Solution To Chapter 7 Exercises: Fluidization

SOLUTION TO CHAPTER 7 EXERCISES: FLUIDIZATION
EXERCISE 7.1:
A packed bed of solid particles of density 2500 kg/m
3
, occupies a depth of 1 m in a
vessel of cross-sectional area 0.04 m
2
. The mass of solids in the bed is 50 kg and the
surface-volume mean diameter of the particles is 1 mm. A liquid of density 800 kg/m
3

and viscosity 0.002 Pas flows upwards through the bed.

(a) Calculate the voidage (volume fraction occupied by voids) of the bed.
(b) Calculate the pressure drop across the bed when the volume flow rate of liquid is
1.44 m
3
/h.
(c) Calculate the pressure drop across the bed when it becomes fluidized.

SOLUTION TO EXERCISE 7.1:
(a) Bed voidage (volume fraction occupied by the voids) is calculated from Text-
Equation 7.24:
mass of solids in the bed, M = 1 ( )
p
AH

Hence, voidage, =1
50
2500 0.041
= 0.5

(b) Pressure drop across the bed when the flow rate is 1.44 m
3
/h:

Assume firstly that the bed is not fluidized at this flow rate. Estimate the pressure
drop from the Ergun Equation (Text-Equation 7.3):

(p)
H
= 150
(1 )
2
3
U
x
sv
2
+1.75
(1 )
3

f
U
2
x
sv

Superficial liquid velocity, U =
1.44
0.04 3600
= 0.01 m/ s

=0.002 Pa.s; =0.5;
f
=800 kg/m
3
; H =1.0 m; x
sv
=10
-3
m.

Hence, p ( ) = 6560 Pa

(c) Check if the bed is fluidized: When fluidized, the apparent weight of the bed will
be supported by the pressure difference. Hence (Text-Equation 7.2),

p= H(1 )(
p

f
)g
SOLUTION TO CHAPTER 7 EXERCISES: FLUIDIZATION Page 7.1

p ( ) = 1.0 (1 0.5) 2500 800 ( ) 9.81= 8338.5 Pa.

So the assumption in part (b) is correct and the answer to part (c) is 8338.5 Pa.

EXERCISE 7.2:
130 kg of uniform spherical particles with a diameter of 50 m and particle density
1500 kg/m
3
are fluidized by water (density 1000 kg/m
3
, viscosity 0.001 Pas.) in a
circular bed of cross-sectional area 0.2 m
2
. The single particle terminal velocity of the
particles is 0.68 mm/s and the voidage at incipient fluidization is known to be 0.47.

(a) Calculate the bed height at incipient fluidization.
(b) Calculate the mean bed voidage when the liquid flow rate is 2 x 10
-5
m
3
/s.

(a) Bed height at incipient fluidization.

From Text-Equation 7.24: mass of solids in the bed, M = 1
mf
( )
p
AH
mf

Therefore, with M =130 kg,
mf
=0.47,
p
=1500 kg/m
3
and A = 0.2 m
2
,

H
mf
=
130
0.2 (1 0.47)1500
= 0.818 m

Bed height at incipient fluidization, H
mf
=0.818 m.

(b) Bed height when liquid flow rate is 2 x 10
-5
m
3
/s:

Use Richardson-Zaki equation (Equation 7.21), U = U
T
n

To determine exponent n, calculate single particle Reynolds number, Re
p
at U=U
T
:

Re
p
=
U
T
f
x
=
(0.6810
3
)1000(5010
6
)
0.001

=0.034, which is less than 0.3. Hence, n =4.65 (Text-Equation 7.22)

Hence, applying the Richardson-Zaki equation, 110
4
= (0.6810
3
)
4.65


which gives, =0.6622

hence, bed voidage at a liquid flow rate of 2 x 10
-5
m
3
/s is =0.6622

EXERCISE 7.3:
130 kg of uniform spherical particles with a diameter of 60 m and particle density
1500 kg/m
3
3
, viscosity 0.001 Pas.) in a
circular bed of cross-sectional area 0.2 m
2
. The single particle terminal velocity of the
particles is 0.98 mm/s and the voidage at incipient fluidization is known to be 0.47.

