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International Journal Of Engineering And Computer Science ISSN:2319-7242
Volume 2 Issue 5 May, 2013 Page No. 1595-1605

DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF FLUIDIZED-BED REACTOR

Suleiman Y., Ibrahim H*., Anyakora N.V., Mohammed F., Abubakar A., Aderemi B. O., Okonkwo P. C.
Chemical Engineering Department Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.

Abstract
A fluidized-bed reactor was designed and constructed for practical demonstration of the fluidization of solid particles at
different fluid flow rates. The bed of this reactor was sand particles of average size 1800 m ,weighed 0.6 N and the fluidizing
fluidwas air. Alternatively, the fluidizing fluid can be substituted for any given gas by connecting the desired gas cylinder to the
blower. The height of the bed was 25 mm on a mesh of 1230 m. An air blower was designed to supply air from the room to
fluidize the bed.The shaftand discharge powers of the blower were18.8kW and its efficiency was 70%. The minimum and
maximum operating pressures were 0.1133 and 24.5262 mH2O and their corresponding velocities were 0.64 and 245.86 m/s
respectively.This project was found suitable for undergraduates of Chemical Engineering and related studies for improved
knowledge and practical skill required for effective and optimal performance in meeting industrial needs towards improved
service delivery.
Keywords: fluidized bed, reactor, demonstration, blower, power.

1.0

Introduction

In fluidized bed reactor the solids or catalytic particles are

supported by an up flow of fluidizing fluid. This reactor

Fluidized bed reactors have been significantly utilized in

chemical processes, in which parameters such as diffusion

provides easy loading and removing of catalysts (Internet

(a)). This is advantageous when the solids bed must be

or heat transfer are the major design parameters.

removed and replaced frequently. A high conversion with a

Compared to packed bed, a fluidized bed has notable

large throughput is possible with this type of reactor. Such

advantages such as better control of temperature, no hot

reactors inherently possess excellent heat transfer and

spot in the bed, uniform catalyst distribution and longer life

mixing characteristics. The desirability of using fluidized-

of the catalyst. Fluidized beds achieve good mixing of the

bed is dependent on achieving good and close to perfect

suspended particles and the suspending fluid.

Suleiman Y., IJECS Volume 2 Issue 5 May, 2013 Page No. 1595-1605

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mixing between the solids and the suspension fluid (Idris et

2.0

al, 2007).

Mass of Solid in the Bed

Literature Background

There is a drag force exerted on the solid particles by the

Fluidization occurs when small solid particles are suspended
in an upward-flowing stream of fluid. The fluid velocity is
sufficient to suspend the particles, but not large enough to
carry them out of the vessel (Brown and Fogler, 2008). The
solid particles swirl around the bed rapidly, creating
excellent mixing among them. The material fluidized is
always a solid and the fluidizingmedium is either a liquid or

flowing fluid, and at low fluid velocities the pressure drop

resulting from this drag follows the Ergun equation, (Brown
and Fogler, 2008), just as for any other type of packed bed.
When the fluid velocity is increased to a certain value
however, the total drag on the particles will equal the weight
of the bed, and the particles will begin to lift and barely
fluidize. This is expressed in equation 1;

a gas. The characteristics and behavior of a fluidized bed are

Ws s As h1

strongly dependent on both the solid and fluid properties.

1
Because air flows upward through the filter (distributor), the

Where, Ws =Mass of solids in the bed,

s = Density of solid,

sand in the filter becomes suspended or fluidized in the air

As = Cross-sectional area of solid,

column, forming a fluidized bed of sand. If the flow of air is

h = Height of the bed settled before the particles

controlled properly, the sand does not flow out of the filter,
but remains suspended (Doki, 2011). This happens because

start to lift, and

= Void fraction of bed.

the flow of air is just fast enough to keep the sand in

suspension. The weight of the sand prevents it from

The void fraction of bed is expressed as;

escaping the column. Fluidizedbed filters are self cleaning,

mass of particles
s total bed volume

and require little or no maintenance.

