A sedimentation model for particulate suspensions in liquid–solid fluidized beds with inclined channels

The motion characteristics of mineral particles in a modified fluidized bed (mFB) with inclined plates have been studied both theoretically and experimentally. A particulate sedimentation model is built on the fluidization superficial velocity, terminal settling velocity, the device dimensions, the particle properties, and the volume fraction of the particulate suspensions in the inclined channel, which is to describe the motion behavior of particles in mono-disperse suspensions. The experimental particles are a mixture of silica and sand particles with the sizes in the range of 425 - 710 μm and 710 - 880 μm, respectively. Further, the model is extended to describe bi-disperse suspensions. The experimental system is established to be consistent with the theoretical arrangements, aiming to provide more accurate measurements. Specifically, the prediction results are in good agreement with the experimental data with the absolute deviation less than 11%. The results showed that the average solid volume fraction in the inclined channel fluctuates slightly for a given total solid inventory. The theoretical model is of certain practical significance for applications of this system to the classification, separation, and desliming of minerals.