Scribd
Upload
20 views2 pages

Fluidization Parameters Calculation Guide

The document presents a fluidization exercise involving a powder with specific properties and air flow characteristics. It calculates the minimum fluidization velocity, bed height at incipient fluidization, visible bubble flow rate, bubble fraction, particulate phase voidage, mean bed height, and mean bed voidage using relevant equations and correlations. Key results include Umf = 2.73 x 10-3 m/s, bed height = 1.235 m, and mean bed voidage = 0.5848.

Uploaded by

u21589969
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
20 views2 pages

Fluidization Parameters Calculation Guide

The document presents a fluidization exercise involving a powder with specific properties and air flow characteristics. It calculates the minimum fluidization velocity, bed height at incipient fluidization, visible bubble flow rate, bubble fraction, particulate phase voidage, mean bed height, and mean bed voidage using relevant equations and correlations. Key results include Umf = 2.73 x 10-3 m/s, bed height = 1.235 m, and mean bed voidage = 0.5848.

Uploaded by

u21589969
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

EXERCISE 7.

9:
A powder of mean sieve size 60 m and particle density 1800 kg/m3 is fluidized by
air of density 1.2 kg/m3 and viscosity 1.84 x 10-5 Pas in a circular vessel of diameter
0.5 m. The mass of powder charged to the bed is 240 kg and the volume flowrate of
air to the bed is 140 m3/hr. It is known that the average bed voidage at incipient
fluidization is 0.45 and correlation reveals that the average bubble rise velocity under
the conditions in question is 0.8 m/s. Estimate:
(a) the minimum fluidization velocity, Umf
(b) the bed height at incipient fluidization
(c) the visible bubble flow rate
(d) the bubble fraction
(e) the particulate phase voidage
(f) the mean bed height
(g) the mean bed voidage

SOLUTION TO EXERCISE 7.9:


(a) Minimum fluidization velocity, Umf:
Using the Ergun equation with a voidage of 0.45 at incipient fluidization (given in
question):

( p) (1 )2 U (1 ) fU
2
150 3 2 1.75 3
H xsv xsv

From the force balance,


p
(1 0.45) 1800 1.2 9.81 9705.4 Pa / m.
H
Hence, with p 9705.4 Pa = 1.84 x 10-5 Pa.s; f = 1.2 kg/m3;
xsv = 60 x 10-6 m, and given that the voidage, = 0.45, then:

9705.4 2.545 106 Umf 0.2112 10 Umf


6 2

Solving, gives Umf = 3.8 x 10-3 m/s

Using the Wen and Yu correlation gives Umf = 2.13 x 10-3 m/s.
However, for gas fluidization the Wen and Yu correlation is often taken as being most
suitable for particles larger than 100 m, whereas the correlation of Baeyens, shown
in Text-Equation 7.11, is best for particles less than 100 m.
0.934 0.934 1.8
( p f) g xp
U mf 0.87 0 .066 (Text-Equation 7.11)
1110 g
(1800 1.2)0.934 9.810.934 (60 10 6 )1.8
U mf
1110(1.84 10 5 )0.87 (1.2)0.066
Umf = 2.73 x 10-3 m/s

(b) Bed height at incipient fluidization:


Applying Text-Equation 7.24, with voidage at Umf = 0.45,
mass of solids in the bed, M 1 mf p AH mf
D2 (0.5)2 2
Bed cross-sectional area, A 0.1963 m
4 4
hence, 240 1 0.45 1800 0.1963 Hmf
and so Hmf = 1.235 m

(c) Visible bubble flow rate:


From the two-phase theory, Q B U Umf A

Q 140 1
Superficial gas velocity, U = 0.198 m / s
A 3600 0.1963

hence, QB 0.198 0.0038 0.1963 0.0381 m3 / s

(d) Bubble fraction:


QB
From the Two-Phase theory, bubble fraction, B , where UB is the mean
AU B
bubble rise velocity, given in the question as 0.8 m/s.
This gives, bubble fraction = 0.245.
(e) Particluate phase voidage:
The Two-Phase theory assumes that the gas flow through the particulate phase is that
equivalent to the flow at incipient fluidization. We may assume therefore that the
vodage of the particulate phase is the same as the bed voidage at incipient
fluidization, mf. Hence particulate phase voidage = 0.45.

(f) Mean bed height:


From the Two-Phase theory, one expression for bubble fraction (Text-Equation 7.28)
is:
HHmf
B , where H is the mean bed height.
H
With B = 0.245 and Hmf = 1.235 m, mean bed height, H = 1.636 m.

(g) Mean bed voidage:


From Text-Equation 7.24, mass of solids in the bed, M 1 pAH
240
Hence, voidage, 1 0.5848
1800 0.1963 1.636
Mean bed voidage = 0.5848.

You might also like