(a) Calculate the bed height at incipient fluidization.
(b) Calculate the mean fluidized bed voidage when the liquid flow rate is
2 x 10
-5
m
3
/s.

(a) Bed height at incipient fluidization.

From Text-Equation 7.24: mass of solids in the bed, M = 1
mf
( )
p
AH
mf

Therefore, with M =130 kg,
mf
=0.47,
p
=1500 kg/m
3
and A = 0.2 m
2
,

H
mf
=
130
0.2 (1 0.47)1500
= 0.818 m

Bed height at incipient fluidization , H
mf
=0.818 m.

(b) Bed height when liquid flow rate is 2 x 10
-5
m
3
/s:

Use Richardson-Zaki equation (Equation 7.21), U = U
T
n

To determine exponent n, calculate single particle Reynolds number Re
p
at U=U
T
:

Re
p
=
U
T
f
x
=
(0.9810
3
)1000(6010
6
)
0.001


Hence, applying the Richardson-Zaki equation, 110
4
= (0.98 10
3
)
4.65


which gives, =0.6121

hence, bed voidage at a liquid flow rate of 2 x 10
-5
m
3
/s is =0.6121

EXERCISE 7.4:
A packed bed of solid particles of density 2500 kg/m
3
, occupies a depth of 1 m in a
vessel of cross-sectional area 0.04 m
2
. The mass of solids in the bed is 59 kg and the
surface-volume mean diameter of the particles is 1 mm. A liquid of density 800 kg/m
3

and viscosity 0.002 Pas flows upwards through the bed.

(a) Calculate the voidage (volume fraction occupied by voids) of the bed.
(b) Calculate the pressure drop across the bed when the volume flow rate of liquid
is 0.72 m
3
/h.
(c) Calculate the pressure drop across the bed when it becomes fluidized.

(a) Bed voidage (volume fraction occupied by the voids) is calculated from text-
Equation 7.24:

p
AH

Hence, voidage, 41 . 0
1 04 . 0 2500
59
1 =

=

(b) Pressure drop across the bed when the flow rate is 0.72 m
3
/h:

Assume firstly that the bed is not fluidized at this flow rate. Estimate the pressure
drop from the Ergun Equation (Text-Equation 7.3):

(p)
H
= 150
(1 )
2
3
U
x
sv
2
+1.75
(1 )
3

f
U
2
x
sv

Superficial liquid velocity, U = m/s 005 . 0
3600 04 . 0
72 . 0
=

=0.002 Pa.s; =0.41;
f
=800 kg/m
3
; H =1.0 m; x
sv
=10
-3
m.

Hence, ( ) Pa 7876 p =

(c) Check if the bed is fluidized: When fluidized, the apparent weight of the bed will
be supported by the pressure difference. Hence (Text-Equation 7.1),

p= H(1 )(
p

f
)g

( ) ( ) Pa. 9839 81 . 9 800 2500 ) 41 . 0 1 ( 0 . 1 p = =

So the assumption in part (b) is correct and the answer to part (c) is 9839 Pa.

EXERCISE 7.5:
12 kg of spherical resin particles of density 1200 kg/m
3
and uniform diameter 70 m
3
and viscosity 0.001 Pas.) in a vessel of
diameter 0.3 m and form an expanded bed of height 0.25 m.

(a) Calculate the difference in pressure between the base and the top of the bed.
(b) If the flow rate of water is increased to 7 cm
3
/s, what will be the resultant bed
height and bed voidage (liquid volume fraction)?
State and justify the major assumptions.

(a) The frictional pressure loss is given by the force balance over the fluidized bed
( )
= =
p
f
p
f
1 Mg g M Mg upthrust weight A p

Hence, ( ) Pa. 5 . 277
4
) 3 . 0 (
81 . 9
1200
1000
1 12
p
2
=

=
Frictional pressure drop (-p) =277.5 Pa.

However, the measured pressure drop across the bed will include the hydrostatic head
of the liquid in the bed. Applying the mechanical energy equation between the bottom
(1) and the top (2) of the fluidized bed:

p
1
p
2
f
g
+
U
1
2
U
2
2
2g
+ (z
1
z
2
)= friction head loss =
277.5
f
g

U
1
=U
2
; z
1
- z
2
=- H =- 0.25 m.


