Mixing characteristics of binary mixtures using promoters and secondary fluidizing medium

In the present investigation, a new technique for augmenting mixing of particles, expressed through the mixing index (IM), has been found. Correlations for the mixing index have been developed with system parameters such as static bed heights, average particle densities, average particle sizes and gas mass velocities under four different experimental conditions, viz., only primary air, simultaneous primary and secondary air, disc promoter and rod promoter using the factorial design approach. The values of the mixing index obtained through the developed model are found to agree well with their experimental counterparts. Furthermore, it has been observed that the best mixing performance is achieved (IM ≈ 1) under conditions of simultaneous primary and secondary air supply.