Effect of inclination on gas-fluidized beds of fine cohesive powders

Results are presented of an experimental investigation on how bed inclination affects the fluidization and sedimentation behavior of fine cohesive particles. In contrast with the expected Geldart C behavior, and due to self-agglomeration, these fine particles are uniformly fluidized by gas in a vertically oriented bed, displaying a fluid-like regime and expanding smoothly as the gas velocity is increased. When the gas flow supply to the bed is suddenly stopped, the initial sedimentation velocity of the vertically oriented bed is similar to the fluidizing gas velocity as corresponds to uniform fluidization. The main effect of inclination is to induce fluidization heterogeneity. The local gas velocity increases in the adjacent region to the upper wall at the expense of the region adjacent to the lower wall. This situation anticipates the onset of local bubbling in the region adjacent to the upper wall. Meanwhile the region adjacent to the lower wall remains in a solid-like state and does not reach the fluid-like state until values of the gas flow are applied much higher than those needed in a vertical fluidized bed. As a consequence, the expansion and fluidization uniformity of the tilted bed are hindered. If the gas supply to the inclined bed is suddenly stopped, and because of induced heterogeneity, sedimentation takes place at a decreased rate as compared with sedimentation velocity in the uniformly fluidized vertical bed.