Identification of the flow structures and regime transition in gas-solid fluidized beds through moment analysis

Abstract

Using statistic parameters of solids holdup signals, a moment consistency data processing method (MCDPM) was proposed. Experiments were carried out using FCC particles of 76 μm under different operating conditions, and MCDPM was used to successfully obtain solids holdups of the dense and dilute phases and the phase fractions over five fluidization regimes, bubbling (BFB), turbulent (TFB), circulating turbulent (CTFB), high-density circulating (HDCFB), and circulating (CFB) fluidized bed systems. In BFB, TFB, and CTFB regimes, only dense phase fraction decreased with increasing air velocity, while the transition from HDCFB to CFB experienced appreciable change in the solids holdup of the dense phase. From the low-velocity to the high-velocity regimes, both the solids holdup and the fraction of the dense phase experienced a drastic decrease, suggesting that this transition corresponded to a profound change in flow structure and further suggesting that CTFB is in reality still a TFB. © 2012 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.