Industrial Applications of

Fluidized Beds
Chapter 2
CHEG472
 Coal Gasification
Coal gasification is the process of producing syngasa
mixture consisting primarily of carbon
monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H2), carbon
dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and water vapor (H2O)
from coal and water, air and/or oxygen.

In current practice, large-scale instances of coal

gasification are primarily for electricity
generation, such as in integrated gasification
combined cycle power plants, for production of
chemical feedstocks, or for production of
synthetic natural gas.
Schematics
 Winklers coal gasifier represents first large
scale, commercially significant use of fluidized
beds.
The first unit was 13m high and 12m2 in cross-
section,
First successful operation started in 1926.
 Compared with modern technology, the
Winkler gas producer is inefficient because of
it high O2 consumption and large carbon loss
due to entrainment.

With increased use of petroleum throughout

the world, Winkler generators have gradually
been replaced by generators that use
petroleum feedstocks.
 Fluidized Bed for Heat Exchange
Widely used for heat exchange.
Their unique ability to rapidly transport the heat
and maintain temperature uniformity.

Example: Quenching by fluidized bed.

Research paper: Fluidized Bed Quenching.

Schematics: F.B. for rapid quenching

and tempering and hot metalware to
definite Temperature
 In materials science, quenching is the
rapid cooling of a workpiece in water, oil or air
to obtain certain material properties.

In metallurgy, quenching is most commonly

used to harden steel by
introducing martensite, in which case the steel
must be rapidly cooled through
its eutectoid point, the temperature at
which austenite becomes unstable.
 The bed consists of a container or retort with
lateral walls and a gas-penetrable bottom (the
so-called gas distributor).

In which fine-grinded materials, typically aluminum oxide

particles, are fluidized.

Parts to be heat treated are immersed in the fluidized bed,

individually or loaded all together in a basket.
 Gas Distributor
To induces a uniform and stable fluidization across the entire
bed cross section.

To ensure an even distribution of fluidizing gas, it is necessary

to use distributors with dense gas entry points.

An adequate pressure drop should be maintained through it.

It should support the weight of the bed when the gas is shut
off
 Plenum

The plenum, or windbox, is the chamber immediately below

the distributor.

Should provide an even distribution of gas without relying

solely on the pressure drop through the gas distributor.

Ratio of the pressure drop through the distributor to the

bed pressure drop is high enough, the plenum
design will probably not be that important.
 Container

The container is designed to fill a certain height of granules to

form the fluidized
bed.

Refractory containers are generally used for the fluidized beds

without an external cooling jacket,

Highmelting-point metal alloy are preferable for the fluidized

beds with a surrounded cooling jacket to remove heat from
the fluidized beds
Bed Cooling and Temperature Control
The quantity of heat that transfers to the bed
from the hot parts must be carried off.
For a continuous quenching fluidized bed,
the rate of heat removal =heat release rate

This can occur via the fluidizing gas that is blown in at a low
temperature, takes the heat from the particles, and then
leaves the bed at a higher temperature.
Continuous cooling fluidized bed with
immersed cooling tubes
Cooling Curves