Characteristics of heat transfer were investigated in a three-phase circulating fluidized bed whose diameter and height were 0.102 m (ID) and 2.5 m, respectively. Effects of gas and liquid velocities, particle size (0.5-3.0 mm), solid circulation rate (2.0-6.5 kg/m(2) s), and surface tension (47.53-72.75 x 10(-3) N/m) of liquid phase on the heat transfer coefficient were examined. It was found that the heat transfer coefficient (h) between the immersed vertical heater and the riser proper of the three-phase circulating fluidized bed increased with increase in gas and liquid velocities, but did not change considerably with a further increase in liquid velocity, even in the higher range. The value of heat transfer coefficient increased gradually with increase in the size of fluidized solid particles without exhibiting the local minimum, which represented that there was no bed contraction in three-phase circulating fluidized beds due to the higher liquid velocity. The heat transfer system could attain a stabilized condition more easily with increase in particle size. The value of heat transfer coefficient increased with increase in solid circulation rate in all the cases studied due to the increase of solid holdup in the riser. The value of heat transfer coefficient decreased with increase in surface tension of liquid phase, due to the decrease of bubbling phenomena and bubble holdup. The decrease in liquid surface tension could lead to an increase in elapsed time from which the temperature difference between the heater surface and the riser became an almost constant value. The experimentally obtained values of heat transfer coefficient were well correlated in terms of dimensionless groups as well as operating variables. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.