Hence, p
1
- p
2
= 2730 Pa.

Difference in pressure between the base and the top of the bed =2730 Pa.

(b) Calculate bed height and mean bed voidage at a flow rate of 7 cm
3
/s.

Apply Richardson-Zaki equation (Text-Equation 7.21), U = U
T
n

Superficial liquid velocity, U = m/s 10 9 . 9
4
3 . 0
10 7
area tional sec cross
rate flow volume
5
2
6
=
To determine the single particle terminal velocity, U
T
, assume Stokes Law (Text-
Equation 2.13)
U
T
=
x
2
g
p

f ( )
18

with x =70 m,
p
=1200 kg/m
3
, p
f
=1000 kg/m
3
and =0.001 Pa.s,
U
T
=5.34 x 10
-4
m/s.

To determine exponent n, calculate single particle Reynolds number Re
p
at U=U
T
.

Re
p
=
U
T
f
x
=
(5.34 10
4
)1000 (70 10
6
)
0.001


Hence, applying the Richardson-Zaki equation, 9.910
5
= (5.3410
4
)
4.65

gives, =0.696

From Equation 7.24, mass of solids in the bed, M = 1 ( )
p
AH

Hence, bed height,
m. 465 . 0
4
3 . 0
) 696 . 0 1 ( 1200
12
H
2
=

=

EXERCISE 7.6:
A packed bed of solids of density 2000 kg/m
3
occupies a depth of 0.6m in a
cylindrical vessel of inside diameter 0.1m. The mass of solids in the bed is 5kg and

the surface-volume mean diameter of the particles is 300 m. Water (density 1000
kg/m
3
and viscosity 0.001 Pas) flows upwards through the bed.

a) What is the voidage of the packed bed?
b) Use a force balance over the bed to determine the bed pressure drop when
fluidized.
c) Hence, assuming laminar flow and that the voidage at incipient fluidization is the
same as the packed bed voidage, determine the minimum fluidization velocity. Verify
the assumption of laminar flow.

(a) Cross-sectional area of bed, A =
0.1
2
4
= 7.8510
3
m
2

From Equation 7.24, calculate bed voidage:
p
AH

Hence, voidage, =1
5
2000 7.8510
3
0.6
= 0.4692

(b) Force balance on bed. Apply Text-Equation 7.2:

p= H(1 )(
p

f
)g

p ( ) = 0.6 (1 0. 4692) 20001000 ( ) 9.81= 3124 Pa.

Pressure drop across the bed when fluidized =3124 Pa.

(c) Assuming laminar flow through the bed, we apply only the laminar component of
the Ergun equation.

Hence,
(p)
H
= 150
(1 )
2
3
U
x
sv
2

With p ( ) = 3124 Pa; =0.001 Pa.s;
f
=1000 kg/m
3
; H =0.6 m;
x
sv
=300 x 10
-6
m, and assuming the voidage of the bed at minimum fluidization is
equal to the packed bed voidage, =0.4692 then:

U =U
mf
=1.145 x 10
-3
m/s

Check Reynolds number for use of laminar flow in packed bed.
R e =
U
mf
f
x
sv
1 ( )
= 0.647, which is less than 10, the nominal upper limit for laminar
flow. Hence the assumption of laminar flow is justified and U
mf
=1.145 mm/s.

EXERCISE 7.7:
A packed bed of solids of density 2000 kg/m
3
occupies a depth of 0.5m in a
cylindrical vessel of inside diameter 0.1m. The mass of solids in the bed is 4kg and
the surface-volume mean diameter of the particles is 400 m. Water (density 1000
kg/m
3
and viscosity 0.001 Pas) flows upwards through the bed.

a) What is the voidage of the packed bed?
b) Use a force balance over the bed to determine the bed pressure drop when
fluidized.
c) Hence, assuming laminar flow and that the voidage at incipient fluidization is the
same as the packed bed voidage, determine the minimum fluidization velocity. Verify
the assumption of laminar flow.

