Fluidized Bed Reactor

FLUIDIZED BED REACTOR
A fluidized bed reactor (FBR) is a

type of reactor device that can be
used to carry out a variety of
multiphase chemical reactions
In this type of reactor, a fluid (gas

or liquid) is passed through a
granular solid material (usually
a catalyst ) at high enough
velocities to suspend the solid
and cause it to behave as it were
a liquid.
Basic Principles
The solid substrate is supported
by a distributor.
The fluid is forced through the
distributor up through the solid
material
At lower fluid velocities, the solids
remain in place as the fluid passes
through the voids in the material
This is known as a packed bed
reactor
As the fluid velocity is increased,
the reactor will reach a stage
where the force of the fluid on the
solids is enough to balance the
weight of the solid material
Basic Principles
This stage is known as fluidization
and occurs at this minimum
fluidization velocity
As the fluid velocity is increased,
the reactor will reach a stage
where the force of the fluid on the
solids is enough to balance the
weight of the solid material
This stage is known as fluidization
and occurs at this minimum
fluidization velocity
Once this minimum velocity is
surpassed, the contents of the
reactor bed begin to expand and
swirl around much like an agitated
tank or boiling pot of water.
Basic Principles
The reactor is now a fluidized

bed.
Depending on the operating
conditions and properties of solid
phase various flow regimes can
be observed in this reactor.
Uses
Today fluidized bed reactors are still used to produce gasoline and other fuels, along
with many other chemicals.
Many industrially produced polymers are made using FBR technology, such as
•Rubber
•Vinyl chloride
•Polyethylene
•Poly styrene
Various utilities also use FBR’s .These include
•coal gasification,
•nuclear power plants,
•water and waste treatment settings.
Used in these applications, fluidized bed reactors allow for a cleaner, more efficient
process than previous standard reactor technologies
Catalytic Cracking of Petroleum
•The breakthrough of fluidization in 1942 was associated with catalytic cracking of
gasoil into gasoline
•Before that, catalytic cracking had been carried out in fixed bed reactors.
•Catalytic cracking deposits carbonaceous products on the catalyst, causing rapid

deactivation of the latter.
•In order to maintain the production capacity, the carbon had to be burned off.
•This regeneration required switching the reactor out of production.

Catalytic Cracking of Petroleum
•It was then found that the dense mixture of solids and gas behaved in many aspects
like a fluid.
•This makes the control of streams much more convenient.
•Since then fluidized beds have been used in other fields where solids have to be
handled
Advantages
Uniform Particle Mixing
• Due to the intrinsic fluid-like behavior of the solid material, fluidized beds do not
experience poor mixing as in packed beds.
• This complete mixing allows for a uniform product that can often be hard to
achieve in other reactor designs.
Uniform Temperature Gradients

• Many chemical reactions require the addition or removal of heat.
• Local hot or cold spots within the reaction bed, often a problem in packed beds,
are avoided in a fluidized situation such as an FBR. I
• n other reactor types, these local temperature differences, especially hotspots, can
result in product degradation. Thus FBRs are well suited to exothermic reactions.
Advantages
Ability to Operate Reactor in Continuous State
• The fluidized bed nature of these reactors allows for the ability to continuously
withdraw product and introduce new reactants into the reaction vessel.
• Operating at a continuous process state allows manufacturers to produce their
various products more efficiently due to the removal of startup conditions in batch
processes.
Disadvantages
• Increased Reactor Vessel Size
• Pumping Requirements and Pressure Drop
• Particle Entrainment
• Lack of Current Understanding
• Erosion of Internal Component

Fluidized Bed Reactor

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What are the basic principles of a fluidized bed reactor?

What are some common uses of fluidized bed reactors today?

FLUIDIZED BED REACTOR

A fluidized bed reactor (FBR) is a

In this type of reactor, a fluid (gas

The reactor is now a fluidized

Many industrially produced polymers are made using FBR technology, such as

Various utilities also use FBR’s .These include

•Catalytic cracking deposits carbonaceous products on the catalyst, causing rapid

•This regeneration required switching the reactor out of production.

•This makes the control of streams much more convenient.

Uniform Temperature Gradients

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