Hydrodynamic characteristics of a magnetically stabilized air fluidized bed of an admixture of magnetic and non-magnetic particles

Fluidization characteristics of a bed consisting of an admixture of iron (90 mass%, 1416 μm) and copper (10 mass%, 935 μm) shots stabilized by an external uniform magnetic field collinear with the gas velocity vector are investigated over an extended range of magnetic field intensity (up to 17 430 A/m) and air velocity (up to a maximum of 8.3 m/s) at ambient conditions of temperature and pressure. The fluidization behavior is observed at eight magnetic field intensity ( H) values. Minimum fluidization ( Ums) and minimum bubbling ( U mh) velocities are reported as a function of ( H). U mf) is independent of H and the variation of U mb with H is expressed by: U mb = U mf exp ( 0.103H ) where H is in kA/m. Bed voidage is measured as a function of superficial fluidizing air velocity at each H and is found to increase slowly with increase in air velocity for all those H values where the bed integrity is preserved.