Illinois Institute of TechnologyChemical Engineering Department

ChE-311Prof. Nader Aderangi

Short Lab#4:Fixed and Fluidized Beds

Brian R. Colon-RodriguezMay 1 2015

Short Lab Report: Process Control

I. Abstract

Fixed and Fluidized Beds are very important in chemical engineering

process because of their usefulness for filtrations and wastewater treatment.

Two plexiglass columns were used to investigate the characteristics of

air/water flowing vertically through a bed of granular material. The objective

of this experiment was to determine the pressure drop, verify Kozeny-

Carman equation, and observe the characteristics of a fixed and fluidized

bed.

II. Experimental

During this experiments the following equipment and apparatus were used:

The experimental setup consists of 2 plexigrams columns, were one is

filled water and the other one with air. In the air circuit a diaphragm air

compressor compresses the atmospheric air before feeding it into the

packed column. The column dimensions are: cross section area 5cm and a

height of 300mmof fine glass particles called ballotini with a nominal

diameter of 275 microns. In the water circuit a water pump circulates water

through the packed column were the dimensions of the column are the same

as the air circuit.

Figure1. Shows Experimental Set-up for the Water Circuit.

Figure.2 Shows Experimental Set-up for the Air Circuit.

III. Tabulated Data

Table1. Shows Tabulated Data for Air Circuit for runs going from lower to higher flow rate.

Run Flow rate (L/min) Bed height (mm) Pressure, drop (mm H2O)1 2 310 1222 2.5 310 1243 3 310 1664 3.5 311 1645 4 312 2176 4.5 312 2157 5 313 2848 5.5 313 2859 6 314 355

10 6.5 314 34611 7 315 43612 7.5 315 44013 8 315 43914 9 325 44515 10 333 44916 11 345 45217 12 350 45818 13 365 46219 13.5 370 46520 14 376 47521 14.5 382 47622 15 388 48123 16.5 400 49324 17 410 50125 17.5 420 508

Table2. Shows Tabulated Data Raw Data for Air Circuit for runs going from higher to lower flow rate.

Run Flow rate (L/min) Bed height (mm) Pressure,drop(mm H2O)1 17.5 415 4952 17 410 4813 16.5 400 4764 15 395 4705 14.5 388 4606 14 380 450

7 13.5 373 4448 13 365 4359 12 360 432

10 11 353 43211 10 350 42712 9 348 42513 8 340 41614 7.5 333 40715 7 328 39816 6.5 325 38817 6 320 38318 5.5 318 37519 5 317 36720 4.5 316 36021 4 315 35722 3.5 313 27823 3 311 22024 2.5 310 15525 2 310 113

Table3. Shows Tabulated Data for Water Circuit going from low to high flow rate. Run Flow rate

(L/min)Bed height (mm)

Pressure, Drop (mmH2O)

1 0.1 226 332 0.2 226 1243 0.3 226 1054 0.4 226 1105 0.5 226 1346 0.6 228 1497 0.7 232 1778 0.8 238 175

Table4. Shows Tabulated Data for Water Circuit going from high to low flow rate.

Run Flow Rate

L/min

Bed Height

mm

Pressure, Drop

1 0.8 238 1722 0.7 231 1603 0.6 229 1534 0.5 227 1515 0.4 226 1516 0.3 226 145

7 0.2 226 1408 0.1 226 60

V. Discussion and Conclusion

VI. Plot and Tables

Table5. Shows Result for Air Circuit high to low flow rate ( Part 1 and 2).

