A simple model to predict the pressure drop in three phase inverse fluidized bed

Three phase inverse fluidized beds are contacting patterns in which continuous downflowing liquid phase and upflowing dispersed gas phase maintain a bed of suspended particles with density lower than the liquid. Compared to classical cocurrent three phase fluidization, higher mass transfer rates are achieved in inverse fluidized beds, due to the low inertia of particles used in the system. Owing to this advantage IFBs are used in wastewater treatment and biochemical processes. Successful design and operation of IFB requires information on hydrodynamics, transport rates, kinetics and contacting. Hydrodynamic characteristics include flow regime, pressure drop and phase holdups. Several studies have been conducted on the hydrodynamics of three phase IFB [1, 2]. However, no attempt has been made to predict pressure drop in terms of operating parameters. Hence the objective of the present work is to predict pressure drop in three phase IFB using gas holdup in bubble column and weight of particles.