Experiments on fluidizing characteristics of moist particles were carried by using humidified air as a fluidizing gas.
Changes in the fluidizing state were examined by measuring the pressure drop of beds and by visual observation in a semicylindrical fluidized bed. Changes in minimun fluidizing velocity, u_mf and corresponding voidage, ε_mf were also measured.
The quality of fluidization that depended on the moisture content was classified into three regions by using u_mf, ε_mf and the channeling index defined in this work. In addition, these characteristic values were obtained as functions of moisture content, particle size, bed height and gas velocity.
Channeling phenomena were also discussed in term of angle of repose of powder beds.