Bed Hydrodynamics of Fluidized Bed Paddy Drying: An Experimental Study

Abstract

An experimental investigation has been conducted to study the effect of superficial velocity of drying air and bed inventory on the hydrodynamics of a fluidized bed dryer. Experiments are conducted at bed inventory of 2 and 3 kg, superficial drying air velocity of 2, 2.5, and 3 m/s. Pressure drop, bed voidage, and suspension density are calculated along the riser height to study the bed hydrodynamics. From the experimental analysis it is observed that, pressure drop increases with increase in bed inventory whereas it decreases with increase in superficial velocity of drying air. The maximum value of bed voidage is determined as 0.9753 at 2 kg of bed inventory and 3 m/s of drying air velocity. The minimum value of bed voidage is determined as 0.5087 at 3 kg of bed inventory and 2 m/s of drying air velocity. Bed voidage decreases with bed inventory but increases with air velocity. Suspension density increases with bed inventory but decreases with air velocity.