University College
Applications

Chemical reactors:
Fluidized beds in chemical industry include two main types of
reactions:
 Catalytic gas phase reactions

Particles are not undergoing any chemical reaction.

Principal of oil cracking for manufacturing of various chemical substances.
 Gas-solid reactions

Fluidized particles are involved in the reactions and undergo a phase
change

Combustion or gasification of coal or bio mass.

Other application of fluidized beds:
 drying, cooling and coating of solids.

Pneumatic transport of powder
 History

Gasifying coal in a fluidized bed, using oxygen.

Not commercially successful (1920)

Catalytic cracking (FCC) process (1940)
 Converted heavier petroleum cuts into gasoline.
Carbon-rich coke" deposits on the catalyst particles
and deactivates the catalyst in less than one second.
The fluidized catalyst particles are shuttled between
the fluidized bed reactor and a fluidized bed burner
where the coke deposits are burned off, generating
heat for the endothermic cracking reaction.

Mineral and metallurgical processes such as
drying, calcining, and sulfide roasting (1950s)

Fluidized bed processes dramatically reduced
the cost of some important monomers (1960s)
 Example:
Oxy chlorination process for vinyl cloride

Fluidized bed used for synthesis of polyethylene
reduced the cost of this important polymer.
 The polymerization reaction generates heat and the
intense mixing associated with fluidization prevents
hot spots where the polyethylene particles would
melt. A similar process is used for the synthesis of
polypropylene. (Late 1970)

Chemical looping combustion
(newer application)

 Reducing the potential effect of carbon dioxide on global warming is

carbon dioxide capture.
 Regular combustion with air produces a gas that is mostly nitrogen
which prevents economical sequestration.
 Chemical looping uses a metal oxide as a solid oxygen carrier.

Metal oxide particles replace air in a combustion reaction with a solid, liquid
or gaseous fuel in a fluidized bed,

Producing solid metal particles from reduction of metal oxides and a mixture
of carbon dioxide and water vapour (major products of any combustion
reaction)
 Water vapor is condensed, leaving pure carbon dioxide which can be
captured.
 The solid metal particles are circulated to another fluidized bed

React with air producing heat and oxidizing metal particles to metal oxide
particles

Metal oxide particles recirculated to fluidized bed combustor.
Applications

Fluid bed processing involves
 Drying, cooling,
 Agglomeration,
 Granulation, and
 Coating of particulate materials.

Ideal for a wide range of both heat sensitive and non-

heat sensitive products.
Uniform processing conditions are achieved by passing
a gas (usually air) through a product layer under
controlled velocity conditions to create a fluidized state.

http://www.niroinc.com/drying_dairy_food/fluid_bed_technology.asp
 Drying

Fluidized bed drying:
 Heat is supplied by the
fluidization gas
 In addition, heat may be
effectively introduced by
heating surfaces (panels or
tubes) immersed in the
fluidized layer.

http://www.niroinc.com/drying_dairy_food/fluid_bed_technology.asp
Advantages:
Particle fluidization gives
 Easy material transport
 High rates of heat exchange at high thermal efficiency
 Preventing overheating of individual particles.

Fluid bed drying is suited for
 Powders, granules, agglomerates, and pellets with an
average particle size normally between 50 and 5,000
microns.
 Very fine, light powders or highly elongated particles
may require vibration for successful fluid bed drying.
Drying of polymers

Fluidized beds are preferred for drying and cooling a
wide range of polymer materials as:
 ABS-co-polymers, Polymethylmethacrylates, Polycarbonates,
Polyethylenes, Polypropylenes, Polystyrenes, Polyvinyl chlorides

The heat sensitivity of these materials requires precise

control of residence time and temperature.
 Polymers having either water and organic volatile or monomer
content are processed.
 Fluid bed dryers with heating panels are often used due to high
production rates and demand for lowest energy consumption.

http://www.niroinc.com/drying_dairy_food/fluid_bed_technology.asp
Other types of industry

Food industry
 Needed: high sanitary standards, self-
emptying capability, automatic cleaning
systems
 Types of food:

Baby food

Carbohydrates

Coffee

Dairy products

Foodstuff additives

Health food extracts

Soup mixers

Pharmaceuticals and Biochemicals
 These industries use both continuous and batch
processing.
 Types of products:

Antibiotics , Drugs, Enzymes, Fermentation
products, Proteins, Vitamins , Yeast

http://www.niroinc.com/drying_dairy_food/fluid_bed_technology.asp
Gasification
Gasification refers to the production
of gaseous components

Biomass particles are exposed to high

temperatures

As the particle is heated, the moisture
(10-50%) is driven off.

Further heating of the particles drive off
the volatile gases. (wood, the volatile
content may be 75 to 80 % of total dry
weight.

Discharge of these volatiles will generate
a wide spectrum of hydrocarbons ranging
from CO and methane to long-chain
hydrocarbons comprising tars, creosotes
and heavy oils.
[EPI] (Energi products of Idaho)

Plant configuration
 Low pressure
fluidized bed
gasifier
 Tar cracking
 Gas cooling and
scrubbing
 Gas engines
 District heating
system

Plant capacity:
 Biomass 110 t/d
 Power generation,
5.4 MW
 District heat: 11.5
MW, 94/50C

Types of Biomass:
Hard wood chips, Soft wood chips
Forest residue
Paper mill waste/sludge
Wheat straw
Bark
Rice straw
http://www.forestprod.org/smallwood04patel.pdf
Pneumatic Transport

Dilute phase transport
 characterised by high gas velocities (greater than 20 m/s)
 low solids concentrations (less than 1% by volume)
 low pressure drops per unit length of transport line (typically less
than 5 mbar/m)

Dilute phase pneumatic transport is limited to:
 short route
 continuous transport of solids at rates of less than 10
tonnes/hour
 only system capable of operation under negative pressure
 solid particles behave as individuals, fully suspended in the gas,
and fluid-particle forces dominate.
Pneumatic transport, dilute flow
Dense phase pneumatic transfer

Dense phase flow
 characterised by low gas
velocities (1-5 m/s),
 high solids concentrations
(greater than 30% by
volume)
 high pressure drops per unit
length of pipe (typically
greater than 20 mbar/m).

Dense phase transport
 particles are not fully
suspended
 interaction between the
particles.
Concluding remarks

Fluidization has a wide range of industrial applications:

 Fluidized bed reactors

Energy production
 Gasification (clean energy by using biomass)
 Coal burning
 Chemical looping

Catalytic cracking
 Drying and cooling of powders

Polymers

Food

Pharmaceuticals products

Biochemical products

 Pneumatic transport of powder

Dense

Dilute