Hydrodynamic behaviour of a magneto airlift column in a transverse magnetic field

The hydrodynamics of a three-phase airlift reactor of magnetic particles has been investigated in the presence of a transverse magnetic field. Experiments were carried out in two modes: applying the magnetic field to a static bed then increasing the field flow, and applying the magnetic field to a fluidized bed then increasing the magnetic field intensity. In magnetizing the first mode and parallel to the increasing gas superficial velocity, several bed regimes were observed, including: initial packed, stabilized, and fluidized beds. On the other hand, in magnetizing last mode and while increasing the magnetic field intensity, the fluidized bed changes from a fluidized to a stabilized to frozen bed. Bed expansion before the onset of fluidization increases as the magnetic field intensity increases. Minimum fluidization velocity was found to be strongly dependent on the magnetic field intensity and the minimum stabilization intensity was also strongly dependent on the gas velocity. The magnetic field intensity also affects the bed expansion hysteresis and the liquid circulation velocity. A photocell was used to measure the water circulation rate in the downcomer of the reactor.