13-mm insidediameter tube was investigated using 329-micron spherical glass beads in air. The gas Reynolds number varied from 0 to 30,oOO with solids-loading ratios of up to 20 at a gas Reynolds number of l0,oOO. The frictional pressure drop for downflow was found to be a weaker function of the solids-loading ratio than the upflow case using data reported in the literature. Empirical correlation of the t w q h a s e friction factor, in terms of the gas Reynolds number and a dimensionless parameter, C D E~D / [ (~ -E')dp], showed that at high solids loadings, particles tend to stabilize the suspension flow. The dimensionless parameter seems to be applicable to a universal pressure drop correlation for solids-fluid systems, but requires further investigation. University of Utah Depl. of Chemical Engineering Salt Lake City, UT 84112 the literature are in conflict. Several pressure-drop correlations proposed for vertical-upflow systems cover a very limited range of variables, and they cannot be safely extrapolated outside the range of the experimental data.