ABSTRACT
Fluidization refers to the state of solid particles in a suspended condition owing to the ˜ow of ˜uid, gas, and/or liquid. Contact schemes of ˜uidized bed systems can be classi”ed on the basis of the states of solid motion. For a batch-solids system, the ˜uid at a low velocity merely percolates through the voids between packed particles, while the particles remain motionless. The solids in this case are in the ”xed bed state. With an increase in the ˜uid velocity, particles move apart and become suspended; the bed then enters the ˜uidization state. The ˜uidization characteristics vary, depending on whether gas, liquid, or gas-liquid is the ˜uidizing medium.
