FLUIDIZED BED REACTOR

Presented by,
GOWTHAM RAJ P
(15CHR035)
GOWSALYA S (15CHR033)
BASIL THAMPI(15CHR013)
INTRODUCTION
 A fluidized bed reactor (FBR) is a type of reactor device that can
be used to carry out a variety of multiphase chemical reactions.
 In this type of reactor, a fluid (gas or liquid) is passed through a
solid granular material at high enough velocities to suspend the
solid and cause it to behave as though it were a fluid.
 The first fluidized bed gas generator was developed by Fritz
Winkler in Germany in the 1920.
FUNDAMENTALS OF FBR
 FLUIDIZATION :Fluidization is a process similar to liquefaction
whereby a granular material is converted from a static solid-like state to a
dynamic fluid-like state. This process occurs when a fluid (liquid or gas) is
passed up through the granular material.
 FLUIDIZATION VELOCITY : At lower fluid velocities, the solids
remain in place as the fluid passes through the voids in the material. This
is known as a packed bed reactor. As the fluid velocity is increased, the
reactor will reach a stage where the force of the fluid on the solids is
enough to balance the weight of the solid material. This stage is known as
incipient fluidization and occurs at this minimum fluidization velocity.
FLUIDIZED BED REACTOR
TYPES OF FLUIDIZATION
FLUIDIZATION REGIME DEPENDS ON :

1. Fluid properties
2. Fluid velocity
3. Pipe diameter
4. Solid properties
Methods for Regime Transition Identification
Several measurement methods have been utilized to determine the transition
from bubbling or slugging to turbulent fluidization which can be classified into
three groups:-

 Visual Observation,.
 Pressure Drop-versus Velocity diagram.
 local and overall bed expansion.
 Based on signals from pressure transducers, capacitance probes
PARTICULATE FLUIDIZATION

 In the liquid – solid system at high velocities if the fluidization is

characterized by the large but uniform & smooth expansion of solid
bed.
 Eg: Sand fluidized with water,expansion of bed as velocity of water
is increased.
AGGREGATE OR BUBBLING
FLUIDIZATION
 If the velocity is greater than
minimum fluidization then the
bubbling occurs.
 At the higher velocity agitation
becomes more violent & movement
of solid becomes vigorous.
 Bed does not expand.
 SLUGGING FLUIDIZATION

 In gas –solid system, gas bubbles coalesce & grow as they rise & deep
enough to spread across the vessel.
 Fine particles flow smoothly down by the wall around the rising void of
gas. It is called axial slugging.
 Coarse particles pushed up by the piston covers whole and finally
disintegrate. It is called flat slug.
TURBUENT FLUIDIZATION

 At high superficial gas velocity the

terminal velocity of solid is exceeded.
 The bed expand so that there can no longer
be a dispersed bubble phase entrainment
becomes appreciable.
 Turbulent motion of solid cluster is
observed.
CIRCULATING FLUID BED SYSTEM

 If the velocity exceeds turbulent fluidization all the particles rapidly

entrained with the gas , which can be removed by a cyclone and
returned to the unit.
 Suspension of solid is low.
 Eg: used in pneumatic transport of solid.
 The Model of Kunii and Levenspiel
 ASSUMPTIONS FOR FORMULATING MODEL
 Gas from the bottom will flows up as bubbles
 Mass transfer occurs in and out of the bubbles
 Catalytic reaction involved in the solid particles
 Mass transfer of products into bubbles and the bubbles leave the reactor with product
FACTORS AFFECTING FBR
 Mass transport rate
 Bubble residence time
 Rate of reaction
Parameters needed to design fluidized bed
reactor
 𝜺𝒎𝒇 : porosity of bed under minimum fluidization condition
 Ub : velocity at which the bubbles raised inside the reactor
 𝜹 : fraction of reactor consisting of bubbles
 Mass o the solid
The mass of solids in bed is given by,  

𝑾𝒔 = 𝝆𝒄𝑨𝒄𝒉𝒔 (𝟏 − 𝜺𝒔) = 𝝆𝒄𝑨𝒄𝒉 (𝟏 − 𝜺)

𝑾𝒔- mass o the solid 𝒉𝒔 - settled height of catalyst
𝝆𝒄 -density of catalyst ( 𝟏 − 𝜺𝒔 ) - porosity of the settled bed
𝑨𝒄 - cross sec area 𝒉 - height at any time

 Minimum fluidization velocity

After the drag exerted on the particles equals the net gravitational force exerted on the
particles, then the pressure drop is

∆𝑷 = 𝒈 (𝝆𝒄 – 𝝆𝒈) (𝟏 – 𝜺mf) 𝒉

By Ergun equation
Minimum fluidization velocity
𝒖𝒎𝒇 = (𝝋𝒅𝒑)𝟐 𝒈(𝝆𝒄 − 𝝆𝒈) (𝜺𝒎𝒇)𝟐
𝟏𝟓𝟎𝝁 𝟏 −𝜺𝒎𝒇
  
 its valid for the Reynolds number less than 10 and for fine particles
Thus sphericity can be calculated by
𝝋 =  𝑨𝒔 = 𝝅 𝟏 /𝟑 (𝟔𝑽𝒑) 𝟐/ 𝟑
𝑨𝒑 𝑨𝒑
second parameter is the void fraction at the time of minimum fluidization 𝜺𝒎𝒇.

