www.ijecs.in International Journal Of Engineering And Computer Science ISSN:2319-7242 Volume 2 Issue 5 May, 2013 Page No. 1595-1605 Suleiman Y., IJECS Volume 2 Issue 5 May, 2013 Page No. 1595-1605 Page 1595 DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF FLUIDIZED-BED REACTOR Suleiman Y., Ibrahim H * ., Anyakora N.V., Mohammed F., Abubakar A., Aderemi B. O., Okonkwo P. C. Chemical Engineering Department Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. Abstract A fluidized-bed reactor was designed and constructed for practical demonstration of the fluidization of solid particles at different fluid flow rates. The bed of this reactor was sand particles of average size 1800 μm ,weighed 0.6 N and the fluidizing fluidwas air. Alternatively, the fluidizing fluid can be substituted for any given gas by connecting the desired gas cylinder to the blower. The height of the bed was 25 mm on a mesh of 1230 μm. An air blower was designed to supply air from the room to fluidize the bed.The shaftand discharge powers of the blower were18.8kW and its efficiency was 70%. The minimum and maximum operating pressures were 0.1133 and 24.5262 mH 2 O and their corresponding velocities were 0.64 and 245.86 m/s respectively.This project was found suitable for undergraduates of Chemical Engineering and related studies for improved knowledge and practical skill required for effective and optimal performance in meeting industrial needs towards improved service delivery. Keywords: fluidized bed, reactor, demonstration, blower, power. 1.0 Introduction Fluidized bed reactors have been significantly utilized in chemical processes, in which parameters such as diffusion or heat transfer are the major design parameters. Compared to packed bed, a fluidized bed has notable advantages such as better control of temperature, no hot spot in the bed, uniform catalyst distribution and longer life of the catalyst. Fluidized beds achieve good mixing of the suspended particles and the suspending fluid. In fluidized bed reactor the solids or catalytic particles are supported by an up flow of fluidizing fluid. This reactor provides easy loading and removing of catalysts (Internet (a)). This is advantageous when the solids bed must be removed and replaced frequently. A high conversion with a large throughput is possible with this type of reactor. Such reactors inherently possess excellent heat transfer and mixing characteristics. The desirability of using fluidized- bed is dependent on achieving good and close to perfect