(146a) Hydrodynamics of Sound Assisted Fluidization of Rigid-Microsized Powder

An objective of this work was to investigate hydrodynamic behaviors of sound-assisted fluidization of rigid-microsized powder under different inlet superficial velocity and sound frequency ranging from 0-500 Hz at a fixed sound pressure level of 80 dB. The hydrodynamics behaviors were observed such as a fixed bed pressure drop, a total bed pressure drop, an incipient fluidization velocity and a complete fluidization velocity (a minimum fluidization velocity). It was found that the fixed bed pressure drop increased with sound frequency, in comparison with a normal fluidization. The complete fluidization velocity was significantly decreased with increasing sound frequency and the minimum value was found at sound critical frequency of 80 Hz. Then, the values were increased again and leveled off. This pattern of variation was found to be according to a standing wave sound pressure level characteristic in the fluidization medium, when a magnitude of the sound pressure level changed exponentially and periodically with the standing wave properties.