Abstract
The particle growth properties in drying of an aqueous mixture of sodium orthophosphates were studied in a 0.078 m-ID × 0.84 m-high fluidized bed. Glass beads and sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) particles were used as the initial seed particles. Particle growth was mainly governed by the agglomeration of product particles in beds of glass beads and STPP particles. Particle growth conversion decreased with increasing gas velocity and bed temperature but increased with an increase in feed solution concentration. The particle size distribution of products can be represented by the lognormal distribution function. A semiempirical correlation is proposed to predict the size distribution of product particles in the bed.
