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In the "Particle Size" section above it was noted that flocculation of the particles in the fluidized bed was observed. This phenomenon of lime particles sticking together was seen again with the particles sliding down the bottom of the tube settler. A The team observed a large solid buildup was observed in the smaller reactor which plugged the branched pipe segment except for some very small flow paths. It was thought that the initial buildup occurred on the rim in the pipe connection and that additional settling lime added to the formation of the aggregate solid. This behavior has only been observed seen when the lime was is broken up with a blender prior to the experiment, so the tendency of the particles to stick together seems to be related to some extent to particle size. Other surface properties and chemistry may also play a role, but this is not well understood. Clearly, just as the formation of flocs decreases the surface area available for dissolution, the formation of a solid block of lime is detrimental to the performance of the reactor.
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