In this investigation, the heat transfer coefficient in an air-solid fluidized bed was correlated with the bulk flow rate index which was measured in terms of the buoyancy of a spherical float within the fluidized bed.
The bulk flow rate index was largely affected by the air flow rate and the particle characteristics as well as the inlet gas distributor, and the radial profile of the flow rate index was similar to that of the heat transfer coefficient.
The results of the present study show that the heat transfer coefficient can be determined as a function of the bulk flow rate index.