In this article a novel circulating-turbulent fluidized bed (C-TFB) featured by high solids holdup and high gross solids circulation has been introduced and tested. The purpose of the new design was to integrate conventional circulating and turbulent fluidized beds into a unique high-density fluidization system for more efficient gas-solid contact and significantly reduced solids backmixing. The hydrodynamic characteristics of the C-TFB were analyzed in terms of differential pressure, solids concentration, particle velocity, and local solids flux distributions. An axial homogeneous flow structure was easily obtained with cross-sectional average solids volume concentrations higher than 0.25 throughout the entire C-TFB. At all measuring positions there was no net downflow of solids and a good gas-solid mixing was observed.