Hydrodynamics of a Three-phase Semi-fluidized Bed with Irregular Particles

Abstract

In the present study hydrodynamic characteristics of a co-current gas-liquid-solid three-phase semi-fluidized bed has been studied using liquid as the continuous phase and gas as the discontinuous phase Experiments have been conducted in a 100 mm ID, 2m-height vertical Plexiglas column using air, water and dolomite in order to develop a good understanding of each flow regime in gas-liquid-solid semi-fluidization. It is found that pressure drop increases with increase in particle size, gas velocity and bed expansion ratio. The minimum liquid semi-fluidization velocity increases with particle size, bed expansion ratio, but decreases with gas velocity. The height of the top packed bed increases with liquid and gas velocities, but decreases with particle size and bed expansion ratio.