PARTICLE AND BUBBLE BEHAVIOR AND VELOCITIES IN A LARGE-PARTICLE FLUIDIZED-BED WITH IMMERSED OBSTACLES

A stereo-photogrammetric technique supplemented by cine-photography was used to study particle and bubble behaviour in a two-dimensional bed of large spherical particles whose Umf was 79.4 cm/sec. The bed was equipped with immersed objects that simulated horizontal tubes. Single obstacles of several shapes as well as obstacles in array were studied. A detailed and accurate mapping of particle velocities, particularly in the neighbourhood of the obstacles, was done. At fluidizing-air velocities of 80 - 90 cm/sec, bubble velocities of up to 39 cm/sec were measured. Particle caps above the obstacles and stagnant air bubbles attached to the bottom of the obstacles were observed and their size and behaviour for various obstacles and arrays were noted. © 1979.