ChE 4755

Particle Technology

DR. MAHBUBA JANNAT

Expansion of a Fluidized Bed
❑ Non-bubbling fluidization: Voidage increases while the loss of
pressure with increasing velocity remains constant in this region.

➢ The relative velocity between particles and fluid can be given by,
Urel T = Up − Uf = 𝐔𝐓 𝛆𝐟 𝛆
In the case of fluidization, superficial fluid velocity can be expressed
as,
𝐔 = 𝐔𝐟𝐬 = 𝐔𝐓 𝛆𝟐 𝐟 𝛆
Richardson-Zaki equation: Up = UT εn
2
Expansion of a Fluidized Bed
Effective viscosity Richardson-Zaki
𝐑𝐞𝐩
function 𝐟 𝛆 equation
< 0.3 f ε = ε2.65 Up = UT ε4.65

> 500 f ε = ε0.4 Up = UT ε2.4

In general f ε = εn Up = UT εn

3
 Expansion of a Fluidized Bed

❑ The exponent 𝐧 can be found by the following empirical relation for

any region,

4.8 − n x 0.27
0.57
= 0.043Ar 1 − 2.4
n − 2.4 D
Here, 𝐱 = 𝐱 𝐒𝐕 most preferably.

4
 Expansion of a Fluidized Bed
➢ After the calculation of the voidage, fluidized bed height can also be
calculated.
Recognizing the constancy of mass of particles ,
1 − ε1 ρp AH1 = 1 − ε2 ρp AH2
Hence,
1 − ε1
H2 = H1
1 − ε2
ε1 and ε2 are the voidage of the packed and fluidized bed respectively.
H1 and H2 are the heights of the packed and fluidized bed respectively.

5
Ref: chapter 2, Martin Rhodes 6
Ref: chapter 2, Martin Rhodes 7
Ref: chapter 2, Martin Rhodes 8
Expansion of a Fluidized Bed
❑Illustration: 𝟑. 𝟔 𝐤𝐠 of solid particles of density 𝟐𝟓𝟗𝟎 𝐤𝐠Τ𝐦𝟑 and
surface-volume mean size 𝟕𝟒𝟖 𝛍𝐦 form a packed bed of height
𝟎. 𝟒𝟕𝟓 𝐦 in a circular vessel of diameter 𝟎. 𝟎𝟕𝟓𝟕 𝐦. Water of density
𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐤𝐠Τ𝐦𝟑 and viscosity 𝟎. 𝟎𝟎𝟏 𝐏𝐚 𝐬 is passed upwards through the
bed. Calculate,
i. the bed pressure drop at incipient fluidization,
ii. the superficial liquid velocity at incipient fluidization,
iii. the mean bed voidage at a superficial liquid velocity of 𝟏. 𝟎 𝐜𝐦/𝐬,
iv. the bed height at this velocity.

9
Expansion of a Fluidized Bed
Solution:
i. Calculation of bed voidage:
mass of solids = AH 1 − ε ρp ⟹ ε = 0.3498
Frictional pressure drop:
−∆𝐩 = H 1 − ε ρP − ρf g = 𝟒𝟖𝟏𝟕 𝐏𝐚

10
 Expansion of a Fluidized Bed
ii. Superficial fluid velocity: Ergun equation for packed bed pressure
drop can be used to calculate 𝐔𝐦𝐟 .

(−∆p) 1−ε 2 μU 1 − ε ρf U 2
= 150 2 + 1.75
H ε3 xsv ε3 xsv
= 3.55 × 107 U 2 + 2.648 × 106 U
Solving for the polynomial,
𝐔𝐦𝐟 = 𝟎. 𝟑𝟔𝟓 𝐜𝐦Τ𝐬

11
 Expansion of a Fluidized Bed
iii. Mean bed voidage is related to velocity by Richardson-Zaki
equation:
Up = UT εn
Calculation of 𝐔𝐓 : The value of UT corresponding,

4 x 3 ρf ρP − ρf g
CD Rep 2 = 2
= 8704,
3 μ
Rep = 90 and Ar = 6528
is UT = 0.120 mΤs
12
Expansion of a Fluidized Bed

13
 Expansion of a Fluidized Bed
The exponent n can be calculated by,

4.8 − n x 0.27
0.57
= 0.043Ar 1 − 2.4 ⟹ n = 3.202
n − 2.4 D
Hence, the mean bed voidage,
𝛆 = 𝟎. 𝟒𝟔𝟎

iv. The height of the fluidized bed:

1 − ε1
𝐇𝟐 = H1 = 𝟎. 𝟓𝟕𝟐 𝐦
1 − ε2
14
Application of Fluidization

❑ Physical processes such as

➢ Drying
➢ Mixing
➢ Granulation
➢ Coating
➢ Heating & cooling

15
Application of Fluidization
❑ Chemical processes: The gas fluidized bed as a
medium of chemical reaction has some advantages

✓ Excellent gas-solid contacting

✓ Promotes high heat transfer between gas-particle and bed-
surface.
✓ Easy control of temperature.
✓ Easy removal of solids.

16
Expansion of a Fluidized Bed

17
18
Fluidized Bed Reactor
❑ Orcutt model of fluidized bed reactor:
The following assumptions are made in the analysis:
✓ Flow is one-dimensional and steady.
✓ Two phase theory applies: bubble phase and the particulate
phase.
✓ Perfect mixing in the particulate phase.
✓ No reaction in the bubble phase.
✓ Gas is transferred between the two phases.

