Development of a Hydrodynamics Based Foundation for the Operation of an Apparatus with a Suspended Transportable Bed for Drying Potassium Chloride

Apparatuses with a suspended transportable bed (ASTB), despite a number of important advantages over the known constructions of convective dryers, have not yet found wide application due to the limited understanding of some of the features of their operation. In this article, the results of laboratory studies of some hydrodynamic features of ASTB operation are applied to the process of drying potassium chloride. In particular, an experimental study of the flow structure of potassium chloride particles is presented; the mean residence time of the particles in the apparatus is given along with the calculated residence time distribution depending on the available cross-sectional area of the gas distribution device and the main process parameters of device operation. The obtained results confirm the prospects of using ASTB for drying potassium chloride.