The New Jersey Institute of Technology's
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Title:	A study of the dynamics of gas adsorption in an air fluidized bed
Author:	Zalewski, William Charles
View Online:	njit-etd1970-009 (ix, 350 pages ~ 11.2 MB pdf)
Department:	Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry
Degree:	Doctor of Engineering Science
Program:	Chemical Engineering
Document Type:	Dissertation
Advisory Committee:	Hanesian, Deran (Committee chair) Chen, Hung T. (Committee member) Perlis, Harlan J. (Committee member) Perna, Angelo J. (Committee member) Roche, Edward Charles, Jr. (Committee member)
Date:	1970-06
Keywords:	Gases--Absorption and adsorption. Fluidization.
Availability:	Unrestricted
Abstract:	The dynamics of gas adsorption was studied in an air fluidized bed containing activated alumina particles. The adsorption studies made with a fixed bed and in the transition region between minimum fluidization velocity and 2.0 times minimum fluidization velocity, compliment work done at higher velocities. With adsorption, particle motion controlled the overall dynamics of the fluidized bed. A different approach in applying the two phase fluidization model was necessary to satisfactorily describe unsteady state adsorption in fluidized beds. Experimental and theoretical results were compared in frequency response plots to obtain a rigorous comparison. Good agreement was obtained for flow rates at 1.1, 1.28 and 1.65 times minimum fluidization velocity. Fluidization was found to be incomplete at the lower flow rates. An adsorbable and non-adsorbable tracer were used in the study, "Freon-12" and helium respectively. The packed bed region was studied to obtain the kinetics of adsorption with "Freon-12". The results using helium tracer were found to be inconclusive in the fluidized bed region. The combination of the mixing model with bypassing, and the adsorption kinetics in a unique fashion, provided theoretical curves consistent with experimental results.