Pergamon Chemical Engineering Science, Vol. 51, No. 11, pp.

2727-2732, 1996
Copyright 1996 Elsevie~ Science Ltd
Printed in Great Britain. All rights reserved
0009-2509/96 $15.00 + 0.00
S0009-2509(96)00143-1

FLUIDIZATION OF POTATO STARCH

IN A STIRRED VIBRATING FLUIDIZED BED

N.J.M. KUIPERS, E.J. STAMHUIS and A.A.C.M. BEENACKERS

Universityof Groningen,Departmentof ChemicalEngineering,Nijenborgh4, 9747 AG Groningen,The Netherlands

Abstract - A novel gas-solid reactor for cohesive C-powders such as potato starch is introduced,
designed and characterized, the so-called stirred vibrating fluidized bed. The effects of a sinusoidal
vibration of the gas distributor and/or stirring of the bed are investigated. The fluidization index,
bed expansion, torque and visual behaviour of the bed are determined as a function of air velocity,
bed height and moisture content of the starch, stirrer type and speed and vibration frequency and
amplitude. For a potato starch bed of 0.76 m initial height and 0.288 m diameter with a moisture
content W --- 13.1 weight% dry basis, channel formation can be suppressed only if the aerated bed
is effectively stirred: With fiat stirrer blades this can be realized for stirring speeds above 1.67 rps
provided the interblade distance is below 124 ram. Even then, the bed consists of agglomerates
(flocks) of starch. Alternatively, vibration of the gas distributor of the aerated bed at best results in
channel elimination in the lower part of the bed only. Sufficient vibration, however, can destroy
starch agglomerates even at the surface of a bed of 0.76 m. By simultaneously applying both
vibration and stirring of the aerated bed, it is possible to eliminate both channelling and starch
agglomeration. Even homogeneous fluidization is possible. Optimal combinations of stirring and
vibration parameters are reported for various bed heights and moisture contents.

INTRODUCTION
To avoid excessive drying costs, chemical modifications of starch are preferably carried out in such a way that the
granular structure is maintained. An example is the gas-solid hydroxyethylation of potato starch, in which the starch
particles are contacted directly with gaseous ethylene oxide to produce hydroxyethyl potato starch.
In fact this is a semi-dry process because the starch must contain some water for sufficient reactivity (Van
Warners et al., 1990; Kuipers, 1995). For moisture contents W < 3 weight% dry basis the reactivity of potato starch
approaches zero (Kesler and Hjermstad, 1950). However, not only the reaction rate increases with increasing W but
also the cohesiveness of the powder due to plasticization by water. The latter softens the particles and causes the
interparticle contact area to increase. Phenomena such as cohesiveness, sticking, agglomeration, sintering and caking
of amorphous powders are strongly influenced by the temperature relative to the glass transition temperature Tg
(Levine and Slade, 1988). As was shown by Van den Berg (1981), Tg of potato starch decreases strongly with
increasing W. As a result, starch does not fluidize at room temperature for W > 6 wt% d.b. (Thompson, 1957;
Duintjer Wilkens Meihuizen, 1962). It then behaves as a C-powder according to the classification of Geldart (1973).
In contrast, almost dry potato starch (W < 6 wt% d.b.) can be fluidized homogeneously (Thompson, 1957) which is
characteristic for an A-powder.
It is known (Geldart, 1986) that fluidization of C-powders can be improved by the use of mechanical stirrers,
vibrators (acting either on the whole equipment or on parts of it, e.g. the gas distributor) or by addition of particles
of sub-micron size. However, in case of derivatization reactions of starch (e.g. hydroxyethylation) such an addition is
often not acceptable because of the impurities it introduces in the product and the difficulties it causes in the down-
stream processing.
In this paper both the influence of vibration and stirring of an aerated bed of potato starch particles is
investigated. A novel technique is introduced in which the combination of both vibration and stirring of an aerated
bed is applied. The aim is to achieve a channel- and agglomerate-free gas-solid contact in the bed with minimal
energy input and, if possible, homogeneous fluidization. Therefore, channelling must be eliminated, agglomeration
reduced and bubble formation suppressed. So, the aim is to change C-powder behaviour in A-powder behaviour, see
Geldart (1973), by applying a combination of vibration and stirring. The technique is also described in submitted
patents of Kuipers et al. (1993, 1994).
2727
2728 N.J.M. KUIPERSet aL
EXI'ERIMENTAL
Potato starch granules
The white smooth starch granules range in size li'om sub-micron elongated granules to oval granules well over 100
Ittm. The particle size distribution and the mean volume-diameter dv of the powder were measured with a Coulter
counter: dv = 52.2 grn and Odv = 12.8 taln. An equivalent surface / volume diameter dsv = 48.8 tam was determined
from applying the Carman-Kozeny relation to a fixed bed of potato starch: Ap = 180 ~tg (1 - e) 2 u tl 1 / (dsv 2 E3).
Photographs of the particles show that, on the average, length: width: height = 1 : 1:1.4 which corresponds to a
sphericity factor ~ (= dsv / dv) of 0.93. This is in agreement with the value reported by Geldart (I 986). The particle
density was measured with an air-pycnometer: pp = 1500 kg m -3. Based on these properties, Gel'dart (1986) predicts
a minimum fluidization velocity, Umf, of 1.7 mm s -1 and a minimum bubbling velocity, Umb, of 6.8 mm s -I.

