CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

I.1 Aim of the Experiment

1. Determine the characteristics of fluidization.
2. Determine constants for viscous and inertial force (k1 & k2).
3. Determine the minimum fluidization velocity.
4. Determine the expansion curve in fluidization.

I.2 Principle of the Experiment

The fluid is flowed from the bottom up through a solid particle. The
decrease of fluid pressure through the bed is recorded along with the change
in velocity. Fluid velocity is slowly increased until the fluidized bed. The
fluidization characteristic curve is made based on the data obtained.

I.3 Basic Theory of Fluidization

Fluidization is a method in which solid granules are in contact with fluid
liquid or gas. As an illustration, review a column containing several spherical
solid particles. Through the bed, this solid is then drained by a gas or liquid
fluid from the bottom up. At a fairly low flow rate, solid granules will remain
stationary, because the fluid only flows through the space between particles
without causing changes in the composition of the particles and the gas-only
flows from the bottom up. Such conditions are called silent beds or fixed
beds. The fluidization state is shown in the figure :

Figure 1.1. Hydrodynamic behavior of a fluidized bed

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 If the flow rate is then raised, it will reach a situation where the solid bed
will be suspended in the fluid flow through it. In this situation, each grain will
be separated from each other so that it can move more easily. In these
movable granules, the bed will resemble a liquid with a high viscosity, for
example, the tendency to flow, have hydrostatic properties and so on. This
situation is called a fluidized bed. The properties of this fluidized-bed can be
seen in Figure 1.1.
The fluid that is passed through a particle bed will reach a pressure drop
due to friction. This pressure drop will be even greater with increasing fluid
flow through the bed. If the fluid velocity continues to increase then the point
will be reached where the solid begins to move and the bed begins to expand.
The velocity of the fluid is called the minimum velocity of the fluidized bed
(Vom). The minimum velocity when the solid starts to move occurs because
the pressure drop is balanced with the gravitational force that occurs in the
solid. In this fluidized initial condition, the bed porosity will change and will
increase with increasing fluid velocity. When the particles have been
fluidized, the fluid pressure drop tends to be constant. When the pressure drop
goes constant, the volume of fluid will expand. This fluidization phenomenon
can be seen from its characteristic curve as in the following figure:

Figure 1.2. Pressure drop chart and bed height vs superficial velocity of
solids

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 Figure 1.2 is an explanation when the fluid velocity is slowly decrease,
then from point C it will return through the same path to point B. However,
the subsequent decrease in velocity from point B will go through a different
path from line A because the pores that were initially empty after passing
through the fluid will be filled the fluid. Therefore the path through which the
fluid passes when its velocity drops will be different so that the initial and
final bed height and pressure drop will be different.
A model of the fluid is considered through solids in a straight path like
tubes in figure 1.3.

Modelling

Channel

Fluid

Figure 1.3. A straight fluid transfer path through solids in a fixed bed.

Bed

Fluid

Figure 1.4. A Picture of the fluid displacement path turns on the solid in the
silent bed.

Figure 1.4. is the fact the path through which the fluid turns through solid
particles because through these solid particles there is friction by the fluid.
The total force of friction by the fluid is caused by viscous force and inertial
force. The total friction force per unit area A can be expressed as:
F Fv Fi .
  (1)
A A A

(2)

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 where :
Fv= Viscous Force
Fi = Inertial Force

= ( )
= ( )
(3)

where :
Dp = particle diameter
v = volume of 1 particle
s = area of 1 particle
ε = Porosity of the bed, depending on the distribution of the shape
and size of the particles, the ratio of the particle size to the column
diameter and the bed preparation method.
V = fluid velocity in channel =

Vo = fluid velocity before entering the bed in the column

ρ = fluid density
μ = fluid viscosity
( )
A = total surface area of the channel wall =

L = total height of the bed

Fixed Bed

Surface area = So

Figure 1.5. : Bed before fluidization

Figure 1.5 describe when the fluid in to under the fixed bed, fixed bed
have height and particle total.
(4)
Vbed total = So L

Bed porosity (  ) = (5)

( )

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 =
( ) (6)
.

