Heat transfer from a column wall to liquid-fluidized beds was investigated experimentally. The diameter ratio of particle to column was changed from 0.089 up to 0.332, using 11 sizes of particles and two sizes of columns. It was found from the experiment that the critical diameter ratio of particle to column is 0.2; below this value a good fluidizing condition is maintained for any flow rate and the heat transfer coefficient changes smoothly from the minimum fluidization to the liquid single-phase flow. Based on the experimental data, a correlation was derived to predict heat transfer coefficients for the case affected by a column wall. © 2000 Scripta Technica, Heat Trans Asian Res, 29 (7): 598-608, 2000