(a) Cross-sectional area of bed, A =
0.1
2
4
= 7.8510
3
m
2

From Text-Equation 7.24, mass of solids in the bed, M = 1 ( )
p
AH

Hence, voidage, =1
4
2000 7.8510
3
0.5
= 0.4907

(b) Force balance on bed. Apply Text-Equation 7.2:

p= H(1 )(
p

f
)g

p ( ) = 0.5 (1 0.4907) 20001000 ( ) 9.81= 2498 Pa.

Pressure drop across the bed when fluidized =2498 Pa.

(c) Assuming laminar flow through the bed, we apply only the laminar component of
the Ergun equation.

Hence,
(p)
H
= 150
(1 )
2
3
U
x
sv
2

With p ( ) = 2498 Pa; =0.001 Pa.s;
f
=1000 kg/m
3
; H =0.5 m;
x
sv
=400 x 10
-6
m, and assuming the voidage of the bed at minimum fluidization is
equal to the packed bed voidage, =0.4907, then:

U =U
mf
=2.43 x 10
-3
m/s

Check Reynolds number for use of laminar flow in packed bed:
R e =
U
mf
f
x
sv
1 ( )
=1.907, which is less than 10, the nominal upper limit for laminar
mf
=2.43 mm/s.

EXERCISE 7.8:
By applying a force balance, calculate the incipient fluidizing velocity for a system
with particles of particle density 5000 kg/m
3
and mean volume diameter 100m and a
fluid of density 1.2 kg/m
3
and viscosity 1.8 x 10
-5
Pas. Assume that the voidage at
incipient fluidization is 0.5.
If in the above example the particle size is changed to 2mm, what is U
mf
?

Force balance on bed. Apply Text-Equation 7.2:

p= H(1 )(
p

f
)g

p ( )
H
= (1 0.5) 50001.2 ( ) 9.81= 24519 Pa.

With such small particles in liquid we can assume laminar flow through the bed and
so apply only the laminar component of the Ergun equation.

Hence,
(p)
H
= 150
(1 )
2
3
U
x
sv
2

With ; =1.8 x 10
-5
Pa.s;
f
=1.2 kg/m
3
; p ( ) = 24519 Pa
x
sv
=100 x 10
-6
m, and given that the voidage of the bed at minimum fluidization is
voidage, =0.5, then

U =U
mf
=0.0454 m/s

Check Reynolds number for use of laminar flow in packed bed.
R e =
U
mf
f
x
sv
1 ( )
= 0.6, which is less than 10, the nominal upper limit for laminar
mf
=4.54 cm/s.

For a particle size of 2 mm:
Flow is unlikely to be fully laminar, so we will use the full Ergun equation:
(p)
H
= 150
(1 )
2
3
U
x
sv
2
+1.75
(1 )
3

f
U
2
x
sv

From the force balance,
p ( )
H
= (1 0.5) 50001.2 ( ) 9.81= 24519 Pa.

Hence, with p ( ) H= 24519 Pa/ m; =1.8 x 10
-5
Pa.s;
f
=1.2 kg/m
3
;
x
sv
=2 x 10
-3
m, and given that the voidage of the bed at minimum fluidization is
voidage, =0.5, then

24519= 1350U
mf
+ 4200U
mf
2

Solving, gives U
mf
=2.26 m/s

EXERCISE 7.9:
A powder of mean sieve size 60 m and particle density 1800 kg/m
3
is fluidized by
air of density 1.2 kg/m
3
-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 m
3
/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, U
mf

(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

(a) Minimum fluidization velocity, U
mf
:

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

(p)
H
= 150
(1 )
2
3
U
x
sv
2
+1.75
(1 )
3

f
U
2
x
sv

From the force balance,
p ( )
H
= (1 0.45) 18001.2 ( ) 9.81= 9705.4 Pa/ m.

Hence, with p ( ) = 9705.4 Pa; =1.84 x 10
-5
Pa.s;
f
=1.2 kg/m
3
;
x
sv
=60 x 10
-6
m, and given that the voidage, =0.45, then:

9705.4= 2.54510
6
U
mf
+ 0.211210
6
U
mf
2

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

Using the Wen and Yu correlation gives U
mf
=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.

