Characterization of Granular Materials with Internal Pores for Hydraulic Calculations Involving Fixed and Fluidized Beds

Abstract

This study focuses on the characterization of porous granular materials for applications in hydraulics of fixed and fluidized beds. Different density measurement procedures were tested using five different sieved fractions of each of zeolite, activated carbon, and anthracite coal media to compare these procedures and to ascertain the effect of the density measurement method used on the calculation of other particle and bed properties. The mentioned particle and bed properties are the following: (i) particle density, (ii) particle size (equivalent diameter), (iii) sphericity, (iv) fixed-bed porosity, and (v) expanded-bed porosity during fluidization. The density of each of the 15 fractions was determined using four different methods: (i) cone test (ASTM C128-12), (ii) Le Châtelier flask method, (iii) soaking and straining, and (iv) skeletal density. The first three of these measure “wet density” (i.e., pores filled with liquid), the difference between them being in how the particles are saturated with liqu...