Fluidized Bed Column

AIM: To study the fluidized bed column.

APPARATUS:
Fluidized bed column
U tube manometer with scales to measure level of mercury
Rotameter
Centrifugal pump

THEORY:
In fluidization, a gas or liquid passed through a bed of solid particles which is supported on a
perforated or porous plate. In the case of fluidized bed coating, air is passed through a bed of
polymer particles. When the fractional force acting on the particles or pressure drop of the
flowing air through the bed equals or exceeds the weight of the bed, the powder particles
become suspended and the bed exhibits liquid like behavior. At gas flow rate less than
fluidization velocity, the bed is fixed bed and there is no movement of particles. At flow rates
above minimum fluidization velocity the bed expands and bubbles appear.

The air velocity corresponding to pressure drop that just equals the weight of the bed is referred
to as the minimum fluidization velocity. At this air velocity or flow rate all of the bed particles
are completely suspended by the air stream. For a given system minimum fluidization velocity
can be determined from a pressure drop vs.air velocity diagram.
At a sufficiently high flow rate, the total drag force on the solid particles constituting the bed
becomes equal to the net gravitational force and the bed becomes fluidized. For this situation a
force balance yields:

(-p)A =LA(1- M )(rp - r)g/ gc =M(p -)g / gc( p ) (6)

where M = void fraction at the minimum fluidization velocity

A = cross-sectional area of the bed

p = particle density

g = gravitational constant

M = total mass of packing.

This is Eq. 7.48, 7.49 MS&H . The superficial fluid velocity at which the fluidization of the bed
commences is called the incipient or minimum fluidization velocity, V 0M . The incipient
fluidization velocity may be determined by combining equations (1), (3), and (6) with the
following result [Eq. (7.52) MS&H] for the case of small particles and consequent, NRe<1

PROCEDURE:
1) We first noted the diameter (d) of the column.
2) Next, we noted the density of the fluid flowing through the column i.e. water ().
3) Then we started the flow and adjusted the control valve to get required flow rate in
column.
4) We then noted the flow rate as seen in the rotameter as the flow rate.
5) We also noted the heights in the level of mercury on both the sides of the manometer as
h1 and h2calculate H; this H is in terms of mercury. To convert it in terms of H2O we
have to multiply it by multiplication factor of 13.6.
6) Then we calculate P using formula.
7) We repeated steps 3) to 5) for six different readings of flow rate.
8) We calculate then Re using formula.
9) We then plot the graph between P AND Re (Reynolds no.)

FORMULA:

Flow Rate
= Area

2
A (Area) r
P=*g*HH2O

d
Re=

Where,

= velocity

d
r= radius of column = 2

P = Pressure drop

HH2O= Height difference in water tubes

= Density of water

= viscosity of water

OBSERVATION TABLE:
Diameter of column= 8.27*10-2m

Sr. H Flow Minimum P Re

No. Mercury Water Rate fluidization (Pa) (Reynolds
(LPH) velocity No.)
1 60 816 500 0.0258 8000.96 2133.6
2 80 1088 600 0.0311 10673.28 2571.97
3 90 1224 700 0.0361 12007.44 2905.47
4 110 1496 800 0.041 14675.76 3390.7
5 120 1632 900 0.0465 16009.92 3845.5
6 120 1632 1000 0.052 16000.92 4300.4
7 120 1632 1100 0.057 16009.92 4713.9

CALCULATION:
 2 2
d2 (8.2710 )
A= r 2
= * 4 = * =17.098104 m2
4

Flow rate 5002.77107

= =0.0258103 m/ s
= area 17.09810 4

P=*g*HH2O=1000*816*9.81

d 8.271020.02581000
Re= = =2133.6
0.001

CONCLUSION:

The minimum fludization velocity that we got from the graph is approximately is equal to
0.051m/s.