Efecto del confinador de fuente en el arrastre de caolín en secadero spouted bed cónico

Abstract

Spouted bed is a high efficient technology for drying of solids that can process a wide range of particle sizes when including internal devices. Draft-tube (DT) provides bed stability and fountain confiner (FC) reduces particle entrainment. In early studies it has been proven that drying of kaolin can be carried out in a conical spouted bed using fine sand as inert bed, since kaolin easily agglomerates causing bed instability. 60% aperture DT and 600 mm length/200 mm diameter FC have been selected for maximizing drying efficiency. Entrained kaolin (expected product in drying of wet kaolin) is collected in a bag filter, recording recovered mass weight evolution with time. Reducing the distance between bed surface and confiner turns into a faster entrainment. For distances below 3 cm remarkable pressure drop fluctuations have been appreciated, caused by overpressure into the confiner. As expected, increasing air velocity gives faster entrainment and higher pressure drop. Additionally, low air velocities do not ensure kaolin recovering, establishing a limit of u/ums>2.5 for optimal operation.