Liquid fluidisation of binary particle mixtures - III. Stratification by size and related topics

This final paper in a series of three on continuous steady-state liquid flu idisation of an unchanging batch of bottom-restrained binary solid mixtures deals primarily with the problem of stratification by size, which is shown to depend on the bulk density difference of the two particle components wh en each is fluidised separately by the same liquid at the same velocity, no rmalised with respect to the buoyed density of the particles. This simple c omposition-independent approach to particle segregation by size is formulat ed in the context of the more sophisticated composition-dependent approach to the bed inversion problem developed by Gibilaro et al. (1986, Chem. Engn g Sci., 41, 379-387), which involves complete or partial segregation by den sity ('sorting') at low velocity and partial or complete segregation by siz e ('sizing') at high velocity. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights re served.