Flow Characteristics on Fluidized Powder Conveying in a Horizontal Rectangular Channel

Abstract

This study experimentally examined the dense phase pneumatic conveying in a horizontal rectangular channel using the fluidizing air. The powder used is PVC belong to Geldart A particle, where the mean diameter is 151μm, the particle density is 1382kg/m3 and the minimum fluidizing velocity is 9.0mm/s. As the experimental conditions, the fluidizing velocity at the bottom of a vessel and the horizontal channel has been changed. Also, the mass of transported powder, the supply air pressure and the height of powder bed inside a vessel were measured. In the case of PVC, we confirmed the flow characteristics of the powder conveying and air pressure. Further, we found that the fluidizing air to the bottom of a vessel was required to the powder conveying of this system, and that the fluidizing velocity at the horizontal channel needs to be larger than the minimum fluidizing velocity. These results were also obtained on the previous study when two kinds of glass bead was used. The mass flow rate and solid loading ratio were estimated by the measured data of the mass of transported powder. In addition, these results were compared with the conveying characteristic of two kinds of glass beads belongs to Geldart A and B particle. As a result, the mass flow rate and solid loading ratio of PVC were smaller than that of two kinds of glass beads.