A FLUID MECHANICAL DESCRIPTION OF FLUIDIZED BEDS - COMPARISON OF THEORY AND EXPERIMENT

Previously published equations of motion for a fluidized bed predict that the state of uniform fluidization is unstable, and that the instability takes the form of rising and growing fluctuations in voidage. In liquid fluidized beds the growth of the disturbances is sufficiently slow to permit measurement of their propagation properties, and comparison of the results of these measurements with the predictions of stability theory provides an experimental test of the proposed equations of motion. In view of the limited accuracy of the experimental technique and the sparseness of available data on bed properties, the agreement found is encouragingly good. © 1969, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.