Behavior of fluidized beds similar to equilibrium states

Systematic simulations are carried out based on the model of fluidized beds proposed by the present authors [K.Ichiki and H.Hayakawa, Phys. Rev. E vol.52, 658 (1995)]. From our simulation, we confirm that fluidization is a continuous transition. We also confirm the existence of two types of fluidized phases, the channeling phase and the bubbling phase. We find the close relations between the averaged behaviors in fluidized beds and quasi equilibrium states in dense liquids. In fluidized beds, (i) the flow rate plays the role of the effective temperature, and (ii) the existence of a kind of the fluctuation-dissipation relation is suggested.