The Effects of Bed Height and Initial Moisture Concentration on Drying Lignite in a Batch Fluidized Bed

In this study, drying of a lignite from Erzurum Ispir-Karahan province, with air in a batch fludized bed, was investigated. In the experiments, effects of bed height and initial moisture concentration of the coal on the drying behavior were studied. It was found that the drying rate increased with a decrease in bed height. Also, coal particles with an initial lower moisture content showed a marginal decrease of drying rate compared with higher moisture content particles. It was also observed that the equilibrium moisture content, and the time taken to reach the equilibrium moisture content, decreased with decreasing initial moisture concentration, while the critical moisture content generally decreased. Also, it fixed with decreasing bed height, while the critical moisture content increased.

Keywords:

• bed height
• coal
• drying
• fluidized bed
• initial moisture concentration