Fluidization characteristics of lithium-titanate in gas-solid fluidized bed

Experiments were conducted to investigate the hydrodynamic behaviour of lithium titanate (Li(2)TiO(3)) in gas-solid fluidized bed. The objective of the study was to study the fluidization properties of Li(2)TiO(3) particles. These studies will be useful to find the applicability of fluidization to increase the effective thermal conductivity and wall to bed heat transfer coefficient of Li(2)TiO(3) particulate bed in test blanket module of fusion reactor. Li(2)TiO(3) was synthesized by solid state reaction process and different particle sizes were classified. Experiments were conducted in a cylindrical column of 90 mm diameter and 650 mm height in perspex material with metallic distributor plate. Dry compressed air was used as fluidizing medium. From the experiments it was observed that Li(2)TiO(3) is fluidizable, but severe slugging and bubbling were observed in the fluidized bed. Minimum fluidization and bubbling velocity of Li(2)TiO(3) particles were determined and compared to that of white sand of similar particle size and density. The experimental details and observations are discussed in this paper. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.