Three-dimensional wireless measurement of float–sink object motions in a gas–solid fluidized bed

Abstract

We developed a Lagrangian sensor system capable of wirelessly measuring the 3D motions of objects and applied it to examine the floating and sinking behaviors in a gas–solid fluidized bed. The system consisted of a sensor particle, comprising a 9-axis sensor and a wireless module integrated into a spherical outer shell, and three pairs of magnetic coils. By utilizing this system, we can non-invasively measure the 3D motions of objects, which cannot be observed from the outside. In this study, we examined the motions of objects with various densities in the gas–solid fluidized bed. We found the similarity and dissimilarity between the float–sink motions of objects in fluidized beds and those in liquids. The experimental results revealed that the vertical motion of an object in the fluidized bed depends on its density and can be categorized into two distinct states: floating near the surface or settling down at the bottom. However, within a specific range of object densities close to the apparent density of the fluidized bed, the object exhibited complicated motions in the bed. In such cases, slight density variations induced unpredictable changes between the floating and sinking states. The results also suggested that the settling velocity of the objects in the fluidized bed varies with their vertical positions in the bed.