The transmission of light through an irradiated Auidised bed with vertical flat walls containing catalytic particles has been experimentally studied. The amount of light transmitted through the reactor was measured at different levels by a photocell. The experimental variables studied included: (i) gas flow rate, varying fmm 2 to more than 10 times that required for minimum Ruidisation; (ii) mean particle size, ranging from 0.138 to 0.275 mm; and (iii) internal bed thickness from 2.1 to 4.9mm. The effect of the reflectance of the particles was also examined. Results show that the amount of light transmitted through a flat fluidised bed is low. The average transmitted light has been satisfactorily correlated with average bubble voidage of the bed, particle diameter and bed thickness. INTBODUcllON In the last decade or so, research in the conversion of solar energy to chemical energy has been rapidly gathering momentum.
Many of these studies employed heterogeneous catalytic systems[ l-61 both in the batch and continuous mode. Gas-liquid, gas-solid and gas-liquidsolid reactors have been used to perform these photoassisted reactions. Before these photoreactions can be turned into feasible industrial processes, the design of heterogeneous photoreactors must be studied. The application of chemical engineering