EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH OF THE INFLUENCE OF PARTICLE SIZE AND FLUIDIZATION VELOCITY ON ZEOLITE DRYING IN A TWO-COMPONENT FLUIDIZED BED

This paper presents the results of the kinetics research into the drying of fine grained material in a two-component fluidized bed. A review of theoretical and experimental investigations of aerodynamics of the fluidized bed is given, with a special insight into two-component fluidized beds, as well as the basics of heat and material transfer through a fluidized bed. Apart from the theoretical basis of convective drying of wet materials in a stagnant fluidized bed, the paper also emphasizes different approaches to fine grained material drying kinetics. Based on the experimental investigations, where zeolits used as a representative of fine grained material. and polyethylene as a representative of inert material (another component), an analysis of the influence of working parameters on drying in a two-component fluidized bed is performed. It is established that, apart from the influence of the considered parameters, such as fluidization velocity, diameter of fine grained material particles and drying agent temperature, on the drying curve, the participation of inert material can considerably increase the intensity of heat and material transfer in the fluidized bed. A comparison of the experimental drying curves of fine grained material in the two-component fluidized bed with the results from the studies by other authors shows satisfactory agreement.