13. Conclusion
Fluidized bed technology has developed largely from experimentation. The design of
fluidized plant is likely to continue and gain the favour to be something of an art and rely
considerably upon observed behavior and data obtained from previously constructed plant or
pilot plant. If fluidized bed combustion is successful in general use, a new impetus could be
given to fossil fuel use, even of such low quality as heavy oil, used oil and municipal solid
waste, but also coal.
Fluidized bed technology applications have gone far beyond combustion, gasification,
catalytic cracking, heat treatment furnaces, solids transport but also effective in drying or
cooling moist substances where clean hot air and ambient air are the fluidizing medium.
So far as a fluidized bed itself is concerned, a good design of the distributor is probably the
first requirement because of the importance of uniform distribution of the fluidizing gas into
the bed.
As with any other branch of technology, successful exploitation requires that the
technology is not only timely, but that it should also incorporate good design and operating
practice thus meeting the environmental standards. However, underlying principles have
evolved gradually through experience.