Experimental study on the maximum spoutable bed height of a spout-fluid bed (cross-section of 0.3 m × 0.03 m and height of 2 m) packed with Geldart group D particles has been carried out. The effects of particle size, spout nozzle size and fluidizing gas flow rate on the maximum spoutable bed height were studied. Experimental data were compared to some published experiments and predictions. The results show that the maximum spoutable bed height of spout-fluid bed decreases with increasing particle size and spout nozzle size, which appears the same trend to that of spouted beds. The increasing of fluidizing gas flow rate leads to a sharply decrease in the maximum spoutable bed height. The existent correlations of the maximum spoutable bed height in the literature were observed to involve large discrepancies. Additionally, the flow characteristics when bed materials deeper than the maximum spoutable height were summarized. Under this condition, the spout-fluid bed operated without a stable and coherent spout or fountain assembles the characteristics of jetting fluidized bed. Besides, the mechanisms of spout termination were investigated. It was found that slugging in the spout and growth of instabilities would cause the spout termination in spout-fluid bed.