An investigation into the effect of particle size distribution on the fluidization behavior of Group C and Group A particles

Abstract

Group C particles possess great potential in gas-phase catalytic reactions due to the large specific surface area. This work focuses on the effects of particle size distribution (PSD), average particle diameter, and addition of nano-additive on the flowability and fluidization quality of Group C and Group A powders. Virgin Group C powders are hard to fluidize, but with the so-called nano-modulation, Group C powders exhibit readily detectable minimum fluidization velocity (Umf), high bed expansion and large dense-phase voidage. After nano-modulation, Group C particles with a wider PSD show higher bed expansion, indicating better gas-solid contact. On the other hand, a narrower PSD contributes to better flowability, higher normalized pressure drop, and lower Umf. For Group C particles with the same span, a smaller particle size improves bed expansion. Comparative studies also show that the influence of PSD is more significant for Group C particles than for Group A particles.