Fluidization set-up
A scheme of the experimental fluidized bed set-up is presented in Figure 1. Column dimensions were 0.288 m inner
diameter and 1.35 m height. The wall consisted of smooth perspex partially covered with copper tapes conducted to
earth to eliminate static electricity. The 2 mm thick gas distributor was of sintered porous stainless steel with pores
smaller than 3 pin and a permeability of 2"10 -13 m 2 (Poral , grade 3 of Carbon Loraine). The pressure drop over
the plate was minimally 30% of the pressure drop over the bed, which is sufficient to'obtain a good gas distribution.
The distributor was perfectly horizontally mounted. An aerated wind box including the gas distributor was
flexibly connected to the lower tube flange, in between a flexible porous rubber ring above and a silicone rubber
tube below, the latter being less flexible to balance the powder weight, see Figure 2. The flanges were rigidly
attached to a frame, connected to the wall and the floor and as free from vibration as possible. The aerated wind box
could be vibrated by a hydraulic vibration system in a controllable way.
The hydraulic system (Zonic Technical Laboratories Inc., USA) provides a constant mean static level of the
bottom plate while generating a sinusoidal vibration of variable and controllable amplitude x 0 and frequency f. The
amplitude of the vibrating bottom was measured by a displacement transducer and displayed by an oscilloscope.
A frequency controlled stirrer (1.5 kW) was used to agitate maximally 50 kg of powder. The power input via
stirring could be measured with a torque meter of 50 Nm capacity. Subsequent stirrer blades were 90 out of phase.
Two types of blades were used: flat (vertical) blades (di = 0.26 m, h i = 3 cm) and oblique blades having an angle of
45 with the horizontal, with di = 0.265 m and h i = 4 cm. Kozulin and Kulyamin (1965) found di / Dc = 0.95 most
effective to break up channels. In our experiments this ratio was 0.9.
The fluidization index (FI) was computed from subtracting the pressure drop over the distributor from the over-
pressure below the grid.
The starch moisture content was controlled via an adjustable relative humidity RH of the air feed to the bed. The
powders were pre-conditioned by prolonged fluidization with air of a RH in equilibrium with the water content of the
powder. This procedure guaranteed the solids surface to have the same W as the center of the particles. For water
sorption isotherms on potato starch, see Van den Berg (1981). Solids samples were dried to obtain W.
The volumetric air flow rate and the air humidity were controlled by mixing a water saturated air flow with a
flow of dry air in a controlled way via mass controllers.
Data acquisition on the pressure drop over the bed, the torque on the stirrer(s) and the bed expansion was realized
via Viewdac of Keithley, USA.

= coolrollct II-.~zc~
I = Ladicato*
T = transmitter
F = flow
1-65
p ffi p r e s s u r e
W = work :olUmngas 1
rH = tel humidiW aributor

_ _ 0

Lbe
ox

f.
[ L_ }

Figure 1: Experimental set-up of the stirred vibrating fltfidizedbed. Figure 2: Scheme of the stirred *ibraUngfluidizx~dIred.
 Fluidization o f potato starch 2729

