DETERMINATION OF PRESSURE-DROP THROUGH GAS DISTRIBUTORS IN MULTISTAGEFLUIDIZED-BED VESSELS

This paper deals with the analysis of the phenomenon of gas pressure d rop across distributors with high free area ratio as used in multistag e fluidized-bed vessels without standpipes. The phenonemon has been st udied for selected types of plate distributors, viz. orifice distribut ors and slot distributors. On the basis of experimental studies, perfo rmed in the range phi = 0.1-0.4, information has been obtained about t he character and magnitude of the effect of the fluidization condition s and the constructional features of the distributor upon the pressure drop in question. The similarity factors of the phenomenon have been analyzed for both distributor types. Equations describing the gas pres sure drop through the distributor as a function of its constructional parameters have been derived and verified experimentally. It has been shown that one such equation [Eq. (18) in the text] when elaborated fo r orifice distributors with high free area ratio and taking the shape of the orifice's profile into account may be used for the calculation of the pressure drop through conventional distributors. Analogies betw een the analytical approach to various phenomena connected with the di stribution of gas in fluidized-bed apparatus are presented.