Hydrodynamic characteristics of a magnetically stabilized air fluidized bed of an admixture of magnetic and non-magnetic particles

Fluidization characteristics of a bed consisting of an admixture of iron (90 mass%, 1416 mu m) and copper (10 mass%, 935 mu m) shots stabilized by an external uniform magnetic field collinear with the gas velocity vector are investigated over an extended range of magnetic field intensity (up to 17 430 A/m) and air velocity (up to a maximum of 8.3 m/s) at ambient conditions of temperature and pressure. The fluidization behavior is observed at eight magnetic field intensity (H) values. Minimum fluidization (U-mf,) and minimum bubbling (U-mb) velocities are reported as a function of (H). U-mf is independent of H and the variation of U-mb with H is expressed by: U-mb = U-mf exp (0.103H) where H is in kA/m. Bed voidage is measured as a function of superficial fluidizing air velocity at each H and is found to increase slowly with increase in air velocity for all those H values where the bed integrity is preserved.