Perforated spheres with 10% and 25% free area, oblate spheroids and the conventional plain spheres were tested as packing medium in a Turbulent Bed Contactor (TBC). Hydrodynamics and particle collection experiments were carried out in a column having 0.264 m diameter, at 3 static bed heights and several gas and liquid flow rates. Alumina (1.5 to 5.5 mu m) was used as test powder for particle collection experiments. The higher efficiency of particle collection, the lower bed expansions and the higher fluidization velocities of perforated spheres, indicates that this packing type is suitable as contacting medium for particle collection in TBCs.