Experimental and Prediction Using Artificial Neural Network of Bed Porosity and Solid Holdup in Viscous 3-Phase Inverse Fluidization

Abstract

In the present investigation, bed porosity and solid holdup in viscous three-phase inverse fluidized bed (TPIFB) are determined for aqueous solutions of carboxy methyl cellulose (CMC) system using polyethylene and polypropylene as a particles with low-density and diameter (5 mm) in a (9.2 cm) inner diameter with height (200 cm) of vertical perspex column. The effectiveness of gas velocity Ug , liquid velocity UL, liquid viscosity μL, and particle density ρs on bed porosity BP and solid holdups εg were determined. The bed porosity increases with "increasing gas velocity", "liquid velocity", and "liquid viscosity". Solid holdup decreases with increasing gas, liquid velocities and liquid viscosity. Solid holdup with "low density particles" shows a higher numerical quantity "than that in the beds" with "high density". Levenberg-Marquardt back propagation of "artificial neural network (ANNs)" was utilized to predict the bed porosity and solid holdup. The expected values are in an excellent relationship with the experimental values, where the advanced model is high-fidelity and own a large capacity to predict bed porosity and solid holdup.

Keywords

• bed porosity
• solid holdup
• three phase
• inverse fluidization
• ANNs