RESULTS
Aeration without stirring and vibration
Fluidization of the less cohesive potato starch of a low W of 10.2 wt% d.b. was studied without vibrating and
stirring. Figure 3 shows the results of the dimensionless pressure drop FI = Ap A / M g versus the superficial air
velocity u. It proved that even relatively dry potato starch cannot be fluldized in a conventional way. Initially, FI
increases proportionally with increasing u (as predicted by the Carman-Kozeny relation). With increasing u, FI rises
to values above 1. Large horizontal cracks appear in the bed. The latter tends to lift as a plug, thereby causing high
values of FI due to wall stress. After bed collapse, FI falls and the process starts again. At higher u, stable channels
are formed in the static bed, which are accompanied by very low values of FI. At u > 5 mm s- l, the channels move
within the bed. When u is continuously decreased from 10 nun s-1 down to 2 mm s-1, the channels formed remain
stable and FI keeps at its low value. Due to channelling and cracking, the behaviour of the bed is very unstable
which means that no reproducible results are obtained after repetition of the experiment.

Aeration with stirring

Figure 4 shows FI over a bed as a function of the rotation speed N of a single stirrer at u / Umf -- 2.9 for a height Hs
of the stirrer above the bottom of 1.5 and 0.8 cm, respectively. FI appears to increase with decreasing Hs, but FI
remains below 1. In case Hs = 0.8 cm, the major part of the bed still shows channelling but it rests on a mixed
layer without channels. This causes FI to be relatively high. Nevertheless, a by-pass of air occurs along the shaft of
the stirrer, causing FI < 1. The same was observed for higher beds. Channelling increases with decreasing N and
with increasing u. Channelling was only eliminated in the direct neighbourhood of a stirrer. Also agglomerates were
observed at the bed surface. However, the size of these agglomerates decreases with decreasing distance from the
shaft. These results are in accordance with Godard and Richardson (1%9) and Nielsen et al. (1982) who observed FI
to approach 1 only if Hs < 1 cm. In all experiments discussed below, the lowest stirrer was located at Hs = 0.8 cm.
The effect of a variable number of stirrers on channel elimination is shown in Figure 5a. Complete fluidization
cannot be realized with a single stirrer. The low FI in this case is partly due to a by-pass of air along the shaft of the
stirrer. Though FI increases with increasing N, it was always << 1 at u = Umf with a single stirrer. Also above Umf,
channels were still present whereas large agglomerates could always be observed. Flat stirrer blades appeared to give
higher values of FI than oblique blades. The latter appeared to create cracks in the bed whereas flat stirrers proved to
be more efficient in eliminating cracks and channels. The use of flat blades is therefore preferred. This is also
confirmed by Orm6s et al. (1979). So, in all further experiments two blade flat stirrers were used. Figure 5a also
shows that FI increases with decreasing ~b u n t i l f b = 227 nun. A further reduction in ~b gives no additional
improvement in FI. Similar results were obtained for N = 0.83 rps. In contrast to N > 1.67 rps, channels could not
be eliminated at 0.83 rps, independent of fib. For ~b < 227 mm, 1.67 rps is the minimum N to eliminate channels.
The influence of 8b on E is shown in Figure 5b for N = 1.67 rps. e appears to increase up to a constant value
with increasing u. Further, ~ also increases with decreasing 8b, until it becomes almost constant for ~b <- 163 mm.
The maximal e at 0.83 rps is about 4% lower than at 1.67 rps. Also, relative to 1.67 rps, a lower 5b is necessary at
0.83 rps to maximize ~.
As expected, the torque, T, (and power input) increase with decreasing 8b, though less than proportional. Figure
5b shows the torque per stirring blade, T', as a function of u for various 8b. The highest T' was found for a single
stirrer and it decreases toward a constant value for 8 b < 227 ram. Similar behaviour was observed for other N
ranging from 0.83 to 3.33 rps. Figure 5a shows that a stirrer influences the bed over a limited distance only. This is
supported by the measurements of the torque. For 8b >_281 mm, the bed contains static zones which increase the
resistance of the bed against stirring. This results in higher T'.
In conclusion, for starch of W = 10.2 wt% d.b., maximum values of FI and E at minimal T are obtained by
u s i n g ~b = 163 mm and N = 1.67 rps. Then, both static zones and channels have disappeared. Stirring the bed with
less blades, also at higher N > 2.50 rps always caused channelling in the static zones.
1.2- 1.00
m
m [] ..,

1
1.0.
tll 0.95! r.......-~ ---
0.8-

0.90-
~ 0.6-
"7"

0.85-
0.4. .