2
The macroscopic observables in fluidized beds are the fluid
This fluidized bed unit was designed for the study of the
pressure drop (P) needed to cause the fluid to flow through
characteristics of flow through beds of solid particles using
the bed of solids, the fluid velocity (u), and the density of
air as fluid. Low flow rates allow characteristics of a solid
bed to be investigated. Increasing flow rates allow the onset

solids (s). The Ergun equation (Idris et al, 2007) is

represented as in equation 2;

of fluidization and the characteristics of a fluidized bed to be

investigated.

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P
(1 ) 2 u
(1 ) u f
150

1
.
75
h
3 d p2
3 dp

For relative small particles and small Reynolds number the

minimum fluidized velocity (umf) is expressed as in equation
6;

3
Where, P = pressure drop

umf

h = Height of the bed,

8 p f

d
/

150 1 mf

= fluid viscosity,

1 2
p
3
mf

f = Fluid density,

Equation 7 gives the minimum fluidized velocity (umf) for

= Void fraction of bed,

relative large particles, large Reynolds number;

u = fluid velocity, and

3
g p f mf
d !p

1.75 f

1/2

dp = Particle diameter.

umf

The equation for turbulent flow is different from streamline

situation. The particles in the bed will remain in a parked

7
bed as the gravitational forces holding the solid particles
Terminal Velocity, ut
down are greater than the force exerted by the fluid flowing
The solid particles are entrained when the upward velocity
up through the bed particles. At the point where the two
of fluid is sufficiently high and thus they are carried up with
forces become equal, the solid particles begin to move up.
the fluid. At this point elutriation occurs. This velocity is
The force balance describes this condition known as
called elutriation velocity. Elutriation is the selective
incipient fluidization (Idris et al, 2007 & Brown and Fogler,
removal of solid particles by entrainment on the basis of size
2008) is given in equation 4;
(Missen et al, 1999). The minimum elutriation velocity for
particles of a given size is the velocity at incipient

P
( s f )(1 ) g
h

entrainment, and is assumed to be equal to the terminal

velocity, ut. The terminal velocity for spherical particles at

small Re is expressed (Missen et al, 1999) in equation 8 as;

The minimum fluidized velocity, umf in terms of parameters

ut

for the fluid, solid and bed is expressed (Missen et al, 1999)

g p f d p2
18 f

as in equation 5;
8
2
u mf

1501 em f
1.75 f d !p

u mf

3
g p f mf
d !p

1.75 f

Proper fluidization occurs at a velocity called actual

fluidized velocity vf (Hartog et al, 2008 and Missen et al,

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Page 1597

1999) the relationship between the minimum fluidized

entrained in a gas and carried out of the bed. The point at

velocity umf and terminal velocity ut is given in equation 9.

which the drag on an individual particle is about to exceed

umf

uf

ut

the gravitational force exerted on it is called the maximum

fluidization velocity.

If the gas velocity is increased to a sufficiently high value,

however, the drag on an individual particle will surpass the
gravitational force on the particle, and the particle will be

Air out

Air out

DBE
DBE

vfvmf
Air in

vmfvfvt
Air in

Figure 2.1: Conceptual Fluidized Reactor Containing Uniform Particles with Degree of Bed Expansion (DBE) as Related to flow
velocity vf.

The fluidized velocity (uf) expressed by Kozeny-Carmen

equation is as in equation 10

uf

3.1.1

f gd p2 3
150
1

The Reactor

The reactor was a glass tube of 1m long and 40 mm

diameter obtained from the store of theDepartment of
Chemical Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University(A.B.U),

10

Zaria, Nigeria, under the authority of the Head of

Department. Sand particles were collected in front of

3.0

Materials and Method

3.1

Materials of Construction

Chemical Engineering Department. The sand particles were

Suleiman Y., IJECS Volume 2 Issue 5 May, 2013 Page No. 1595-1605

Page 1598

sieved to the desired particle size (in accordance with BS

1377 (1990)) in the Department of Building; Faculty of
Environmental Design of A.B.U., Zaria. The lower part of
the reactor was fitted with a mesh of 1.23mm (1230m) at