19
Fluidized Bed Reactor

20
Fluidized Bed Reactor
❖ The overall mole balance can be written as,

molar flow rate molar flow rate molar flow rate

out from out from rate of conversion
of reactant
= bubble phase + particulate phase + of the reactant
into reactor
1 4
2 3
➢ Term 𝟏 : UAC0
➢ Term 𝟐 : U − Umf ACBH
Where,
CBH = Cp + C0 − Cp e−𝑧
➢ Term 𝟑 : Umf ACp

➢ Term 𝟒 : KCp j 1 − εp 1 − εB AH Where, 𝐣 is the reaction order.

21
Fluidized Bed Reactor
❑ Calculation of term (2): Consider an element of dL thickness at a height L.

rate of increase of rate of transfer of

=
reactant in the bubble phase reactant from the particulate phase

U − Umf AdCB = −K c εB AdL (CB − Cp )

Here, 𝐊 𝐜 is the mass transfer coefficient.
Integrating this equation with the boundary limit 𝐂𝐁 = 𝐂𝟎 at 𝐋 = 𝟎.
K L
− Uc
CB = Cp + C 0 − Cp e B

22
Fluidized Bed Reactor

At the surface of the bed,

𝐂𝐁𝐇 = 𝐂𝐩 + 𝐂𝟎 − 𝐂𝐩 𝐞−𝐳
𝐊𝐜𝐇
Where, 𝐳 = ; equivalent to the number of mass
𝐔𝐁
transfer units for gas exchange between the phases

23
 Fluidized Bed Reactor
❑ Calculation
of term (4):

24
 Fluidized Bed Reactor
❑ Calculation of term (4): Substituting all the terms yield the expression for 𝐂𝐩 .

UAC0 = Cp + C0 − Cp e−𝑧 U − Umf A + Umf ACp + KCp j 1 − εp 1 − εB AH

Solving for 𝐂𝐩 for a 1st order reaction,

C0 U − U − Umf e−z
Cp =
KHmf 1 − εp + U − U − Umf e−z
And the reactant concentration at gas outlet can be determined as,

Umf Cp + U − Umf CBH

CH =
U

25
Fluidized Bed Reactor
❑From the above equations, it can be shown that the conversion in a fluidized bed
reactor expressed as,
𝐂𝐇 𝟏 − 𝛃𝐞 −𝐳 𝟐
𝟏− = 𝟏 − 𝛃𝐞−𝐳 −
𝐂𝟎 𝐊𝐇𝐦𝐟 𝟏 − 𝛆𝐩
+ 𝟏 − 𝛃𝐞−𝐳
𝐔
Where,
U − Umf
β=
U
In this equation,
✓ 𝐊𝐇𝐦𝐟 𝟏 − 𝛆𝐩 Τ𝐔 represents the reaction rate
✓ 𝛃 represents the fraction of the bubbles in the medium
✓ 𝒛 represents the bed hydrodynamics.
26
Fluidized Bed Reactor

27
❑ Illustration: A gas phase catalytic reaction is performed in a fluidized bed operating at a superficial gas
velocity of 𝟎. 𝟑 𝐦Τ𝐬. For this reaction under these conditions it is known that the reaction is first order in
reactant A.
Given information:
✓ Orcutt model can be implemented
✓ Bed height at incipient fluidization = 𝟏. 𝟓 𝐦
✓ Operating mean bed height = 𝟏. 𝟔𝟓 𝐦
✓ Voidage at incipient fluidization = 𝟎. 𝟒𝟕
✓ Reaction rate constant = 𝟕𝟓. 𝟒𝟕 𝐬−𝟏
✓ Minimum fluidization velocity = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟑𝟑 𝐦Τ𝐬
✓ Mean bubble rise velocity = 𝟎. 𝟏𝟏𝟏 𝐦Τ𝐬
✓ Mass transfer coefficient between bubble and emulsion phase = 𝟎. 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟗 𝐬−𝟏
Determine
i. The rate of conversion of A.
ii. The effect of reducing the inventory by half on the conversion.
1
iii. The effect of halving the bubble size (assume K c ∞ ).
x

28
Solution:
i. The conversion for a first order fluidized bed reaction:

−𝐳 𝟐
𝐂𝐇 𝟏 − 𝛃𝐞
𝟏− = 𝟏 − 𝛃𝐞−𝐳 −
𝐂𝟎 𝐊𝐇𝐦𝐟 𝟏 − 𝛆𝐩
+ 𝟏 − 𝛃𝐞−𝐳
𝐔
Here,
U − Umf KcH KHmf 1 − εp
β= = 0.89 & z= = 1.5 & = 200
U UB U
Substituting these values,

𝐂𝐇 1 − 0.89e−1.5 2
𝟏− = 1 − 0.89e−1.5 − = 𝟎. 𝟕𝟗𝟖
𝐂𝟎 200 + 1 − 0.89e−1.5
ii. Reducing the inventory by half would result in,

H Hmf KHmf 1 − εp
H2 = ; Hmf2 = So, z = 0.75; = 100
2 2 U
29
The corresponding conversion,

𝐂𝐇 1 − 0.89e−0.75 2
𝟏− = 1 − 0.89e−0.75 −
𝐂𝟎 100 + 1 − 0.89e−0.75
= 𝟎. 𝟓𝟕𝟔

iii. Self

Discuss the controlling mechanism of this reaction.

30