Use of microwave energy in conjunction with fluidized bed reactors

A proposal is made for developing a pilot plant for demonstrating the use of microwave heating in conjunction with the operation of fluidized bed reactors. Fluidized bed reactors are widely used in the chemical, petrochemical, and petroleum industries. Microwave heating of particles in a fluidized bed has the advantages that heat is generated within individual particles, no combustion gases or outside contaminants are in contact with the particles, and no differential temperature is required for heat transfer to a particle in the radiation field. It is believed that the use of microwave energy for particle heating would result in fluidized bed operations with the same or improved efficiency at appreciably lower temperatures. (LCL)