3-ft (0.9-m)-Diameter Test Units

PSRI has several 3-ft (0.9-m)-diameter fluidized bed test facilities constructed of steel and Plexiglas with heights of up to 22 ft (6.7 m) tall.  Some can operate at temperatures of up to 300F (150C) and pressures of up to 30 psig (2 barg).  Gas velocities of over 4.5 ft/s (1.4 m/s) can be attained in the unit.  These units are extremely flexible and can be modified to accommodate different test configurations. 

12-in (30-m)-Diameter Plexiglas Test Unit

This facility is used for relatively large-scale fluidized bed tests when visual observation of the solids motion is required.  It is also an extremely flexible facility that can be modified to suit the needs of the investigation.  It is presently being used to develop instrumentation and to conduct tests on scaling and scale-up in bubbling and turbulent fluidized beds.

2 ft (0.6 m) High-Pressure Test Unit (50 Bar)

PSRI’s high-pressure test facility is one of the few units in the world that is capable of investigating the effect of system pressure on fluidization and pneumatic conveying parameters on a relatively large scale.  The unit operates at ambient temperature, and is capable of operating over a pressure range of 50 to 750 psia (3.5 to 50 bars absolute).  The heart of the unit consists of a 24-inch (61-cm)-diameter, 16 foot (4.9m) long pressure vessel.  This vessel can house a 12-inch (30-cm)-diameter Plexiglas fluidization column, or other transparent test devices.  Ten sight ports, each with a 5-5/8-inch (14.3-cm) viewing diameter, are positioned over the outside of the pressure vessel so that solids movement in the transparent devices can be visually monitored. Recycled solid flow rates as high as 30,000 lb/h (13,600 kg/h) have been achieved in this unit.  Gas velocities of up to approximately 3 ft/s (0.9 m/s) can be achieved in column diameters of 12 inches (30 cm).

12-in (30-cm)-Diameter Semicircular Plexiglas Test Unit

Even with three-dimensional Plexiglas columns, it is very hard to see what is happening in the middle of a fluidized bed.  This is because you only observe what is happening at the wall.  The 12-in (30-cm)-diameter semicircular Plexiglas fluidized bed allows visual observation of what happens in the interior of a fluidized bed.  This unit has been extremely valuable in giving insights into the various flow regimes possible in a fluidized bed.  It can also be inserted into the High-Pressure Test facility to observe fluidized beds operating at high pressures.

6-in (15-cm)-Diameter Plexiglas Entrainment Test Unit

This unit is used to obtain entrainment data for various materials.  It can also be used for other studies as well.  It is presently being used to conduct entrainment studies of very fine and cohesive materials (10 to 80 microns in diameter) and to determine the Transport Disengaging Height  (TDH) for various powders.  It is an ambient temperature and pressure unit that is capable of operation at superficial gas velocities of over 5 ft/s (1.55 m/s).

4-in (10-cm)-Diameter Plexiglas Test Unit

Often people have a limited amount of material that they wish to fluidize to determine minimum fluidization velocities, deaeration velocities, bed density, etc.  This column fits that need.

5 ft (1.5 m) Wide 2D Test Unit

This test unit is used to visualize solids flow on a large scale.  It has a Plexiglas face plate to allow the motion of the solids to be observed.  With a bed thickness of up to 18 inches (45 cm), it is well suited for observing gas and solid hydrodynamics.   It is an ambient temperature and pressure test unit that can be operated at gas velocities of up to 3.5 m/s (1.07 m/s). 

5-ft (1.5-m)-Diameter Semicircular Test Unit

As with the 2D test unit above, this test unit is used to visualize solids flow on a large scale but provides an non-intrusive way to examine hydrodynamics.  It has a Plexiglas face plate to allow the motion of the solids to be observed.  It is 20 feet (6.1 m) high and solids can be continuously recirculated around the unit.  It is an ambient temperature and pressure test unit that can be operated at gas velocities of up to 3.5 m/s (1.07 m/s). 

6-in (15-cm)-Diameter High Temperature Test Unit

PSRI’s high-temperature test unit is a 6-in (15-cm)-diameter stainless steel column that is surrounded by a clam-shell furnace.  It is an ambient pressure facility that is capable of operating at temperatures of up to 850ºC (1565ºF).  Air or nitrogen can be used as the fluidizing gas in this unit.  The unit is extensively instrumented with differential pressure transmitters and thermocouples.