Delta(Pa)

Vs (m^3/s) DeltaP (Pa) by Kozeny-carman equation

1195.6 0.000653595

76.92030285

1215.2 0.000816993

96.15037856

1626.8 0.000980392

115.3804543

1607.2 0.001143791

134.61053

2126.6 0.00130719 153.84060572107 0.00147058

8173.0706814

2783.2 0.001633987

192.3007571

2793 0.001797386

211.5308328

3479 0.001960784

230.7609085

3390.8 0.002124183

249.9909842

4272.8 0.002287582

269.22106

4312 0.00245098 288.45113574302.2 0.00261437

9307.6812114

4361 0.002941176

346.1413628

4400.2 0.003267974

384.6015142

4429.6 0.003594771

423.0616657

4488.4 0.003921569

461.5218171

4527.6 0.004248366

499.9819685

4557 0.004411765

519.2120442

4655 0.004575163

538.4421199

4664.8 0.004738562

557.6721956

4713.8 0.004901961

576.9022713

4831.4 0.005392157

634.5924985

4909.8 0.005555556

653.8225742

4978.4 0.005718954

673.0526499

Table6. Shows Result for Air Circuit low to high flow rate ( Part 1 and 2)DeltaP (Pa)

Vs (m^3/s) Delta (Pa) by Kozeny-carman equation

4851 0.005718954 673.05264994713.8 0.005555556 653.82257424664.8 0.005392157 634.5924985

4606 0.004901961 576.90227134508 0.004738562 557.67219564410 0.004575163 538.4421199

4351.2 0.004411765 519.21204424263 0.004248366 499.9819685

4233.6 0.003921569 461.52181714233.6 0.003594771 423.06166574184.6 0.003267974 384.6015142

4165 0.002941176 346.14136284076.8 0.002614379 307.68121143988.6 0.00245098 288.45113573900.4 0.002287582 269.221063802.4 0.002124183 249.99098423753.4 0.001960784 230.7609085

3675 0.001797386 211.53083283596.6 0.001633987 192.3007571

3528 0.001470588 173.07068143498.6 0.00130719 153.8406057

2724.4 0.001143791 134.610532156 0.000980392 115.38045431519 0.000816993 96.15037856

1107.4 0.000653595 76.92030285

Table5. Shows Result for Water Circuit high to low flow rate ( Part 1 and 2).

DeltaP (Pa)

Vs (m^3/s) DeltaP (Pa) by Kozeny-carman equation

323.4 3.26797E-05 18.868235291215.2 6.53595E-05 37.73647059

1029 9.80392E-05 56.604705881078 0.000130719 75.47294118

1313.2 0.000163399 94.341176471460.2 0.000196078 113.20941181734.6 0.000228758 132.0776471

1715 0.000261438 150.9458824

Table6. Shows Result for Water Circuit low to high flow rate ( Part 1 and 2)DeltaP (Pa)

Vs (m^3/s) DeltaP (Pa) by Kozeny-carman equation

1685.6 0.000261438

150.9458824

1568 0.000228758

132.0776471

1499.4 0.000196078

113.2094118

1479.8 0.000163399

94.34117647

1479.8 0.000130719

75.47294118

1421 9.80392E-05 56.604705881372 6.53595E-05 37.73647059

588 3.26797E-05 18.86823529

Plot1. Pressure Drop against the Flow Rate of Air.

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 200

100

200

300

400

500

600

Pressure drop vs. Flow Rate of air

High to Low FLow RateLow to High FLow Rate

Flow rate (L/min)

Pre

ssu

re d

rop

(m

m H

2O

)

Plot2. Pressure Drop against the Flow Rate of Water.

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.90

50

100

150

200

Pressure drop VS Flow rate of water

High to Low FLow RateLow to High Flow Rate

Flow rate (L/min)

Prs

sure

dro

p (

mm

H2

O)

Plot3. Log of Pressure Drop vs. log of Air Flow Rate

0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.40

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

Log (pressure drop) VS Log (flow rate air)

Log(flow rate)

Log

(pre

ssu

re d

rop

)

Plot4. Log of Pressure Drop vs. log of Water Flow Rate

-1.2 -1 -0.8 -0.6 -0.4 -0.2 00

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

Log pressure drop VS Log water flow rate

Log(flow rate)

Log(

pres

sure

dro

p)

VII. Raw Data