Mass transfer in liquid fluidized beds of ion exchange particles

Abstract

Mass transfer rate data in a shallow liquid fluidized bed of ion exchange resin particles have been obtained in the range 2 < Re s, < 25. At low voidage, ε < 0.55–0.60, the rate of mass transfer is reduced and it is inferred that a fluidized bed tends to maintain an ordered axial structure. This is lost at high voidage due to increased flow perturbation caused by the distributor plate. A generalised correlation is given for fluidized, fixed and distended beds in the range 2 < Re s, < 25.