Hydrodynamics of liquid-solid semi-fluidized bed with irregular homogenous ternary mixture

Hydrodynamics of semi-fluidized bed relating to minimum and maximum semi-fluidization velocities, packed bed formation and bed pressure drop with irregular homogeneous ternary mixtures, have been studied in a 0.05 m internal diameter Perspex column, with water as the fluidizing medium. Stainless steel screen of 40 mesh (BSS) with special design is used as bottom grid as well as the top movable restraint with negligible pressure drop. Experimental parameters studied include superficial liquid velocity, average particle size and density, initial static bed height, mixture composition and expansion ratio. Empirical and semi-empirical models have been developed. The calculated values from predicted models have been compared with the experimental values and fairly good agreement has been obtained. The results have also been compared with those available in the literature for irregular single and binary homogenous mixtures. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.