The interaction of evaporating droplets and hot catalyst particles plays a major role in heterogeneously catalysed reactions. The liquid feed is injected into a gas–solid flow and is mixed with the catalyst. The interaction phenomena determine the evaporation time which should be minimised to keep the reactor vessel small. First measurements with a bed of fixed hot FCC-particles (fluid catalytic cracking) and two model fluids have been conducted. The interactions of ethanol and water droplets with the hot bed surface were captured via a high-speed camera. While the ethanol droplet developed a stable steam cushion due to Leidenfrost phenomena, water showed intense interaction and steam explosions which induced repulsion and atomisation of the droplet.