EXPERIMENT # 2

INVESTIGATION OF LIQUID-SOLID FLUIDIZED BED

1A. OBJECTIVE

To verify the Richardson- Zaki equation for liquid fluidized beds.

2A. THEORY

Any increase in liquid flow beyond Umf causes the bed to expand to a new height. The
bed expands uniformly from Umf to physical transport of the bed at the terminal settling
velocity of the particles, Ut. The experimentally observed relationship on logarithmic co-
ordinates between U and E has prompted many workers to suggest the following
correlation for spherical particles
n
U=Ut

This correlation which is also valid for sedimentation is now commonly known as the
Richardson- Zaki equation.

2.1A. Minimum Fluidization Velocity, Umf

The velocity which initiates the bed to expand and fluidization starts, is called minimum
fluidization velocity.

2.2A. Terminal Settling Velocity, Ut

During Fluidization, when the total force on the particles becomes zero, the particle
reaches to a constant velocity and that is terminal settling velocity. Liquid-fluidized
systems are generally characterized by the regular expansion of the bed that takes place as
the velocity increases from the minimum fluidization velocity to the terminal settling
velocity of the particles.

2.3A. Voidage

It is the ratio of the pore volume to the bulk volume.

Vp k
Voidage, = 1
VT H

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3A. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

1. Collect initial bed height.

2. Increase the water flow rate by controlling the opening valve.
3. Collect water for a particular time and weigh the collected sample.

4A. RESULTS AND CALCULATIONS

i) On log-log paper plot superficial velocity (cm/s) against voidage ( x-axis). From
this plot find Umf, Ut and n ( R-Z index).
ii) Calculate Umf, Ut and n for the fluidized system studied and compare with
experimental values.

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5. REFERENCES
1. Foust, A. S., Wenzel, L. A., Clump, C. W., Maus, L. and Andersen, L. B. (1980).
Principles of Unit Operations, 2nd ed., New York: John Wiley & Sons.
2. Perry, R.H. and Green, D.W. (1997). , 7th ed.,
McGraw-Hill, New York.
3. Coulson, J. M., Richardson, J. F., Backhurst, J. R. and Harker, J. H. (1978). Chemical
Engineering, Vol. 2, Pergamon International library of Science, Technology,
Engineering and Social Services.
4. McCabe, W. L., Smith, J. C., and Harriott, P. (2005). Unit Operations of Chemical
Engineering, 7th ed., McGraw-Hill, Singapore.
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