Computer Automated Radio Particle Tracking (CARPT) is widely recognized as one of a few techniques that can be reliably used even in highly turbulent and opaque slurry flows. This work utilizes an improved CARPT technique to investigate the effect of reactor pressure (0.1–1 MPa) and superficial gas velocity (0.08–0.45 m/s) on solids phase velocity and shear stress in a pilot scale 0.16 m diameter stainless steel column using an air–water–glass beads (alt="Click to view the MathML source" align="absbottom" border="0" height=17 width=53>) system. The solids axial velocity and shear stress were found to increase noticeably with pressure and superficial gas velocity in the churn turbulent flow regime.