FLUDIZATION BED

FLUDIZATION: Fluidization is defined as a method to keep solid particles

floating in an upward direction in a flow of gas or liquid. In freezing, fluidization occurs when
particles of a similar shape and size are subjected to an upward stream of low-temperature air.

MINIMUM FLUDIZATION VELOCITY: The minimum fluidization velocity (U

mf), defined as the superficial gas velocity at which the drag force of the upward moving gas

becomes equal to the weight of the particles in the bed

TERMINAL SETTALING VELOCITY: Terminal velocity is the maximum velocity

(speed) attainable by an object as it falls through a fluid (air is the most common example). It
occurs when the sum of the drag force (F d) and the buoyancy is equal to the downward force of
gravity (FG) acting on the object. Since the net force on the object is zero, the object has zero
acceleration.

Fig.1 Terminal settling velocity [1]

GELDERT CLASSIFICATION:

Geldart created a chart classifying different particulate materials into four groups based on
fluidized bed behavior: C – cohesive, A – aeratable, B – bubbly, and D – spoutable [2]. The
Geldart chart was developed empirically, based on fluidization experiments performed with dry
materials in air.
 Fig.2 Geldert classification [2]

Group A

 Aeratable
 Characterized by a small dp and small pp
 Umb is significantly larger than Umf
 Larger bed expansion before bubbling starts
 Gross circulation of power is even if only a few bubbles are present
 Larger gas backmixing in the emulsion phase
 Rate at which gas is exchange between the bubbles and the emulsion is high
 Bubbles size reduced by either using the wider particle size

Fig.3 [3]
Group B

 Bubbling
 Umb and Umt are almost identical
 Solid’s recirculation rates are smaller
 Less gas back mixing in the emulsion phase
 Rate at which gas is exchanged between bubbles and emulsion is smaller
 Bubbles size is almost independent of the mean particle diameter and the width of the
particle size distribution
 No observable maximum bubble size
 dp = 100-1000 µm
 Example: sand

Fig.4 [3]

Group C

 Cohesive
 Difficult to fluidized, and channeling occurs
 Interparticle forces greatly affect the fluidization behaviour of these powders
 Mechanical powder compaction, prior to fluidization, greatly affected the fluidization
behaviour of the powder, even after the powder had been fully fluidized for a while
 Saturating the fluidization air with humidity reduced the formation of agglomerates and
greatly improved the fluidization quality. The water molecules adsorbed on the particle
surface presumably reduced the van der Waals forces.
  dp = 0-30 µm
 Example: flour, cement

Fig.5 [3]

Group D

 Spoutable
 Either very large or very dense particles
 Bubbles coalesce rapidly and flow to large size
 Bubbles rise more slowly than the rest of the gas percolating through the emulsion
 Dense phase has a low voidage
 dp >1000 mm
 Examples: Coffee beans, wheat, lead shot

Fig.6 [3]
REGIMES OF OF FLUDIZATION: There are 8 regimes named by

(a) Fixed bed,

(b) Minimum Fluidization,

(c) Smooth Fluidization,

(d) Bubbling Bed,

(e) Axial Slugging Bed,

(f) Flat Slugging Bed,

(g) Turbulent Fluidization,

(h) Pneumatic Transport

Fig.7 Regims of fludization[4]

 Fig.8 Particle layer states with gas velocity changing. [5]

Reference

[1] Terminal settling velocity. Available from:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminal_velocity [Accessed 09 December 2021].
[2] Geldert classification. K.H., CFD-DEM and Experimental Study of Bubbling in a
Fluidized Bed Journal of Computational Multiphase Flows, 2015
[3] Geldert classification. Available from:
https://www2.msm.ctw.utwente.nl/ [Accessed 09 December 2021]
[4] Regimes of fludization. Available from:
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Hassan-
Khawaja/publication/273077305/figure/fig2/AS:667666767433739@1536195570574/Regi
mes-of-fluidization-a-Fixed-Bed-b-Minimum-Fluidization-c-Smooth.png [Accessed
December 9, 2021].
[5] Particle layer states with gas velocity changing. Available from:
https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/71947 [Accessed 09 December 2021]