1.

0 TITLE
Fluidized Bed

2.0 OBJECTIVES
-To determine the pressure drop across fluidized bed
-To verify the Carman- Kozeny equation
-To observed the differences between particulate and aggregative fluidization.

3.0 INTRODUCTION
A fluidized-bed reactor (FBR) is a combination of the two most common, packed-bed and
stirred tank, continuous flow reactors. In FBR, the substrate is passed upward through the
immobilized enzyme bed at a high enough velocity to lift the particles. However, the
velocity must not be so high that the enzymes are swept away from the reactor entirely.
This type of reactor is ideal for highly exothermic reaction because it eliminates local hot-
spots, due to its mass and heat transfer characteristics mentioned before.
The increase in FBR use in todays industrial world is due to the inherent advantages of
the technology. FBR perform uniform particle mixing and temperature gradients and
ability to operate reactor in continuous state. On the other hands, FBR does have its draw-
backs, which must take consideration. FBR need to increased reactor vessel size to solve
the expansion of the bed materials in the reactor. The requirement for fluid to suspend the
solid material necessitates that a higher fluid velocity is attained in the reactor. The high
gas velocities present in this style of reactor often result in fine particles becoming
entrained in the fluid. This may continue is an expensive problem even with other
entrainment reducing technologies. The fluid-like behaviors of the fine solid particles with
the bed eventually result in the wear of the reactor vessel. This can require expensive
maintenance and upkeep for the reaction vessel and pipes. If fluidization pressure is
suddenly lost, the surface area of the bed may be suddenly reduced. This can either be an
inconvenience, such as runaway reaction.
Possible solid particle fluid mixture state are: fixed bed, stationary fluidized bed, bottom
feeding and overflow at the free surface of the bed, or vice versa, vertical conveying in
the dense bed, low density vertical and horizontal conveying, downward particle
movement in the dense bed and spouted bed. Dense phase, non-fluidized solid floe, in
which particles move en bloc, with little relative velocity, has been referred to as moving-
bed flow, packed bed flow or slip-stick flow. The voidage is close to the minimum
fluidization value. Vertical down flow is often used with the fluid moving faster than
solids. Upflow of non-fluidized particles is not common. The spouted bed is a combination
of a jet-like upward moving dilute fluidized phase surrounded by a slow downwards
moving bed through which gas percolates upwards. The use of such system is limited to a
few physical operations with large particles. Using some bed expansion and higher flow
rates will give higher mass transfer rates from the liquid to the particles. Clogging and
dead zones will also be avoided and attrition may help in controlling. Depending on
particle size and density, liquid and gas flow rates, the use of recycle and bed geometry,
several mixing patterns may be obtained in which the liquid phase and the solid phase are
mixed or not.

It is most often applied in immobilized-enzyme catalysis where viscous. Particulate
substrates are to be handled. FBR are used for produce gasoline and other fuels, along
with many other chemicals. Many industrials produced polymers are made using FBR
technology, such as rubber, vinyl chloride, polyethylene, styrenes and polypropylene.
Various utilities also use FBRs for coal gasification, nuclear power plants, and water and
waste water treatment setting.
4.0 MATERIAL AND EQUIPMENT










5.0 RESULTS AND CALCULATIONS

Column inner diameter = 46 mm
Carbon Height of the bed (Initial) = 135 mm
Length of tube = 470 mm

The results of the experiment is tabulated as below:
Air Flow Rate
(LPM)
Differential Pressure (mbar)
Air Carbon Acrylic
8 0 1 1
10 0 1 1
12 0 1 1
14 0 1 1
16 0 1 1
18 0 1 1
20 0 1 1
22 0 1 1
24 0 2 1
26 0 2 1
28 0 2 1
30 0 2 1
32 0 2 1
34 0 2 1
36 0 2 1
38 0 2 1
40 0 2 1
42 0 2 1
44 0 2 1
46 0 2 1
48 0 2 1
50 0 2 1
52 0 2 1
54 0 2 1
56 0 2 1
58 0 2 1
60 0 3 1
62 0 3 1
64 0 3 1
66 0 3 1
68 0 3 1
70 0 3 1
72 0 3 1
74 0 3 1
76 0 3 1
78 0 3 1
80 0 3 1
82 0 3 1
84 0 3 1
86 0 3 1
88 0 3 1
90 0 3 1
91.2 0 3 1
Table 1.1 Results of the experiment



To calculate the Fluid Velocity, we will use this equation:
=

32
()

Where,
= Mean velocity of the tube
= Viscosity of the fluid = 1.983 10

kg /m s

= Diameter of the tube (m)

= Length of the tube (m)

= Differential Pressure (Pa)

