Hydrodynamic behavior of magnetically stabilized fluidized beds of magnetic particles

A theoretical analysis of beds consisting of magnetic particles and exposed to an external uniform magnetic field is presented. The external magnetic-field intensity may be strong enough so that the magnetized bed particles create significant field which distorts the external uniform field, and exert appreciable interparticle force. This complicates the hydrodynamic bed behavior much more than that observed in an uniform magnetic field in the absence of any appreciable interparticle magnetic force. This phenomenon is examined by considering the force balance on a bed particle comprising of gravitational, buoyancy, drag and magnetic forces. This has resulted in a relationship involving the minimum bubbling velocity, the corresponding voidage value and other parameters. Available and new experimental data are discussed on the basis of this theoretical analysis. This treatment leads to an enhanced understanding of the magnetically stabilized and partially stabilized magnetofluidized beds over a wide gas velocity and magnetic-field intensity ranges.