Vcavity =  So L
Vtotal particle = V total bed - Vcavity
= SoL - SoL
= SoL( 1 -  ) (7)
Fluid velocity :
vo = velocity in columns without particles ( supervicial velocity )
v = velocity in columns with particles ( interstetial velocity )

If Q = fluid volumetric flow rate, then: :

Q that flows in the column = Q that flows in the cavity

v= vo
ε (8)
If : NP = total particle in bed
SP = surface area of one particle
then the total particle surface area in bed (AS) is
AS = NP SP
If : VP = volume of one particle, then::
VPartikel total
NP = =
VP
Then :
So . L (1 - ε) (9)
AS = . SP
VP

rH =

rH = Hydraulic radius = wetted channel / circumferential cross-sectional area:

So . L (1- ε) So . ε . L ε . VP (10)
= = =
AS So . L (1 - ε) .SP (1 - ε) .SP
VP

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Combining equation ( 8 ), ( 9 ), ( 10 ) to ( 2 ), gives :
L.S o . ρ . (1 - ε) . S P  k 1 . μ . v o . S P . (1 - ε) 2
FD . g c  2   k 2 .vo  (11)
VP . ε  ρ . VP 
FD =drag force = loss energy
The loss of energy is in the form of a pressure drop ( -  P ) :
- P =

FD = -  P  So (12)
Combining Eqs. ( 12 ) and ( 11 ), gives :
 ΔP . g c (1 - ε) . S P  k 1 . μ . v o . S P . (1 - ε) 2
 3   k 2 .vo 
ρ.L ε . VP  ρ . VP 
(13)

SP 6

VP Φ. DP
where :
 = shape factor, forsphere  = 1
DP = particle diameter
Equation (13) becomes :
 ΔP . g c . ε 3 . Φ . D P 36 . k 1 . μ . (1 - ε)
2
 2  6.k2 (14)
v o . ρ . L . (1 - ε) vo .ρ .Φ . D P
Ergun value :

k1 = 150 dan k2 = 1,75

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Substitution equation (14) obtained an Ergun equation :
 ΔP . g c . ε 3 . Φ . D P 150 . μ . (1 - ε) (15)
 + 1,75
v o . ρ . L . (1 - ε) vo .ρ . Φ . DP

The left-hand equation (15) is defined as a friction factor for beds (fp).
 ΔP . g c . ε 3 . Φ . D P
fp = 2
v o . ρ . L . (1 - ε)
Equation (15) becomes :
150. (1 - ε)
fp =  1,75 (16)
Φ . N Re,p

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  For laminar flow, equation (16) becomes:
2
 ΔP . g c . ε 3 . Φ 2 . D P
 150 (17)
v o . L . (1 - ε) 2 . μ

Equation (17) is Kozeny–Carman Equation or Laminar Flow

Equation
 For turbulent flow, viscous force is ignored, which controls inertial
force.
Equation (16) becomes:
fp = 1,75
 ΔP . g c . ε 3 . Φ . D P (18)
2
 1,75
v o . ρ . L . (1 - ε)

Equation (18) is Blake–Plummer Equation.

Fluidization Bed
If through a bed the fluid (gas-liquid) is decrease from below, then the
fluid velocity exceeds a certain number, the bed will expand and the particles
in the column will move randomly but not be carried away by fluid flow. A
phenomenon above is fluidization. The minimum fluid velocity for
fluidization to occur is called the fluidization minimum velocity. When the
fluidization occurs, the force equilibrium occurs:
FD Fb
FD =drag force
Fb = bouyancy force
Fg = grafity force
Fg
FD + Fb = Fg
FD = Fg - Fb ( 19 )
where :
P = particle density
f = fluid density
Equation (19) becomes :
g
- P = (1- ε). L.(ρP - ρf ) ( 20 )
gc

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For fluidization minimum, combining equation (20) and Ergun equation (15)
2
150.μ . vom .(1- ε m ) vom .ρf
g (ρP - ρf )   1,75 3 ( 21 )
3 2
ε m . Φ2 . DP ε m . Φ. D P

∆P g ( 22 )
= (1-ԑ)(  -  )
L gc p

From equation (21), minimum fluidization velocity Vom can obtained :