U
mf
=
(
p

f
)
0.934
g
0.934
x
p
1.8
1110
0.87
g
0.066
(Text-Equation 7.11)

U
mf
=
(18001.2)
0.934
9.81
0.934
(60 10
6
)
1.8
1110(1.8410
5
)
0.87
(1.2)
0.066

U
mf
=2.73 x 10
-3
m/s

(b) Bed height at incipient fluidization:
Applying Text-Equation 7.24, with voidage at U
mf
=0.45,
mass of solids in the bed, M = 1
mf
( )
p
AH
mf

Bed cross-sectional area, A =
D
2
4
=
(0.5)
2
4
= 0.1963 m
2

hence, 240= 1 0.45 ( ) 1800 0.1963 H
mf


and so H
mf
=1.235 m

(c) Visible bubble flow rate:
From the two-phase theory, Q
B
= U U
mf
( )A

Superficial gas velocity, U =
Q
A
=
140
3600

1
0.1963
=0.198 m/ s

hence, Q
B
= 0.198 0.0038 ( ) 0.1963= 0.0381 m
3
/ s

(d) Bubble fraction:
From the Two-Phase theory, bubble fraction,
B
=
Q
B
AU
B
, where U
B
is the mean
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:
B
=
H H
mf
H
, where H is the mean bed height.
With
B
=0.245 and H
mf
=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 ( )
p
AH
Hence, voidage, =1
240
1800 0.19631.636
= 0.5848

Mean bed voidage =0.5848.

EXERCISE 7.10:
A batch fluidized bed process has an initial charge of 2000 kg of solids of particle
density 1800 kg/m
3
and with the size distribution shown below:


size range number (i) size range (micron) mass fraction in feed
1 15 - 30 0.10
2 30 - 50 0.20
3 50 - 70 0.30
4 70 - 100 0.40

The bed is fluidized by a gas of density 1.2 kg/m
3
-5
Pas at a
superficial gas velocity of 0.4 m/s.
The fluid bed vessel has a cross-sectional area of 1 m
2
.

Using a discrete time interval calculation with a time increment of 5 minutes,
calculate:
(a) the size distribution of the bed after 50 minutes
(b) the total mass of solids lost from the bed in that time
(c) the maximum solids loading at the process exit
(d) the entrainment flux above the transport disengagement height of solids in size
range 1 (15 - 30 m) after 50 minutes.
Assume that the process exit is positioned above TDH and that none of the entrained
solids are returned to the bed.

(a) The size distribution of the bed after 50 minutes:
First calculate the elutriation rate constants for the four size ranges under these
conditions from the Zenz and Weil correlation (Text-Equation 7.46). The value of
particle size x used in the correlation is the arithmetic mean of each size range:
x
1
=22.5 x 10
-6
m; x
2
=40 x 10
-6
m; x
3
=60 x 10
-6
m; x
4
=85 x 10
-6
m

With U =0.40 m/s,
p
=1800 kg/m
3
and
f
=1.2 kg/m
3

K
1
*
= 0.83 kg/m
2
s
K
2
*
= 0.281 kg/m
2
s
K
3
*
= 0.131 kg/m
2
s
K
4
*
= 0.068 kg/m
2
s

From Text-Equation 7.38, the entrainment rate for particles in size range i is
R
i
=
d
dt
(M
B
m
Bi
) = K
i
*
Am
Bi


where K elutriation rate constant
i
*
=
M
B
=total mass of solids in the bed
A =area of bed surface
m
Bi
=fraction of the bed mass with size x
i
at time t.

and total rate of entrainment, R
T
= R
i
= K
i
*
Am
Bi
(7.40)

For batch operation it can best be solved by writing Equation 7.38 in finite increment
form:

(m
Bi
M
B
) = K
i
*
Am
Bi
t (7.41)

where (m
Bi
M
B
) is the mass of solids in size range i entrained in time increment t.

Then total mass entrained in time t = (m
Bi
M
B
) { }
i=1
4
(7.42)

and mass of solids remaining in the bed
at time t+t = M
B
( )
t
m
Bi
M
B
(
t
{
)
}
i=1
4
(7.43)

(where subscript t refers to the value at time t.)