Thus for carbon grain
Differential
Pressure
(mbar)
Differential
Pressure (Pa)
Mean velocity
(m/s)
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
2 200 14.18976191
2 200 14.18976191
2 200 14.18976191
2 200 14.18976191
2 200 14.18976191
2 200 14.18976191
2 200 14.18976191
2 200 14.18976191
2 200 14.18976191
2 200 14.18976191
2 200 14.18976191
2 200 14.18976191
2 200 14.18976191
2 200 14.18976191
2 200 14.18976191
2 200 14.18976191
2 200 14.18976191
2 200 14.18976191
3 300 21.28464287
3 300 21.28464287
3 300 21.28464287
3 300 21.28464287
3 300 21.28464287
3 300 21.28464287
3 300 21.28464287
3 300 21.28464287
3 300 21.28464287
3 300 21.28464287
3 300 21.28464287
3 300 21.28464287
3 300 21.28464287
3 300 21.28464287
3 300 21.28464287
3 300 21.28464287
3 300 21.28464287




The graph of Pressure drop Against Fluid Velocity for Carbon:









y = 1
R = #N/A
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
P
r
e
s
s
u
r
e

(
m
b
a
r
)
Mean velocity (m/s)
Graph of Pressure Drop Vs Fluid Velocity
For Acrylic
Differential
Pressure
(mbar)
Differential
Pressure (Pa)
Mean velocity
(m/s)
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956
1 100 7.094880956

The Graph of Pressure drop against Fluid velocity for Acrylic

y = 1
R = #N/A
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
P
r
e
s
s
u
r
e

(
m
b
a
r
)
Mean velocity (m/s)
Graph of Pressure Drop Vs Fluid Velocity
By combining both Graphs for both materials:












0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
0 5 10 15 20 25
P
r
e
s
s
u
r
e

D
r
o
p
Mean Fluid Velocity
Graph of Pressure drop Vs Mean Fluid Velocity
Carbon grain Acrylite Linear (Carbon grain)
6.0 DISCUSSION



Figure 6.1: Schematic Diagram of Fluidized Bed Unit

Calculation of this experiment is done by using the Carmen-Kozeny equation
which is given below,

where u = mean velocity of the tube
= viscosity of the fluid
dt = diameter of the tube
lt = length of the tube
W
a
t
e
r

C
o
l
u
m
n

A
i
r

C
o
l
u
m
n

dp dp
Digital Water
Flow Meter
Main ON/OFF
Switch
Water Bypass
Valve
Water Flow
Control Valve
Water
Pump
Water
Tank
Digital Air
Flow Meter
Air Flow Control
Valve
Digital Pressure
Drop Meter
(Water Column)
Digital Pressure
Drop Meter (Air
Column)
Based on the equation, pressure drop, P is directly proportional to the velocity, u. The
higher the velocity, the higher the pressure drop or vice versa. In this experiment, carbon
grain and acrylic are being used to test the differential pressure for air system across the
tube. Based on the graphs that we have plotted, they showed a direct relationship between
differential pressure and velocity across the tube. When the differential pressure is
increases, the velocity increases too. The experiment for carbon grain is successful as the
velocity across the tube increases as the differential pressure increases. However, for
acrylic, it is not successful because the pressure remains constant in the whole experiment.
The pressure indicator might encounter some errors during the process.
During the experiment, we can observe that when the air is passing upwards
through the particle at a very low flow rate, which is also at low fluid velocities, the bed
will remain packed and the particles would not move. When the air flow rate is increased
sufficiently, a point will be reached at which the drag force on a particle will be balanced
by the net weight of the particle. The particles are suspended in the upward moving air
and it will move away from one another and this is the point of incipient fluidization at
and beyond which the bed is said to be fluidized.
On the other hand, we also observe that the initial and final height of the test
material in the column before and after experiment is different. This means that there is
some air trapped between the test materials or the test materials are held loosely in the
column or not compressed. When we are testing for acrylic, there are some black particles
which are believed to be carbon grains left in the column. Hence, this might gives us
inaccurate results for this experiment. Besides, the digital flow meter and pressure drop
meter are not sensitive to give small reading of flow rate. This will cause inaccurate result.
There are few precaution steps need to be taken. It is important to open the compressor
valve slowly to avoid excess strong air flow pressure from entering the column. Opening
compressor valve in sudden will trigger the material in the column to burst out from the
air outlet. While changing the test materials from the column, make sure that the column
is perfectly cleaned to avoid any contamination for the next test material.

7.0 CONCLUSION
The experiments shows that the Pressure drop is having a direct proportional relationship
to the air velocity, however it will come constant when it reaches a maxiumum point of
the air velocity. From the experiment, the variation of the pressure drop for carbon grain
is greater than acrylic, this can be explain as the mass of the acrylic and volume of acrylic
is greater than the carbon grain. The Carmen-Kozerny Equation verified.
8.0 REFERENCES
Rhodes, M. (2008). Introduction to particle technology (1st ed.). Chichester, England:
Wiley.