An experimental study of quenching process of the inductively heated hot particle bed by flooding from the bottom has been performed. Experiments have been conducted with particles (steel balls) of 3 different sizes under bottom flooding condition with constant driving head and also with constant flow rate in each case. Data have been measured for the progress of quench front and pressure variation at the bed bottom during quenching.
Effects of particle size, driving head, constant flow rate and initial bed temperature on quench velocity and pressure drop through particle bed have been investigated. The following results were obtained from this experimental study:
1. The quenching velocity of heat generating particulate bed by bottom flooding decreases with decreasing particle size and water supply rates. For the present range of experimental conditions mean quench velocities are typically below 0.93mm/s.
2. The bed temperature was found to have a significant effect on the quench velocity. Higher initial bed temperature reduced the quench velocity of particulate bed.
3. It was observed that the pressure drop during quenching decreases with increasing particle size.
4. There were not significant effects on pressure drop with variations of bed temperature and water supply rate.
In addition, the observed quench velocities have been compared with equivalent velocities obtained analytically using a formula presented by Dhir et al., and the former velocities have appeared, in general, slightly higher than the latter.
