ESTABLISHING TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY PROFILES IN FLUIDIZED-BED PARTICULATE COATING

A method for establishing temperature and humidity profiles inside a f luidized bed during particulate coating has been developed. The proces s involves direct measurement of the variables at selected points, gen erating extra points in between the measured points and then processin g them to obtain the profiles. A computer program is used to superimpo se the profiles and contours, thus showing how different parts of the bed are involved in the coating process. The analysis of the profiles together with the characteristics of the measured values has led to th e delineation of the bed into different zones. Different colours or gr eys can be used to represent different intensities in assessing the ef fect of different variables on the process and thus provide a valuable tool for the design and optimization of fluidized bed processes. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.