Bed composition at time t+t = m
Bi
( )
t+t
=
m
Bi
M
B
( )
t
m
Bi
M
B
( )
t
[ ]
M
B
( )
t
m
Bi
M
B
( )
t
{ }
i=1
4
(7.44)

Solution to a batch entrainment problem is by sequential application of Equations
7.41 to 7.44 for the required time period. Using a time increment of 300 seconds:

Mass of solids in size range 1 entrained in time increment t =(m
B1
M
B
)
=0.83 x 1 x 0.1 x 300
=24.9 kg
B2
M
B
)
=0.281 x 1 x 0.2 x 300
=16.86 kg
B3
M
B
)

=0.131 x 1 x 0.3 x 300
=11.79 kg
B4
M
B
)
=0.068 x 1 x 0.4 x 300
=8.16 kg

Total mass entrained in first 300 seconds =61.71 kg.
Mass of solids remaining in the bed, M
B
=2000 - 61.71 =1938.29 kg.
Bed composition after the first 300 seconds (Equation 7.44):

m
B1
( )
0+300
=
0.1 2000 24.9
2000 61.71
= 0.09034

m
B2
( )
0+300
=
0.2 200016.86
2000 61.71
= 0.1977

m
B3
( )
0+300
=
0.3 200011.79
2000 61.71
= 0.3035

m
B4
( )
0+300
=
0.4 2000 8.16
2000 61.71
= 0.4085

The calculations for the remaining time steps are summarised below:
Time
(sec)
Bed loss
kg
Bed mass
kg
m
B1
m
B2
m
B3
m
B4

300 61.71 1938.3 0.0903 0.1977 0.3035 0.4085
600 59.42 1878.9 0.0812 0.1951 0.3067 0.4170
900 57.23 1821.6 0.0727 0.1922 0.3097 0.4254
1200 55.15 1766.5 0.0647 0.1890 0.3125 0.4338
1500 53.17 1713.3 0.0573 0.1855 0.3150 0.4421
1800 51.31 1662.0 0.0505 0.1819 0.3173 0.4503
2100 49.56 1612.5 0.0442 0.1779 0.3193 0.4585
2400 47.92 1564.5 0.0386 0.1738 0.3211 0.4665
2700 46.39 1518.1 0.0334 0.1695 0.3226 0.4745
3000 44.96 1473.2 0.0288 0.1649 0.3238 0.4824

Therefore size distribution of bed after 50 minutes is:

size range number (i) size range (micron) mass fraction in bed

1 15 - 30 0.0288
2 30 - 50 0.1649
3 50 - 70 0.3238
4 70 - 100 0.4824

(b) Total mass of solids entrained from the bed in 50 minutes =2000 - 1473.2
=527 kg.

(c) Maximum solids loading at the process exit. This will occur at the start of the 50
minutes period when the concentration of fines in the bed is a maximum.

initial rate of carryover =
61.71
300
= 0.2057 kg/ s
gas flow rate at exit, Q =UA =0.4 x 1 =0.4 m
3
/s
solids loading at exit =
0.2057
0.4
= 0.514 kg/ m
3

(d) the entrainment flux above the transport disengagement height of solids in size
range 1 (15 - 30 m) after 50 minutes.

From Text-Equation 7.38, entrainment rate of solids in size range 1 (above TDH)
after 50 minutes (noting that m
B1
at this time is 0.0288):
= K
1
*
Am
B1
= 0.831 0.0288 kg/s

=0.0239 kg/s

hence solids flux =
0.0239
A
=
0.0239
1.0
=0.0239 kg/m
2
.s


EXERCISE 7.11:
A powder having a particle density of 1800 kg/m
3
and the following size distribution

size range number (i) size range (micron) mass fraction in feed
1 20 - 40 0.10
2 40 - 60 0.35
3 60 - 80 0.40
4 80 - 100 0.15

is fed into a fluidized bed 2m in diameter at a rate of 0.2 kg/s. The cyclone inlet is 4m
above the distributor and the mass of solids in the bed is held constant at 4000 kg by
withdrawing solids continuously from the bed. The bed is fluidized using dry air at
700 K (density 0.504 kg/m
3
-5
Pas) giving a superficial gas
velocity of 0.3 m/s. Under these conditions the mean bed voidage is 0.55 and the
mean bubble size at the bed surface is 5 cm. For this powder, under these conditions,
U
mf
=0.155 cm/s and U
mb
=0.447 m/s.

