This study applies minimum fluidization velocity experiments, X-ray computed tomography (CT), X-ray stereography, and particle tracking to fluidized beds of glass beads, ground walnut shell, and ground corncob operating with a variety of flow conditions. 3-D local, time-averaged gas holdup is calculated from CT data, while dynamic features are captured by X-ray stereography. The results show that CT is most effective on glass bead fluidized beds. Due to high X-ray attenuation, glass bead CT data has higher resolution than walnut shell and corncob beds. Glass bead gas holdup data also feature the lowest noise due to the high homogeneity of the beads. Conversely, stereography is most effective in corncob and walnut shell fluidized beds. High X-ray penetration in these beds allows clear observation of internal flow features. It is also determined that increasing the superficial gas velocity in the bed decreases the effects of side air injection.
","abstract_html":"<p>This study applies minimum fluidization velocity experiments, X-ray computed tomography (CT), X-ray stereography, and particle tracking to fluidized beds of glass beads, ground walnut shell, and ground corncob operating with a variety of flow conditions. 3-D local, time-averaged gas holdup is calculated from CT data, while dynamic features are captured by X-ray stereography. The results show that CT is most effective on glass bead fluidized beds. Due to high X-ray attenuation, glass bead CT data has higher resolution than walnut shell and corncob beds. Glass bead gas holdup data also feature the lowest noise due to the high homogeneity of the beads. Conversely, stereography is most effective in corncob and walnut shell fluidized beds. High X-ray penetration in these beds allows clear observation of internal flow features. It is also determined that increasing the superficial gas velocity in the bed decreases the effects of side air injection.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Franka, Nathan"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"thesis","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":"Department of Mechanical Engineering","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Theodore J. Heindel","Robert C. Brown","Hui Hu"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2008,"date_issued":"2008-01-01","date_published":"2008-01-01","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:37:27Z","subjects":[],"languages":["en"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.doi","label":"DOI","values":["https://doi.org/10.31274/rtd-180813-16571"],"render_values":[{"text":"https://doi.org/10.31274/rtd-180813-16571","href":"https://doi.org/10.31274/rtd-180813-16571","code":true}]},{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["archive/lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd/15340/"],"render_values":[{"text":"archive/lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd/15340/","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://dr.lib.iastate.edu/handle/20.500.12876/68964","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Theodore J. Heindel","Robert C. Brown","Hui Hu"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Department of Mechanical Engineering"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Franka, Nathan"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2018-08-22T17:25:00.000"]},{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2020-06-30T07:43:44Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2020-06-30T07:43:44Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2008-01-01"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["archive/lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd/15340/"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.doi","label":"DOI","values":["https://doi.org/10.31274/rtd-180813-16571"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://dr.lib.iastate.edu/handle/20.500.12876/68964"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This study applies minimum fluidization velocity experiments, X-ray computed tomography (CT), X-ray stereography, and particle tracking to fluidized beds of glass beads, ground walnut shell, and ground corncob operating with a variety of flow conditions. 3-D local, time-averaged gas holdup is calculated from CT data, while dynamic features are captured by X-ray stereography. The results show that CT is most effective on glass bead fluidized beds. Due to high X-ray attenuation, glass bead CT data has higher resolution than walnut shell and corncob beds. Glass bead gas holdup data also feature the lowest noise due to the high homogeneity of the beads. Conversely, stereography is most effective in corncob and walnut shell fluidized beds. High X-ray penetration in these beds allows clear observation of internal flow features. It is also determined that increasing the superficial gas velocity in the bed decreases the effects of side air injection.
"]},{"key":"dc:format.mimetype","label":"Dc Format Mimetype","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Visualizing fluidized beds with X-rays"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Theodore J. Heindel","Robert C. Brown","Hui Hu"],"dc:contributor.department":["Department of Mechanical Engineering"],"dc:creator":["Franka, Nathan"],"dc:date":["2018-08-22T17:25:00.000"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2020-06-30T07:43:44Z"],"dc:date.available":["2020-06-30T07:43:44Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2008-01-01"],"dc:description.abstract":["This study applies minimum fluidization velocity experiments, X-ray computed tomography (CT), X-ray stereography, and particle tracking to fluidized beds of glass beads, ground walnut shell, and ground corncob operating with a variety of flow conditions. 3-D local, time-averaged gas holdup is calculated from CT data, while dynamic features are captured by X-ray stereography. The results show that CT is most effective on glass bead fluidized beds. Due to high X-ray attenuation, glass bead CT data has higher resolution than walnut shell and corncob beds. Glass bead gas holdup data also feature the lowest noise due to the high homogeneity of the beads. Conversely, stereography is most effective in corncob and walnut shell fluidized beds. High X-ray penetration in these beds allows clear observation of internal flow features. It is also determined that increasing the superficial gas velocity in the bed decreases the effects of side air injection.
"],"dc:format.mimetype":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier":["archive/lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd/15340/"],"dc:identifier.doi":["https://doi.org/10.31274/rtd-180813-16571"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://dr.lib.iastate.edu/handle/20.500.12876/68964"],"dc:language.iso":["en"],"dc:title":["Visualizing fluidized beds with X-rays"],"dc:type":["thesis"],"thesis:degree_level":["thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:37:27Z"}