0.2- 0.80-
~r de~ing u
0.0 u ! i u
0.751 , , , , ~ . ~ . I
0 2 4 6 8 10 1.7 2.0 2.3 2.7 3.0 3.3
u (ram / s) N (rps)
Figure 3: FI without vibration and stirring as a function of u in an Figure 4: Effect of stirrer height above gas distributor on FI of a
aerated bed. W = 10.2 wt % d.b.; H0 = 0.76 m. stirred bed of potato starch as a function of N for a single stirrer.
H0 = 0.09 m, W = 10.2 wt% d.b., u / Umf ~ 2.9.
2730 N.J.M. KOIPERSet al.
For a particular W, the optimum value of 5b appeared to be independent of HO. For 8b < 124 ram, FI and I~ have
approached their maximum value whereas T' then is at its minimum. The latter value is independent of H0. Also for
a shallower bed of 0.34 m, rotation at 0.83 rps appeared to be insufficient to eliminate channels.
Also for starch of W = 22.4 wt% d.b. an N of 0.83 rps is too low to realize FI = 1. Again, the channels could
not be eliminated at 0.83 rps. For N > 1.67 rps no substantial improvement of N on FI is observed. Then,
channelling appears to be suppressed but large agglomerates could still be observed for any N. Therefore, N = 1.67
rps was taken as the optimal N. For W = 22.4 wt% d.b.. the optimal 8b was 124 ram. Above, we reported an
optimal ~b of 163 mm for starch o f W = 10.2 wt% d.b.. So, the more cohesive the starch, the lower the optimal 8b.
The optimal N is 1.67 rps for both values of W.
Potato starch of 28.6 wt% d.b. water could not be fluidized at all. Here, the stirrer blades have almost no
influence on the wet, static, powder due to the high cohesiveness. We noticed that both the shaft and the blades were
coated with a layer of gelatinized starch. Probably this was caused by the high shear forces exerted on the starch for
u < Umf.
In conclusion, always large agglomerates remained present at the bed surface of an aerated stirred bed of potato
starch o f W > 10 wt% d.b., independent of H0, N, 8b and u. This flocking increased with increasing W. So, even for
FI --. 1, starch particles were not individually suspended in the gas phase. Therefore, even optimal stirring alone is
not sufficient to get at good fluidization at the scale of the particles.
1.2 0.6-
~J
w It
1.0 t -Io

0.8 - ~ ab ;
~ 0.6
[] 3 3}5
~0.5
o
"~111r,,4---~
,~:f" - - x
4
5
2811
2271
16"~
I
0.4
~ 1 ~ * 6 163] ] "-"
5 227 i!$~ + 7 124 I I 4

0.2
7 124 /b~ ,, 8 98 1 I. 2
x 8 98
(~) 15 41
0.0 0.4.
0 2 4 6 8 10 0 2 4 6 8 10
u (nun / s) u (mm / s)

Figure 5: Fluidization o f cohesive potato starch powder in a stirred fluidized bed; effect of 8 b. W = 10.2 wt% d.b., H 0 = 0.76 m, N = 1.67 rps.
a) Fluidization index FI; b) Porosity E and torque per blade T'.

Aeration with vibration

Marring et aL (1994) obtained FI - 1 even for starch of W = 25 wt% d.b. (H0 = 0.5 m) by applying vibration at f =
30 Hz and intensity G = 3 with G = x0 0)2 / g, x0 the amplitude of vibration and 0) = 2~ f. He found Umf to
increase with increasing W. The vibration breaks down the cracks and channels in the lowest part of the bed causing
FI to approach 1. However for W _> 10 wt% d.b., applying vibration is not sufficient to eliminate channelling
higher up in the bed. So, FI = 1 is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for channel-free fluidization in a
vibrating aerated bed, We did experiments in a bed of H0 = 0.74 m to investigate the influence of G (1 < G < 5) and
of f (f = 30, 60 and 90 Hz) on the fluidization of starch of W = 13.1 wt% d.b., using humidified air in equilibrium
with the semi-dry starch. These experiments were carded out with decreasing u from 10 to 0.6 m m s -1. Except for
f = 90 Hz (any G) or (G = 1, f= 60 Hz), a value ofFI = 1 could be obtained. This agrees with Marring et al. (1994)
who stated that a critical G, or a minimum
0.6,
amplitude must be exceeded to realize FI = 1.
Nevertheless, at u > 2 mm s-1 always cracks
and channels appeared in the upper part of the
bed, independent of the values of G and f. Parts
of the powder remained motionless in the bed
(dead zones), especially for Umf<U<2mm s-1.
05 For G > 4, even air slugs as large as Dc appea-
at-- 3-r-'-- red at velocities between 0.8 and 1.2 mm s -1.
I" 2 30 No systematic dependency of Umf on G or f
o 3 , 4 , 5 30 was found. In conclusion, vibration above a
A 3 60,90 critical amplitude and frequency breaks down
0.4 x 3 30 with N = 0 the cracks and channels in the lowest part of
the bed causing FI to approach 1 for bed
0.0 2~0 410 610 810 10.0 heights exceeding 0.2 m. Much gas bypasses
u (ram / s) the bed (see Figure 6). However, the agglo-
Figure 6: $ as a function of u in a vibrated bed and in a stirred vibrated bed for merate size is reduced substantially by
various G and f. H 0 = 0.74 m, W ~ 13.1 wt% d.b., 8 b = 124 m m and N = 1.67 rps. application of vibration.
 Fluidization of potato starch 2731

