Predictions on bubble and solids movement in laboratory polyethylene fluidbeds as visualized by X-ray computer assisted tomography (CAT) scanning

Solid and gas distributions are tomographically quantified as a function of position with high resolution in a series of laboratory fluid beds contain ing air and polyethylene particles. The resolution used is 0.4 mm by 0.4 mm by 3 mm. The laboratory models are Plexiglas columns of IO cm in diameter and the settling bed L/D ratios vary between one and three. Large particles (up to 1.5 mm in diameter) of high density polyethylene and linear low den sity polyethylene are used. The superficial gas velocities vary from the mi nimum fluidization velocity to 50 cm/s. In this paper, the analysis of flui d bed CAT scanner images is extended to show bubble, emulsion and dense pha se distribution. The analysis is also used to determine the bubble diameter and to predict the flow direction of solid particles as well as the veloci ty of descending solids. The voidage frequency distributions of a bed at di fferent gas flow rates are compared to each other and the voidage threshold values corresponding to gas, emulsion and dense phases are determined. The se threshold values are used to prepare ternary images that clearly show th e parts of the bed cross-section corresponding to bubble, emulsion and dens e phases.