A QUANTITATIVE-ANALYSIS OF BINARY SOLIDS SEGREGATION IN LARGE-PARTICLE GAS-FLUIDIZED BEDS

Vertical solids segregation profiles were measured for a variety of binary large-particle systems in a 10.2-cm diameter air-fluidized bed. The observed segregation patterns are compared with patterns previously reported for small-particle fluidized beds. It is found that large-particle segregation can be quantified in terms of a dimensionless index that is a more general form of an index previously used for small particles. The new index has a statistical basis in that it is developed directly from the axial composition variance. It is also demonstrated that the index can be derived from a differential segregation mode that appears to simulate the observed large-particle segregation patterns. The large-particle data are successfully correlated with the generalized index using a functional form that is related to a previous small-particle correlation. This similarity between large- and small-particle correlation functions suggests a broad-ranging, fundamental relationship.