 For NRe< 1, eqs (21) becomes :

150. μ . v om . (1 - ε m )
g (P - f)  3 2
ε m .Φ2 .DP

3 2
g (ρ P - ρ f ) . ε m . Φ 2 . D P
vom 
150 . μ .(1 - ε m )

 For NRe> 1000, eqs (21) becomes :

2
1,75 . v om . ρ f
g (P - f)  3
ε m .Φ .D P

g . ρ P  ρ f . ε m .  . D p
3

vom 
1,75. ρ f
where :
vom = minimum fluidization velocity
m = porosity at vom
Expansion of Fluidized Beds
𝐿 𝐴(1 − 𝜀 ) = 𝐿 𝐴(1 − 𝜀 )

= ( 23 )

The unit is expanded due to increasing flow velocity and because the total
pressure drop remains constant, the pressure drop per unit length will decrease
as the porosity increases. For fluidized particulates, the expansion is uniform,
and the Ergun equation, which is used by a fixed bed, is expected to maintain
an approach for slight expansion in the bed.

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 𝑉 ois the independent variable and ԑ is the dependent variable. If should,ԑ /
(1 − ԑ) proportional to𝑉 o to be greater than 𝑉

Figure 1.6. Bed expansion in particulate fluidization.

Figure 1.6. describe the actual expansion is a little less than the predicted
overmuch of the range. This is caused by local variations in particle cavities
which reduce hydrostatic resistance.
Fluidization Phenomena
Phenomena that can occur in the fluidization process include:
a. The fixed bed phenomenon occurs when the fluid flow rate is less than the
minimum rate needed for the initial fluidization process. In this condition,
solid particles remain stationary.
b. The minimum phenomenon or incipient fluidization occurs when the fluid
flow rate reaches the minimum flow rate needed for the fluidization
process. In this condition, solid particles begin to expand.
c. The phenomenon of smooth or homogenously fluidization occurs when
the velocity and distribution of fluid flow is uniform, the density, and
distribution of particles in the same or homogeneous bed so that the
expansion of each solid particle is uniform.

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d. The phenomenon of bubbling fluidization that occurs when bubbles in the
bed are formed due to the homogeneous density and distribution of
particles.
e. The slugging fluidization phenomenon occurs when large bubbles
reaching the width of the column diameter are formed in solid particles. In
this condition, there is an upheaval so that solid particles are lifted.
f. The phenomenon of channeling fluidization that occurs when solid
particles are formed channels such as vertical tubes.
g. Dispersion fluidization phenomenon that occurs when the fluid flow
velocity exceeds the maximum velocity of fluid flow. In this phenomenon,
some particles will be carried by fluid flow and expansion reaches
maximum value.
These fluidization phenomena are strongly influenced by factors:
• Fluid flow rate and fluid type
• Particle size and particle shape
• Particle type and density and interlocking factors between particles
• Bed porosity
• Flow distribution
• Distribution of fluid size
• Column diameter
• Bed height.
Application
In the industrial world, fluidization is applied in many ways such as
transport of solid powder (solid conveyor), mixing of fine solids, heat transfer
(such as cooling for hot alumina ore), plastic coating on metal surfaces, drying
and sizing processes in combustion, particle growth process and condensation
of materials that can experience sublimation, adsorption (for air drying with
adsorbents), and many other applications.
Fluidized applications have a wide application because the characteristics
of heat transfer are very good. This is supported by changing the properties of
the bed to be like fluid so that the heat transfer that occurs is convection. Thus,
the particles and gases entering the fluidized bed immediately reach the bed

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 temperature and the particles in the bed are isothermal in all situations. This
isothermal state is due to uniform mixing and a wide contact area between gas
and particles.

I.4 Hypothesis
1. Average dense zone solid holdup decrease with the increasing height of the
fluidized bed.
2. In laminar flow, the value of k1 (viscous force) will be more dominant.
Whereas in turbulent flow, the k2 (inertial force) value will be more
dominant.
3. The minimum velocity of the fluidization depends on porosity, diameter
particle, and height of the column fluidization.
4. If the fluid flow velocity increases, the porosity will increase.

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