Experimental segregation profiles in bubbling gas-fluidized beds

Species segregation measurements were performed in a fluidized bed composed of a binary, Geldart B mixture. Three system types were explored: size segregation, density segregation, and combined size/density segregation (with the smaller species denser and lighter). Glass and polystyrene mixtures were investigated, at various gas velocity, jetsam concentration, particle-size ratio, particle-density ratio, and bed-aspect ratio combinations. Axial and radial segregation profiles were obtained from frozen bed sectioning. Low-velocities were used in order to minimize the possibility of segregation during bed collapse. In size-segregating systems, coarse particles act as jetsam, with a nearly constant concentration of fines in the flotsam-rich section. For density segregation, heavier particles act as jetsam and segregation behavior is not monotonically dependent on bed composition. A slight radial segregation was observed at all gas velocities, with jetsam accumulating near the wall. In size-and-density-segregating systems, denser particles (smaller and lighter) act as jetsam, with a slightly higher jetsam accumulation near the core of the bed. At higher gas velocities, however, the bottom layers become richer in jetsam in the periphery. Collectively, the data provide a robust experimental data set for evaluating the ability of existing and new models to predict species segregation. © 2007 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2007