Terminal velocity was calculated from equation (8)

ut

9.81 2612.9 1.25 (1.8 103 )2

245.86m / s
18 18.75 106

the base and also at the top to prevent (the undesired escape
The cross-sectional area of the bed was thus,
of the solid particles from the reactor). The bed of the
reactor was filled with sand particles of weight 0.6N and
average size of 1800m to a height of 25mm. Also, theU-

d2
4

16 104 / 4 1.257 103 m2

tube differential manometer made up of plastic (transparent)

Hence, the flow rate at various velocities wascalculated as;
tube was filled with water for the experiment.

3.2

A u .
The flow rate at minimum velocity is;

Design of the Bed

1.257 103 0.64 8.04 104 m3 / s

The density of the sand was determined (in accordance with

BS 1377 (1990)), and it was found to be 2.6129g/cm3.

The flow rate at fluidized velocity is;

1.257 103 0.79 9.93 104 m3 / s

Choosing the height of the bed to be 25 mm for a tube of 40

The flow rate at terminal velocity is;

mm diameter, the bed void from equation (2) was;

1.257 103 245.86 0.309m3 / s

60
0.269
2.6129 42 2.5 / 4

The minimum and maximum power requirements of the bed

The pressure drop P was calculated from equation (4)
were calculated from equations 11 and 12 respectively

2
P 0.025 9.81 2612.9 1.251 0.269 468.031N / m
below.

Qmin Pmin min

Or 4.77cm H2O
Minimum fluidized velocity was calculated from equation

11
(7)

9.81 2612.9 1.25 0.269 1.8 10

umf

1.75 1.25

Qmax Pmax max

1/2

0.64m / s
Using equation (3) the pressure drop at minimum fluidized,

Fluidized velocity wascalculated from equation (10)

fluidized velocity and terminal velocity were calculated and

2612.9 1.25 9.81 (1.8 10 ) 0.269

150 18.75 106 1 0.269
3 2

uf

in table 1 below;
0.79m /tabulated
s

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Page 1599

Table 1: Summary of the Design Results

Velocity (m/s)

P (mH2O)

P N/m2

(m3/s)

Power (W)

0.64

0.1133

1111.505

0.000804

8.94

0.79

0.1399

1372.014

0.000993

13.62

245.86

4.3526

42691.66

0.309

13191.72

From the table 1 above, the power required for maximum fluidization was 13.2kW. It is therefore the discharge power of the
blower.

3.3 Blower Design

The blower head was calculated from the discharge

power as;

Pd g H

P
13191.72

3347.58m
g 1.3 9.81 0.309

This is equivalent to 4.35m (H2O)

Figure 2: Velocity vector diagram of impeller wheel of the blower

According Adekunle et al (2008), the volume flow rate can

Where, is volume flow rate, r1 is radius of suction eye, b1

be expressed as;

is the blade width and n1is speed of the suction eye along

2 rb
1 1 n1

the radius. Hence,

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Page 1600

The increase in head becomes

n1

2 r1 b1

0.309
20.49m / s
2 0.06 0.04

Vt 2
But n1 =U1tan1

n1
20.49

36.96m / s
tan 1 tan 29

cot 2

36.96 60
5882.37rpm
0.06 2

U 2 r2

Hg 3347.58 9.81

244.81m / s
U2
138.63

Vt 2 U 2 Vn 2Cot 2

Hence,

U1

U 2 Vt 2
g

2 N
0.225 138.62m / s
60

Vt 2
244.81

1.8574
U 2 Vn 2 138.63 6.83

2 280
The blower discharge power was;
Taking the efficiency of this blower to be 70%, according to

Vn 2

2 r2 b2

Robert (2002) the new-generation blowers typically

0.309
6.83m / s
2 0.225 0.032

deliverwell in excess of 70 percent efficiency, the input or

shaft power is thus;

The impeller discharge velocity, V2,

PS

Pd

13191.72
18845.31W
0.7

Therefore, the power of the electric motor requires for this

V2 U 22 Vn22 138.632 6.832 138.80m / s

duty is 18.85kW.