Fluidization of potato starch with simultaneous stirring and vibration

To guarantee elimination of channels in a bed of 0.74 m (W = 13.2 wt% d.b.), flat blades were used with 6b = 124
nun and N = 1.67 rps. Experiments were performed at vibration frequencies 10 <_f _<90 Hz, whereas G ranged from
lto8.
Due to the mechanical stirring, FI always approached 1, independent of the values of G and f. However, for G =
1 the vibration intensity appeared to be too low to break down the starch agglomerates at the surface of the bed. At
G = 5 these flocks are still present for f = 90 Hz but not at 60 Hz. A further decrease of f whilst G maintaining at 5
results in slugs at u > Umf. At G = 3 the agglomerates disappear at 50 Hz only. These results show that not only
the value of G determines the quality of fluidization but that f plays a role too. Stirring has a large positive
influence on the bed expansion, even at high vibration intensifies, see Figure 6.
Figure 7a shows the results obtained in form of a fluidization quality chart for W = 13.1 wt% d.b. and u / Umf =
1.1. In the white region, roughly between G = 2 and G = 8, good fluidization is obtained; no measurements at G > 8
could be carried out due to limitations in the vibrating system. In the region marked by x 0 > 1 mm and f < 20 Hz,
resonance of both the column and the frame was observed. Good, channel and agglomerates free, fluidization is
achieved at G > 3 and 0.35 < x0 < 1.35 nun. As soon as the vibration is stopped, starch agglomerates return. The
lowest necessary energy input by vibration is realized for the minimum vibration intensity G = 3. The energy
consumption by vibration increases stronger with increasing f than with increasing x0, (Erd~sz and Orm6s, 1984;
Szalay and Erd~sz, 1992). So, for a particular G the lowest consumption of vibrational energy can be realized at
conditions corresponding to the upper part of Figure 7a.
Figure 7b shows another fluidization quality map for starch of W = 13.2 wt% d.b. but now for H 0 = 0.40 m.
Different from the higher bed (see Figure 7a) no good fluidization quality is obtained for x 0 _> 1 n u n in the lower
bed. The minimal x 0 of about 0.3 mm to obtain good fluidization appears to be independent of HO. Also, a slightly
higher G seems to be necessary to obtain good fluidization characteristics for the lower bed.
Figure 7c shows the chart for the same bed height as Figure 7a but for a starch of a higher W of 22.4 wt% d.b..
Comparison with Figure 7a shows that no good fluidization quality is obtained for this more cohesive starch below
G = 8. Further, both the minimum x0 and f (and therefore G) for a moderate fluidization quality appears to increase
with increasing W.
1.5
14: . . . . . . .

1.3: M~ate
1.2' X Poor

0.6!
1.1: [
1.o:
~.. 0.9 -~
i

0.7: i
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
o.o , , , , --". | '~' '| .'" i'"'"~'"

0 20 40 60 80 0 20 40 60 S0 0 0 '10 60 80 100
f O/z) f (Hz) f (Hz)
Figure 7: Fluidization quality chart showing the amplitude x0 and frequency f range for which both channels and agglomerates are eliminated
in a stirredvibratingfluidizedbed of starch with u = 2 mm s"I, &o= 124 mm and N = 1.67rps.
a) W = 13.1 wt% d.b., H0 = 0.74 m.; b) W = 13.1 wt% d.b., H0 = 0.40 m.; c) W = 22.4 wt% d.b., H0 = 0.76 m.

