Abstract
Hydrodynamic characteristics such as gas holdup, liquid circulation velocity and bed expansion in a hexagonal inverse fluidized bed were investigated using air-water system by changing the ratio ($A_d$/$A_r$) of cross-sectional area between the riser and the downcomer, the liquid level($H_1$/H), and the superficial gas velocity($U_g$). The gas holdup and the liquid circulation velocity were steadily increased with the superficial gas velocity increasing, but at high superficial gas velocity, some of gas bubbles were carried over to a downcomer and circulated through the column. When the superficial gas velocity was high, the $A_d$/$A_r$ ratio in the range of 1 to 2.4 did not affect the liquid circulation velocity, but the maximum bed expansion was obtained at $A_d$/$A_r$ ratio of 1.25. The liquid circulation velocity was expressed as a model equation below with variables of the cross-sectional area ratio($A_d$/$A_r$) between riser to downcomer, the liquid level($H_1$/H), the superficial gas velocity($U_g$), the sparser height[(H-$H_s$)/H], and the draft Plate level($H_b$/H). $U_{ld}$ = 11.62U_g^{0.75}$${(\frac{H_1}{H})}^{10.30}$${(\frac{A_d}{A_r})}^{-0.52}$${(\frac({H-H_s}{H})}^{0.91}$${(\frac{H_b}{H})}^{0.13}$
