comparable with the lov~ rates of shear used in the present work, the viscosity observed by them has been calculated to be 150 cs.This calculation is, however, only approximate, as bed density had to be assumed and the air rate was not directly ascertainable. Results obtained with the rotational viscometer used by them are roughly comparable with those here described obtained with the oscillating viscometer.There is some evidence of Newtonian behavior of the bed under the low shear stress involved in these measurements. The torsional viscometer correlation ( 2 ) is a unique function of several system variables, such as immersed body diameter and period of oscillation. When one of the system variables was altered, such as bob diameter or period, a different portion of the viscometer correlation curve became relevant. Calculations based on this different portion invariably led to substan tially the same viscosity value, whereas the mean rate of shear had been perceptibly altered, thus giving indirect evidence that the observed viscosity seems to be independent of the rate of shear.Further evidence is that, as nearly as could be ascertained in these experiments, the logarithmic rate of decay of amplitude was independent of the amplitude, as it is for a Neittonian fluid. The data of Schugerl et al. (79) for their rotational viscometei and for slow rates of immersed body rotation, also indicated an independence between viscosity and rate of shear.The theoretical predictions of Trawinski (27) are not confirmed by the results here described, in that bed viscosity did not decrease lvith particle size. Trawinski (22) also predicted a minimum viscosity a t such proportion of fines as isould coat a large particle with a "lubricating" layer of small ones. KO such minimum was observed in the present nork. literature Cited (1) Aird, R. M., B. E. (Hons) (Chem) thesis, Canterbury Universitv CollePe. The feasibility of gaseous fluidization of particles in the size range of less than 50 microns was investigated, The ratio of the incipient fluidization velocity, calculated by a conventional relationship without accounting for interparticle forces, to the incipient fluidization velocity, determined by pressure drop and heat transfer measurements, was used as an index, FI, describing the fluidizability of a particulate material. The results indicate that FI is closely related to the interparticie adhesive force. The limitations of the feasibility of fluidization depend on the ratio of the weight of a particle to the sum of its weight and adhesive force; no fluidization could be obtained when this ratio was less than 1 O-3.
FLUIDIZATIOS of fine particles is becoming of interest in vari-ous chemical processes such as the fluorination of uranium compounds-e.g., Us08, U02F2, UF,-the preparation of uranium monocarbide, and the coating of reactor fuel particles. Fine particles are in general difficult to fluidize. This difficulty is related to interparticle forces (76, 77) which are greater than those transmitted to the particles by the ...