Assuming that none of the entrained solids are returned to the bed, estimate

(a) the flow rate and size distribution of the entrained solids entering the cyclone
(b) the equilibrium size distribution of solids in the bed
(c) the solids loading of the gas entering the cyclone
(d) the rate at which solids are withdrawn from the bed.

(a) The flow rate and size distribution of the entrained solids entering the cyclone

First estimate the transport disengagement height, TDH:
From the Horio correlation (Text-Equation 7.37),
TDH == 4.47d
Bvs
0.5
= 4.47 0.05
0.5
=1.0 m.

The graphical method of Zenz (Text-Figure 7.12) gives TDH =0.25 m.
U - U
mb
=0.145 m/s =0.476 ft/s
d
b
=0.05 m =1.97 inches (for safety, take d
b
=3 inches)
TDH =10 inches =0.254 m.

From Text-Equation 7.24, mass of solids in the bed, M
B
= 1 ( )
p
AH

Hence, given =0.55,
p
=1800 kg/m
3
, M
B
=4000 kg and vessel cross-sectional
area A=
2
2
4
= 3.142 m
2
:
Applying Text-Equation 7.24, bed height, H =
4000
1800 1 0.55 ( ) 3.142
= 1.57 m.

Since the cyclone entrance is 4 metres above the distributor and the "worst case"
estimate of TDH is 1m, then the cyclone entrance may be considered to be above
TDH. Hence we may use K values to estimate carryover.
i
*

Now calculate the elutriation rate constants for the four size ranges under these
conditions from the Zenz and Weil correlation (Text-Equation 7.46). The value of
particle size x used in the correlation is the arithmetic mean of each size range:
x
1
=30 x 10
-6
m; x
2
=50 x 10
-6
m; x
3
=70 x 10
-6
m; x
4
=90 x 10
-6
m

With U =0.30 m/s,
p
=1800 kg/m
3
and
f
=0.504 kg/m
3

K
1
*
= 5.1610
2
kg/m
2
s;
K
2
*
= 1.97510
2
kg/m
2
s;
K
3
*
=1.04910
2
kg/m
2
s;
K
4
*
= 6.5410
3
kg/m
2
s

The overall and component material balances over the fluidized bed system are:

Overall balance: F =Q +R (Solution Manual Equation: 7.11.1)

Component balance: Fm
Fi
= Qm
Qi
+ Rm
Ri
(Solution Equation: 7.11.2)

where F, Q and R are the mass flow rates of solids in the feed, withdrawal and filter
discharge respectively and m
Fi
, m
Qi
and m
Ri
are the mass fractions of solids in size
range i in the feed, withdrawal and filter discharge respectively.

From Text-Equation 7.39 the entrainment rate of size range i at the gas exit from the
freeboard is given by:

R
i
=Rm (Solution Manual Equation: 7.11.3)
Ri
= K
i
*
Am
Bi

and R (Solution Manual Equation: 7.11.4) = R
i
= Rm
Ri


Combining these equations with the assumption that the bed is well mixed (m
Qi
=
m
Bi
),
m
Bi
=
Fm
Fi
F R+ K
i
*
A
(Solution Manual Equation: 7.11.5)

Now both m
Bi
and R are unknown. However, noting that m
Bi
=1, we have:

0.2 0.1
0.2 R +(5.1610
2
3.142)
+
0.2 0.35
0.2 R+ (1.97510
2
3.142)
+
0.2 0.40
0.2 R + (1.04910
2
3.142)
+
0.2 0.15
0.2 R + (6.5410
3
3.142)
=1.0

