COVER PAGE

NAME OF EXPERIMENT:
Packed And Fluidized Bed
STUDENT(s) NAME:
Abdullah Alturki
Mohammed Ahmed
Abbas Al-Saleh
Ziyad Al-Muayli
Muath Alwarthan

STUDENT(s) ID:
218011786
218008416
219009679
218010212
218019097

DAY, DATE&TIME:
Monday, 3/4/2023 & 12:50 PM
 MINOR REPORT EVALUATION SHEET

Reporting, interpreting and analyzing Grade Max.

1 Abstract 5
2 Table of measurements and results 5
3 Sample of calculations 20
4 Figures, Sources of error and validation of results 20
5 Discussion, conclusion and recommendations 20
Total 70

Writing, Editing, and Presentation Max.

1 Cover Page, evaluation sheet and table of content 5
2 Numbering of Pages, tables, figures, and organizing the report 10
3 Typing 5
4 Citations & referencing 5
5 Language 5
Total 30

Report Grade 100

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Abstract
The aim of the experiment was to calculate the minimum fluidization velocity and to justify
the Ergun equation. The alumina bed that was used in this experiment was fluidized using
air as the fluid flowed from the bottom to the top of the tube. The flowrate was increased
until the fluidization happened at 300 𝐿/ℎ. The behavior of the bed was observed and
recorded during the experiment. The two methods used gave unreasonably high error
percentages 62% and 22% respectively.

Table of measurements
Table 1:Table of measurements.

Qv(l/h) (cm) Z (cm) Observations

50 16.000 10.300 Z has not changed

100 19.000 10.500 ΔH increased rapidly
150 19.500 11.250 ΔH increased
200 19.600 11.400 ΔH increased
250 21.750 11.500 ΔH increased
300 20.000 12.000 Start Fluidization
350 19.700 12.100 ΔH decreased
400 19.000 12.200 ΔH decreased
450 19.500 12.400 Too light
500 19.500 12.500 Too light

Initial height of the bed: 10 cm.

Table of results
Table 2: Table of results.

Qv(l/h) Um(m/s) P tot(Pa) P empty(Pa) ln Um lnP Re

50 0.005 1566.775 0.000 -5.316 7.357 0.083
100 0.010 1860.545 0.000 -4.623 7.529 0.165
150 0.015 1909.507 0.000 -4.217 7.555 0.248
200 0.020 1919.299 0.000 -3.930 7.560 0.331
250 0.025 2129.834 0.000 -3.707 7.664 0.414
300 0.029 1958.468 0.000 -3.524 7.580 0.496
350 0.034 1929.091 0.000 -3.370 7.565 0.579
400 0.039 1860.545 0.000 -3.237 7.529 0.662
450 0.044 1909.507 0.000 -3.119 7.555 0.744
500 0.049 1909.507 0.000 -3.013 7.555 0.827
Sample of calculations
Note: All of following calculations were done for the first run.

Area of the tube = ( ÷ 2) × π = 2.83 × 10 m

Initial height of the bed: 10 cm.

𝑄 (𝐿⁄ℎ) = 50

𝑄 50 𝐿⁄ℎ × 2.78 × 10 m
𝑈𝑚 = = = 0.005 𝑚/𝑠.
𝐿 𝑠 𝐿 𝑠
𝐴 ∗ 1000 ∗ 3600 1000 ∗ 3600
𝑚 ℎ 𝑚 ℎ

∆𝐻 = 16 𝑐𝑚

16 𝑐𝑚 998.2𝑘𝑔 9.81𝑚
∆𝑃 = ∆𝐻 ∗ 𝜌 ∗ 𝑔 = 𝑐𝑚 ∗ 𝑚 ∗ = 1566.77 𝑃𝑎
100 𝑠
𝑚

𝑍 = 10.3 𝑐𝑚

𝑙𝑛 𝑈𝑚 = 𝑙𝑛 (0.005) = −5.316

𝑙𝑛 ∆𝑃 = 𝑙𝑛 (1566.77) = 7.357

𝜌𝑉𝐷 1.204 × 0.005 × 1.06 × 10

𝑅𝑒 = = = 0.083
𝜇(1 − 𝜀) 1.516 × 10 × (1 − 0.5)

Method 1:
VoM  ( )
=
. × × . ×( . )∗( . × )
= 0.0479 .
( ɛ ) µ ( . )× . ×

. .
Error × 100 = 62%
.

Method 2:
g (ρp − ρ) Dp 2 . ×( . )∗( . × ) 𝑚
VoM0.0008 = 0.0008 = 0.0230 𝑠 .
µ . ×

. .
Error × 100 = 22%
.
Discussion
Figure 1 indicates that pressure drop, and the volumetric flowrate increased with
each other before the fluidization point. At trail 6, the volumetric flowrate was 300 L/h and
the pressure difference of 1958.468 Pa at which the fluidization occurred when the pressure
dropped. Observed from the Figure, that the pressure keeps dropping after the fluidization
point Fig.1. The two theoretical methods to find the Minimum fluidization velocity were
used and compared to the actual value collected from the data gathered for the experiment.
For the first method, the theoretical value was found to be 0.0479 m/s with error about
62%. For the second method, the theoretical value was found to be 0.0230 m/s with error
about 22%.

The causes of these high errors are:

 Friction between the powder particles and the air particles since Friction causes a
lost the velocity of the fluidizing fluid.
 Mistakes were made during the taking of the readings while doing the experiment
especially after the bubbling takes place.

Recommendation
 Repeating the experiment multiple time to get an accurate and reasonable results.
 Duo to some bubbles getting trapped in the powder during the experiment, the
high that was measured is not just the of the powder alone. So, it is
Recommended to tap the tube during the experiment to get rid of the trapped
bubbles.

Pressure Drop Versus The Volumetric Flowrate

2200.000

2100.000

2000.000
P tot(Pa)

1900.000

1800.000

1700.000

1600.000

1500.000
50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500

Qv(L/h)
Figure 1: Pressure drop vs volumetric flowrate.
Reference

1. ChE 306: Chemical Engineering Lab I Manual