Effect of the secondary air distribution layer on separation density in a dense-phase gas–solid fluidized bed

Dry coal separation has been the most significant process in the field of coal beneficiation to date, because of its special advantage of operation with no water consumption. Mineral dry separation research has received wide attention, particularly in countries and regions experiencing drought and water shortages. During the process of dense coal gas–solid fluidized bed beneficiation, the material is stratified according to its density; the high density material layer remains at the bed bottom, and thus the high density coarse particle bed becomes an important influencing factor in fluidized bed stability. In the steady fluidization stage, a small number of large radius bubbles are the direct cause of unsteady fluidization in the traditional fluidized bed. The dispersion effect of the secondary air distribution bed for air flow is mainly apparent in the gas region; when the particle size exceeds 13 mm, the secondary air distribution bed has a synergistic effect on the density stability of the upper fluidized layer. When the particle size is small, especially when less than 6 mm, particles will constantly move, accounting for instability of the secondary air distribution bed and distorting the stability of the upper fluidized bed. Under optimum operation conditions, the probable deviation E of gas–solid separation fluidized with a high density coarse particle layer can be as low as 0.085 g/cm3.