Solving for R by trial and error, R =0.0485 kg/s

Substituting R =0.0485 kg/s in Solution Manual-Equation 7.11.5,
m
B1
=0.0638; m
B2
=0.328; m
B3
=0.433 and m
B4
=0.174

Therefore size distribution of bed (answer to question b) is:
size range number (i) size range (micron) mass fraction in bed
1 20 - 40 0.0638
2 40 - 60 0.328
3 60 - 80 0.433
4 80 - 100 0.174

From Solution Manual-Equation 7.11.3, knowing R and m
Bi
, we can calculate m
Ri
:

m
R1
=
K
1
*
Am
B1
R
=
5.1610
2
3.142 0.0638
0.0485
= 0.213

similarly, m
R2
=0.420; m
R3
=0.294; m
R4
=0.074

Therefore size distribution of solids entering the cyclone is:
size range number (i) size range (micron) mass fraction entering filter
1 20 - 40 0.213
2 40 - 60 0.420
3 60 - 80 0.294
4 80 - 100 0.074


(c) Solids loading for gas entering the filter,

mass flow of solids
volume flow of gas
=
R
UA
=
0.0485
0.33.142
= 0.0515 kg/ m
3

(d) From Solution Manual-Equation 7.11.1, the rate of withdrawal of solids from the
bed,
Q =0.152 kg/s

EXERCISE 7.12:
A gas phase catalytic reaction is performed in a fluidized bed operating at a
superficial gas velocity equivalent to 10xU
mf
. For this reaction under these conditions
it is known that the reaction is first order in reactant A. Given the following
information,

kH
mf
(1-
p
)/U =100; =
K
C
H
U
B
=1.0, use the reactor model of Orcutt et al. to
determine:
(a) the conversion of reactant A,
(b) the effect on the conversion found in (a) of doubling the inventory of catalyst
(c) the effect on the conversion found in part (a) of halving the bubble size by using
suitable baffles (assuming the interphase mass transfer coefficient is inversely
proportional to the bubble diameter)

If the reaction rate were two orders of magnitude smaller, comment on the wisdom of
installing baffles in the bed with a view to improving conversion.

(a) From section 7.9 the model of Orcutt et al. gives for a first order reaction:

Conversion, 1
C
H
C
0
= 1 e
( )
1e
( )
2
kH
mf
1
p
( )
U
+ 1 e
( )
(Text-EQ. 7.65)
where, =
K
C
H
U
B
and =(U - U
mf
)/U

From the information given in the question,



00; =1.0 and
U
U
mf
=10 =
K
C
H
U
B
kH
mf
(1-
p
)/U =1
Hence, =0.9

So, from Text-Equation 7.65, conversion =0.6645
H
mf
are doubled. Thus, assuming all else
, =0.9 and kH
mf
(1-
p
)/U =200
nd so the new conversion =0.8744
the base case in (a) and K
C
is
versely proportional to bubble diameter, then K
C
increases by a factor of 2, causing
iving conversion =0.8706 [i.e. 87.06% conversion of reactant A, compared with
ler:
a):
we introduce baffles causing the bubble size to halve, then K
C
will double,
=2.0.
ence, and so conversion =0.468 [i.e. 46.8% conversion of A
n rates it is the reaction rate which is controlling the
conversion, whereas at high reaction rates it is the interphase mass transfer which
controls the conversion.
[i.e. 66.45% conversion of reactant A].

(b) If the inventory of catalyst in the bed is doubled, both the operating bed height H
and the height at incipient fluidization
remains constant, under the new conditions =2.0
a
[i.e. 87.44% conversion; increasing from 66.45%]

(c) If the bubble size is halved (compared with
in
to increase by a factor of 2. Hence = 2.0.

G
66.45% in case (a)]

(d) If the reaction rate were two orders of magnitude smal

then kH
mf
(1-
p
)/U =1. So, for the conditions in part (

conversion =0.4 [i.e. 40% conversion of reactant A]

If
giving

1e
= 0.8782 h
compared with 40% without baffles]

So at low reaction rate, the introduction of baffles to reduce bubble size and improve
interphase mass transfer, has a much smaller effect than at high reaction rates. This is
because at low reactio

Solution To Chapter 7 Exercises: Fluidization

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