The effect of temperature and particle size on the fluid bed drying of Northern Ireland lignite

This paper investigates fluid-bed drying of lignite, in a batch-wise laboratory scale dryer. Based on experimental data, the rate controlling step was partly characterized by determining the observed activation energy for the process. The effects of temperature and particle size on drying rate were studied to obtain information relating to optimum operating conditions. The boundary layer resistance was also shown to affect the rate of evaporation of moisture from the particulate solid.