Direct Measurement of Apparent Viscosity of a Fluidized Bed Under Non-Ambient Conditions

The rheological behavior of fluidized beds has been an object of study ever since their first technological use in the 1940´s.

However, the study of their behaviour under non ambient conditions is severely limited.

While strides are being made in trhe last years in the characterization of hot and cold granular media in the consolidated state this work focuses on the direct measurement of apparent viscosity and other significant parameters of fluidized beds under direct application of non-ambient conditions made possible with a modification of our powder flow cell.

The focus will be on polymeric powders due to their widespread use as well as the significant change they experience with the application of both high and low temperatures.

This will be contrasted with the behaviour of both the bulk material measured by Dynamic mechanical analysis as well as their consolidated granular behaviour with a heated shear cell.