Assuming that the fluid enters the impeller with purely

radial absolute velocity, (Cheng-Kang and Mu-En, 2009) t1
= 0.

Table 2: Blower specifications

Name

Value

Number of blade

Blade diameter

450

Suleiman Y., IJECS Volume 2 Issue 5 May, 2013 Page No. 1595-1605

Unit

mm

Page 1601

Blade width, w

40

mm

In let velocity, U1

36.96

m/s

Discharge velocity, U2

138.63

m/s

Blower head

3 347.58

Rotational speed

5882.37

rpm

Discharge Power, Pd

13 191.72

Shaft power, Ps

18 845.31

Efficiency,

70

The workings drawings of blower and its impeller assemble

the blower/ electric motor couple and impeller blades

are depicted in the figure 3 and figure 4 respectively. Also

arrangement are shown in figure 5 and figure 6 respectively.

Figure 3: Isometric view of the blower

Figure 4: Close impeller assembles

Figure 5: Blower/ electric motor couple

Suleiman Y., IJECS Volume 2 Issue 5 May, 2013 Page No. 1595-1605

Figure 6: Impeller

Page 1602

3.4

board and the metal frame. The whole setup was 1.2 x 1.4 x

Plant Layout

The major component of this reactor were 1 m glass tube, a

0. 6 m. The front and back views of the plant are shown in

blower, an electric motor of 1.5kW, a manometer, control

plates 1 and 2 below.

Plate 1: Front view of the fluidized bed reactor

Suleiman Y., IJECS Volume 2 Issue 5 May, 2013 Page No. 1595-1605

Page 1603

Plate 2: Back view of the fluidized bed reactor.

3.5

design specification for the objected purpose of this project).

Conclusion

A fluidized reactor for practical demonstration was

This project was found suitable for undergraduates of

successfully designed and fabricated and also tested. The

Chemical Engineering and related studiesfor improved

pressure drops relative to flow of air was studied and found

knowledge and practical skill required for effective and

satisfactorily.

optimal performance in meeting industrial needs towards

This

project

was

found

suitable

for

undergraduates of Chemical Engineering studies. The

minimum and maximum fluidized velocities were 0.64 and
245.86 m/s and the corresponding pressure drops were 0.11
and 43.53mH2O respectively. The blower rotational speed
was 5882 rpm and its efficiency was found to 70%. The
blower head was 3347.58 m indicating that it can blow gas
to this height.

improved service delivery.

. The minimum and maximum fluidized velocities were 0.64
and 245.86 m/s and the corresponding pressure drops were
0.11 and 43.53mH2O respectively. The blower rotational
speed was 5882 rpm and its efficiency was found to be 70%.
The blower head was 3347.58 m indicating that (its delivery
can be optimised at this height)

A fluidized bed reactor for practical demonstration was

successfully designed, fabricated and tested. The pressure
drops relative to flow of air was studied and found
satisfactorily (okay within the acceptable limits of the

References
Adekunle Taofeek Oyelami, Olawale Oluwadare Olaniyan,
Dalyop Iliya and Abimbola Samson Idowu (2008) The

Suleiman Y., IJECS Volume 2 Issue 5 May, 2013 Page No. 1595-1605

Page 1604

Design of a Closed-Type-Impeller Blower for a 500kg

Capacity Rotary Furnace AU J.T. 12(1): 50-56

N. Hartog, J. Griffioen and P. J. KleingeldFluidized-Bed

Reactor

to

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Physico-ChemicalKinetics

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Chen-Kang Huang and Mu-En Hsieh (2009) Performance

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Tech for Cleaning Process Improvement Retrieved from
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(1999) Introduction to Chemical Reaction Engineering and
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http://www.dokikoi.co.uk/fluid-sand-filter-pInternet (a) (2012) Fluidized bed reactor Parr Instrument

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