Pressure drop across a perforated-plate distributor in a gas-fluidized bed.

Pressure drops across a perforated-plate distributor, with and without a bed present, were investigated and a disagreement was found. A “real minimum uniform fluidization velocity,” Urmu f, was defined at which the distributor pressure drop was consistent with that in an empty bed. An approach for modifying the orifice equation when the gas velocity was smaller than Urmu f was proposed.