Effect of the atomizer in conical spouted beds for drying kaolin suspensions

Abstract

Drying of suspensions in spouted bed is performed by atomizing the solution onto the top surface of the annulus. However, drying of concentrated suspensions, such as those of kaolin, leads to particle agglomerations.Locating the atomizer at the air inlet pipe might be an alternative, since suspension droplets are fed into the spout, where high particle velocities are attained. However, the atomizer may lead to bed instabilities due to changes in air trajectory. This study analyzes spouted bed hydrodynamics with and without atomizer. Although the atomizer increases the total pressure drop of the system, it hardly changes spouted bed hydrodynamics.