Experimental quantification of interparticle forces in gas-solid fluidized beds operating at temperatures from ambient to 1500 °C

Abstract

The successful design and operation of high-temperature gas-solid fluidized bed reactors require a deep understanding of interparticle forces (IPFs). However, experimentally quantifying IPFs at elevated temperatures has been a significant challenge due to the lack of suitable methods. This study addresses this gap by introducing a simple yet reliable experimental approach to quantify IPFs in a gas-solid fluidized bed across a temperature range from ambient to 1500 °C. The experimental results reveal that IPFs increase gradually with temperatures up to 1200 °C and become more pronounced at higher temperatures. Smaller particles, or those prone to changes in morphological, structural, and chemical properties—such as softening, sintering, or the formation of low-melting-point eutectic compounds at high temperatures—intensify IPFs significantly. This phenomenon is corroborated by our experiments and comparison with literature data across various temperatures and particle types. Finally, two empirical correlations are proposed to predict IPFs as temperature and particle diameter functions for coarse particles in high-temperature fluidized beds. These findings enhance the understanding of IPFs in high-temperature fluidized beds and are valuable for developing such systems for industrial applications.