Gas-induced fluidization in water-saturated sands

Abstract eng:
The morphology and dynamics of gas crossing a liquid-saturated granular bed has a drastic importance in natural and industrial processes. Due to the repetitive rise of gas through the bed, a fluidized zone is formed, which exhibits a parabolic shape at long times for a single injection point. This work investigates the fluidization of a liquid-saturated sand submitted to an ascending gas flow, in confined geometry. First, we focus on the fluidization dynamics from the initial state of a loose-packing, homogeneous bed. The stabilization time of the central air channel which is always formed in the stationary state is quantified, and its scaling inferred from an energy balance. Second, we investigate the global characteristics of the gas trapped in the system, in the stationary state. In particular, we show that the gas volume fraction in the fluidized zone is independent of the injection flow-rate and the grain diameter.

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