EFFECTS OF PARTICLE-SHAPE AND SIZE DISTRIBUTION ON SORPTION AND FLOW PERFORMANCE IN ELECTRICALLY STABILIZED EXPANDED BEDS

The effects of particle shape and a particle size distribution on bed stabilization are presented. Particle shape was varied from spherical to the irregular forms that are characteristic of crushed particles. The sorption performance was not appreciably different with particles having various shaapes. It is shown that both irregularly shaped particles and multiple-sized particles can be stabilized in electric fields, and the stabilized beds behave much like fixed beds of the same materials except that the pressure drops across the beds can be significantly less than those for fixed beds.