Solids hydrodynamics and heat transfer to in-line and staggered tube banks in large particle fluidized beds

A Computer Automated Radioactive Particle Tracking (CARPT) facility was designed and implemented for the investigation of hydrodynamics in two phase flows. This facility was complemented by a versatile fluidized bed facility capable of handling high air flow rates. Solids mean dynamic behavior and heat transfer to internals in a 29.21 cm diameter fluidized bed were investigated for different operating conditions. Different flow parameters like the solids ensemble-averaged velocity, stagnancy and the phase density in the presence of horizontal tubes were determined using the CARPT facility. Local circumferential variations of heat transfer coefficients at the surface of horizontal tubes were measured at different locations in a large particle fluidized bed using a miniature heat transfer probe assembly. The influence of solids hydrodynamics on the heat transfer coefficient in gas-fluidized beds was investigated. The data obtained in the present study was compared to current heat transfer models for large particle gas-fluidized beds.