Characteristics of particle holdup and heat transfer were investigated in a liquid-particle swirling fluidized bed whose diameter was 0.102 m and 2.5 m in height. Effects of liquid velocity, particle size and swirling liquid ratio(RS) on the particle holdup and immersed heater-to-bed overall heat transfer coefficient were examined. The particle holdup increased with increasing particle size and swirling liquid ratio but decreased with increasing liquid velocity. The local particle holdup was relatively high in the region near the heater when the RS value was 0.1~0.3, but the radial particle holdup was almost uniform when the RS value was 0.5, whereas, when the RS value was 0.7, the local particle holdup was relatively low in the region near the heater. The heat transfer characteristics between the immersed heater and the bed was well analyzed by means of phase space portraits and Kolmogorov entropy(K) of the time series of temperature difference fluctuations. The phase space portraits of temperature difference fluctuations became stable and periodic and the value of Kolmogorov entropy tended to decrease with increasing the value of RS from 0.1 to 0.5. The Kolmogorov entropy exhibited its maximum value with increasing liquid velocity. The value of overall heat transfer coefficient(h) showed its maximum value with the variation of liquid velocity, bed porosity or swirling liquid ratio, but it increased with increasing particle size. The value of K exhibited its maximum at the liquid velocity at which the h value attained its maximum. The particle holdup and overall heat transfer coefficient were well correlated in terms of dimensionless groups of operating variables.