𝜺𝒎𝒇 = 𝟎.𝟓𝟖𝟔𝝋−𝟎𝟕𝟐
.
𝝁𝟐 𝟎𝟎𝟐𝟗
.
𝝆𝒈 𝟎𝟎𝟐𝟏
.

𝝆𝒈𝜼𝒅𝒑𝟑 𝝆𝒄

Another Correlation commonly used is

𝜺 𝒎𝒇 = (𝟎.𝟎𝟕𝟏 /𝝋) 𝟏 /𝟑 or 𝜺 𝒎𝒇 = 𝟎.𝟎𝟗𝟏(𝟏 −𝜺𝒎𝒇)
𝝋𝟐
 Maximum fluidization velocity
The point at which the drag on an individual particle is about to exceed the gravitational force
exerted on it is called the maximum fluidization velocity.

Maximum Velocity through the bed 𝑢𝑡 is given for fine particles, the Reynolds number
will be small, and the two relationships presented by Kunii and Levenspiel are

𝒖𝒕 = 𝜼𝒅𝒑𝟐 for Re < 0.4

𝟏𝟖𝝁
𝒖𝒕 = (1.78×10-2 𝜼2 /𝝆𝒈 𝝁)1/3 (𝒅𝒑) for 0.4 < Re < 500
Descriptive Behavior of a Fluidized Bed

 The fluidized bed had to be treated as a two- phase system – an emulsion

phase and a bubble phase (often called the dense and lean phases). The
bubbles contain very small amounts of solids. They are not spherical; rather
they have an approximately hemispherical top and a pushed-in bottom.
Each bubble of gas has a wake that contains a significant amount of solids.
ASSUMPTIONS
The bubbles are all of one size.

 The solids in the emulsion phase flow smoothly downward, essentially in plug flow.
 The emulsion phase exists at minimum fluidizing conditions.
 The gas occupies the emulsion phase is considered to be approximately equal to the void
fraction at the minimum fluidization condition.
 Solids move downwards due to gravitational force

 In the wakes, the concentration of solids is equal to the concentration of solids in the
emulsion phase, and therefore the gaseous void fraction in the wake is also the same as in
the emulsion phase. Because the emulsion phase is at the minimum fluidizing condition,

the void fraction in the wake is equal to 𝜺 𝒎𝒇

 Velocity of gas in the emulsion phase

𝒖𝒆 = 𝒖𝒎𝒇 − 𝒖𝒔
𝜺 𝒎f
𝒖𝒎𝒇 : minimum fluidization velocity
𝜺𝒎f : Porosity of bed under minimum fluidization
𝒖𝒔 : Velocity of solids flowing downward in emulsion phase
 Bubble velocity
For a single bubble
𝒖𝒃𝒓 = (𝟎.𝟕𝟏) (𝒈𝒅𝒑)𝟏𝟐/
In fluidized state
𝒖𝒃= 𝒖𝒃𝒓 + (𝒖𝟎 − 𝒖𝒎𝒇)
𝒖𝟎 is the supericial velocity
 the fraction 𝛿 of the bed occupied by the bubbles is
𝜹 = 𝒖𝟎 − 𝒖𝒎𝒇
𝒖𝒃
which is valid for 𝒖𝒃 >> 𝒖𝒎𝒇
ADVANTAGES

 Uniform particle mixing.

 Uniform temperature gradients.
 Ability to operate reactor in continuous state.
DISADVANTAGES

 Increased reactor vessel size.

 Pumping requirements and pressure drop.
 Particle entrainment.
 Erosion of internal components.
 Pressure loss scenarios.
APPLICATIONS
ADVANCED MATERIALS:
 Silicon production for semi
conductor and solar industry.
CHEMICAL AND
PETROCHEMICAL:
 Cracking of hydrocarbons.
 Gas phase polymeric reactions.
PHYSICAL OPERATIONS:
 Coating of metal and glass objects.
 Drying of solids
 Roasting of food
PHARMACEUTICAL:
 Coating of pills.
 Production of plant cell and animal
cell.