CONCLUSIONS
Starch of moisture content W > 6 wt% d.b. cannot be fluidized in a conventional fluidized bed due to channelling
and cracking. By applying a combination of stirring and vibration to an aerated bed of potato starch of W < 22.4
wt% d.b., a homogeneously fluidized bed without channels and agglomerates can be obtained for certain
combinations of interblade distances, stirring speeds and frequency and amplitude of the sinusoidal vibration. These
conditions appear to be favoarable for operating gas-solid modification reactions of cohesive powders such as starch
in this novel type of gas-solid reactor.

NOTATION
A cross sectional area of the bed, m 2
Dc diameter column, m
di diameter impeller, m
dv average volume diameter, diameter of sphere with same volume as the particle, m
dsv average surface/volume diameter, diameter of sphere with same surface/volume as the particle, m
f frequency of vibration, Hz (-- s-1)
2732 N.J.M. KUIPERSet al.
FI fluidization index, FI = Ap A / M g, -
G vibrational acceleration, G = co2 xo / g, -
g gravitational acceleration, g = 9.81 m s -2, -
hi height impeller blade, m
H0 height of the static bed, m
H1 height of the fluidized bed, m
Hs height of lowest stirrer blade above the gas distributor, m
M mass of bed, kg
N stirring speed, (rps) rev s -1
T torque, kg m 2 s -2
T' torque per stirrer blade, respectively, kg m 2 s-2
u superficial gas velocity, m s -1
Umf minimum fluidization velocity, m s-1
Umb minimum bubbling velocity, m s -1
W moisture content of the particles, (kg water / kg dry starch) * 100%
x0 amplitude of vibration, m

Greek symbols
8b interblade distance, -
Ap pressure drop over the bed, N m -2
porosity of the bed, -
~tg dynamic viscosity of air, kg m -1 s -1
Waddelrs sphericity factor, Xlt= dsv / dv, -
Pg gas density, kg m -3
Pp particle (skeleton) density, kg m -3
co angular frequency of sinusoidal vibration: co = 2 rc f, tad s -1

REFERENCES
Duintjer Wilkens Meihuizen & Co., 1962, Werkwijze om zetmeel een chemische en/of fysische behandeling te doen
ondergaan, Aanvraag No 1901145, Octrooiraad Nederland.
Erd6sz, K. and Orm6s, Z., 1984, Bed expansion and pressure drop in vibro-fluidized layers, Drying '84, (ed.
Mujumdar, A.S.) Hemisphere, McGraw-Hill, New York, 169-177.
Geldart, D., 1973, Types of gas fluidization, Powder TechnoL 7, 285-292.
Geldart, D., 1986, Gas Fluidization Technology, John Wiley & Sons, Chichester.
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Kesler, C.C. and Hjermstad, E.T., 1950, Starch ethers in original granule form, US Patent 2,516,632.
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Flni'disatie van een bed van zetmeelpoeder, CoOperatieve verkoop- en productie- vereniging van aardappelmeel en
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PCT/NL94/00303, Fluidization of a bed of a cohesive powder, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Groningen, The
Netherlands.
Kuipers, N.J.M., The gas-solid hydroxyethylation of potato starch, Ph.D. thesis, University of Groningen,
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Levine, H. and Slade, L., 1988, Water as a plasticizer: physico-chemical aspects of low moisture po-lymeric
systems, in: Water science reviews -3-, Cambridge University Press, New York, 79-185.
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some cohesive powders, Powder. Technol. 79, 1-10.
Nielsen, R.H., Harnby, N. and Wheelock, T.D., 1982, Mixing and circulation in fluidized beds of flour, Powder
Technol. 32, 71-86.
Orm6s, Z., Machacs, M. and Pataki, K., 1979, Studies on granulation in a fluidized bed XIV. The effects of the
type and rotation speed of the mechanical agitator upon granule formation, Hung. J. Ind. Chem. 7, 341-350.
Szalay, A. and Erd6sz, K, 1992, Studies on the kinetics of drying in an aero-vibro-fluidized bed of porous granular
particles, Powder Handling and Processing 4, no 1, 53-59.
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Van Warners, A., Lawaners, G., Stambuis, EJ. and Beenackers, A.A.C.M., 1990, Kinetics of the diffusion and
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