A unique normalized radial pressure profile characterizes the bed of a gas-solid vortex reactor over a range of particle densities and sizes, solid capacities, and gas flow rates: 950-1240 kg/m(3), 1-2 mm, 2 kg to maximum solids capacity, and 0.4-0.8 Nm(3)/s (corresponding to gas injection velocities of 55-110 m/s), respectively. The combined momentum conservation equations of both gas and solid phases predict this pressure profile when accounting for the corresponding measured particle velocities. The pressure profiles for a given type of particles and a given solids loading but for different gas injection velocities merge into a single curve when normalizing the pressures with the pressure value downstream of the bed. The normalized-with respect to the overall pressure drop-pressure profiles for different gas injection velocities in particle-free flow merge in a unique profile. (c) 2015 The Authors AIChE Journal published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Institute of Chemical Engineers