Gas-Liquid Contact in a Gas-Liquid-Solid Fluidized Bed

Abstract

Experiments were conducted on the critical gas velocity for complete fluidization of solid particles and the rate of oxygen absorption by aqueous sodium sulfite solution containing cupric ions as catalyst in a gasliquid-solid fluidized bed.The data of critical gas velocity, uCF, above which solid particles were completely fluidized, were correlated as a function of the terminal velocity, initial bed height, diameter and density of solid particle and the liquid physical properties.Two different regions were found in the investigation of oxygen absorption rates. At low gas velocities the rate of oxygen absorption is a function of gas velocity, particle size, initial bed height of solid particles and density difference between solid and liquid. At high gas velocities the rate is not a function of the above variables. The critical gas velocity, uCM, above which the rate of oxygen absorption becomes nearly constant, independently of the gas velocity, can be expressed by means of two empirical equations, one for uCM≥uCF and another for uCM<uCF.