Effect of inclination on liquid-solid fluidized beds

Conductivity and salt tracer measurements provided both the local holdup and the circulation pattern of the liquid and solid phases in vertical and inclined liquid-solid fluidized beds. The local liquid velocity was obtained from the local liquid holdup and the local particle-liquid heat transfer coefficients. The box counting fractal dimension of the conductivity signal provided accurate detection of local and overall fluidization of the liquid-solid bed. Segregation of a lower density tracer particle could be avoided at low liquid velocity by inclining the bed, thus, limiting power consumption of the pump and particle attrition. A simple model was developed to obtain the solid circulation pattern.