Packed Bed Pressure Drop and Incipient Fluidization Condition in a Conical Bed of Spherical Particles : A Mathematical Model

Abstract

Based on the balance between the forces acting on the solid particles initially at rest subsequently suspended in air in a conical bed, a model has been proposed. Equations have been derived from the model for the prediction of packed bed pressure drop and the incipient fluidizing velocity (onset velocity) in terms of superficial velocity at t/ie bottom of the conical bed. Experimental investigation's were carried out in a conical bed with varying apex angles using air as the fluidizing medium and spherical glass beads, urea and mustard; seeds as the bed materials. Experimental data agreed fairly well with the proposed model, thereby establishing the practical utility of the derived equations.