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AssigneeExxon Research & Engineering Co.
InventorsCostas A. Coulaloglou, Jeffrey H. Siegell
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The present invention relates to a process for continuous countercurrent contacting with magnetically stabilized fluidized beds. More particularly, the invention relates to the operation of a magnetically stabilized bed with continuous solid addition and removal. The bed particles which include a magnetizable component are stabilized against gas by-passing and solids back-mixing (except possibly for the flow or movement of the solids near entrance or exit ports or near fluid injection zones) during countercurrent contacting by the use of an applied magnetic field. The process of the invention is particularly suited for carrying out separation processes. The use of the applied magnetic field in such processes enables one to use small size fluidizable, adsorbent particles without encountering high pressure drops. The small adsorbent particles having a magnetic component give faster transfer of the sorbed species from the contacting fluid than with larger adsorbent particles which allows for a closer approach to equilibrium.
In a process for effecting fluid-solids contacting under fluidization conditions wherein a bed of suspended or levitated magnetizable particles are contacted within a contacting vessel with a fluid stream which passes through said bed in an ascending manner against the force of gravity, said bed being structured or stabilized by an applied magnetic field having a strength sufficient to suppress solids backmixing, the improvement which comprises:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.