Control of spout deflection in dry and wet spouted beds using vibration

Abstract

Spout deflection is a common instability phenomenon observed in spouted beds which decreases control over the spouted bed and worsens particle recirculation efficiency. Prior work has mitigated spout deflection using electromagnetic fields, inlet gas treatment, and baffles. Here, we demonstrate experimentally that spout deflection can be mitigated through the use of vertical vibration, which can be applied in circumstances which prior methods may not be possible. Spout deflection was mitigated for cases of non-uniform gas flow in a dry spouted bed and particle agglomeration in a wet spouted bed. Furthermore, the particle recirculation rate was found to increase significantly with increasing vibration strength in a wet spouted bed. Thus, we show that vertical vibration can significantly enhance the spout stability in both dry and wet spouted beds, without compromising recirculation rate.