Behavior of ilmenite as oxygen carrier in chemical-looping combustion

For a future scenery where will exist limitation for CO₂ emissions, chemical-looping combustion (CLC) has been identified as a promising technology to reduce the cost related to CO₂ capture from power plants. In CLC a solid oxygen-carrier transfers oxygen from the air to the fuel in a cyclic manner, avoiding direct contact between them. CO₂ is inherently obtained in a separate stream. For this process the oxygen-carrier circulates between two interconnected fluidized-bed reactors. To adapt CLC for solid fuels the oxygen-carrier reacts with the gas proceeding from the solid fuel gasification, which is carried out right in the fuel-reactor. Ilmenite, a natural mineral composed of FeTiO₃, is a low cost and promising material for its use on a large scale in CLC.The aim of this study is to analyze the behavior of ilmenite as oxygen-carrier in CLC. Particular attention was put on the variation of chemical and physical characteristics of ilmenite particles during consecutive redox cycles in a batch fluidized-bed reactor using CH₄, H₂ and CO as reducing gases. Reaction with H₂ was faster than with CO, and near full H₂ conversion was obtained in the fluidized-bed. Lower reactivity was found for CH₄. Ilmenite increased its reactivity with the number of cycles, especially for CH₄. The structural changes of ilmenite, as well as the variations in its behavior with a high number of cycles were also evaluated with a 100 cycle test using a CO + H₂ syngas mixture. Tests with different H₂:CO ratios were also made in order to see the reciprocal influence of both reducing gases and it turned out that the reaction rate is the sum of the individual reaction rates of H₂ and CO. The oxidation reaction of ilmenite was also investigated. An activation process for the oxidation reaction was observed and two steps for the reaction development were differenced. The oxidation reaction was fast and complete oxidation could be reached after every cycle. Low attrition values were found and no defluidization was observed during fluidized-bed operation. During activation process, the porosity of particles increased from low porosity values up to values of 27.5%. The appearance of an external shell in the particle was observed, which is Fe enriched. The segregation of Fe from TiO₂ causes that the oxygen transport capacity, R_OC, decreases from the initial R_OC = 4.0% to 2.1% after 100 redox cycles.     

Oxidation reaction kinetics of Athabasca bitumen

The oxidation reaction kinetics of bitumen from Athabasca oil sands have been investigated in a flow-through fixed bed reactor using gas mixtures of various compositions. The system was modelled as an isothermal integral plug-flow reactor. The oxidation of bitumen was found to be first order with respect to oxygen concentration. Two models were examined to describe the kinetics of bitumen oxidation. In the first, the Athabasca bitumen is considered to be a single reactant and the oxidation reaction a single irreversible reaction. The activation energy for the overall reaction was found to be 80 kJ mol^?1. This model is limited to calculating the overall conversion of oxygen. Because the fraction of oxygen reacting to form carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide increases with temperature, a more sophisticated model was proposed to take this into account. The second model assumes that the bitumen is a single reactant and that the oxidation of bitumen may be described by two simultaneous, parallel reactions, one producing oxygenated hydrocarbons and water, the other producing CO and CO₂. The activation energy for the first reaction was found to be 67 kJ mol^?1, and for the second, 145 kJ mol^?1. This more sophisticated model explains the result that at higher temperatures more oxygen is consumed in the oxidation of carbon, because this reaction has a higher activation energy than the reaction leading to the production of oxygenated hydrocarbons and water. This model can also predict the composition of the product gases at various reaction conditions.     

Low temperature oxidation of coals: Effects of pore structure and coal composition

The low-temperature oxidation of five coals, ranging in rank from subbituminous to anthracite, was studied in the temperature range 30–250 °C, and the reaction kinetics were elucidated. The reaction rates were independent of particle diameter <1 mm. The orders of reaction for CO₂ and CO formation were 0.50 and 0.54, respectively, with respect to oxygen. Activation energies of 51.5–59.4 kJ mol^?1 were obtained for the CO₂ and CO formation reactions. The rates of formation of CO₂ and CO were correlated to the internal surface area and the oxygen contents of the coals. It was found that pores having radii >100 Å, and the oxygen-containing groups which decompose to CO₂ and/or CO, were playing important roles in low-temperature oxidation of coals.     

Kinetic modeling of CO oxidation on Pt/CeO2 in a gradientless reactor

Cerium oxide is a major additive in three-way catalysts used in emission control of automobile exhaust. Pt/CeO₂ was studied in order to better understand the role of ceria in promoting CO oxidation reaction. The kinetics of carbon monoxide oxidation on Pt/cerium oxide catalyst, was studied over the temperature range 100–170°C. Steady state kinetic measurements of CO oxidation were obtained in a computer controlled micro-CSTR reactor. Activation energies were reported to vary between 39·5 and 51·2 kJ mol⁻¹. At low concentrations of either reactant (CO, O₂) and total conversion, the catalyst exhibited multiple steady states, similar to the multiplicity behavior of Pt/Al₂O₃. The total conversion was reached at 120°C. In comparison, the total conversion at low reactant concentrations was reached at a temperature of 148°C for the alumina-supported catalyst. Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanisms gave a good fit to the data. However, no single rate expression could effectively describe the CO oxidation data over the whole concentration in the product of the CSTR reactor. The facts gathered indicate that oxygen adsorbed on interfacial Pt/Ce sites and ceria lattice oxygen provides oxygen for CO oxidation. Cerium oxide has been found to lower CO oxidation activation energy, enhance reaction activity and tends to suppress the usual CO inhibition effect.     

Reaction Kinetics of Methanol Carbonylation to Methyl Formate Catalyzed by CH3O− Exchange Resin

The carbonylation of methanol with CO using CH₃O⁻ exchange resin as a heterogeneous catalyst at temperatures near 350 K is examined systematically in an attempt to derive kinetic rate expressions for the reaction. The activation energies for the carbonylation and decarbonylation reactions are found to be 68 kJ/mol and 105 kJ/mol, respectively. The CH₃O⁻ exchange resin is also shown to suffer no degradation of catalytic activity upon repeated separation and re-use at 353 K.     

The electrochemical investigations of tris(1,10-phenanthroline)iron(II) in an aqueous solution

The electrochemical oxidation of Fe(phen)²⁺₃ was studied, and the kinetic data were compared to that of homogeneous system on the basis of the Marcus theory. The apparent heat of activation and the entropy of activation for the oxidation reaction were 7.12 kJ/mol^?1 and ?0.24 kJK^?1 mol^?1, respectively. It was suggested that the iron-nitrogen(phen) bond was enfeebled and the ordering of the solvent molecules around the reactant was increased in the activated state formed in the electrochemical oxidation of Fe(phen)²⁺₃.     

Kinetics of CO hydrogenation over coprecipitated cobalt–alumina

The kinetics of CO hydrogenation over coprecipitated 36 wt% Co/Al₂O₃ was studied in a fixed-bed microreactor at atmospheric pressure. Intrinsic kinetic data were obtained in the initial rate region using four different CO concentrations and two different H₂/CO ratios over the 473–523 K temperature range. The surface carbide mechanism with dissociative adsorption of hydrogen as the rate controlling step gives the most plausible kinetic model among the eight different models tested. C₁–C₄ production rates are found to be strongly influenced by temperature, and optimum C₁–C₄ hydrocarbon selectivity is obtained at 508 K. The activation energy for CO consumption and CH₄ formation are calculated as 74±2 kJ mol⁻¹ and 84±2 kJ mol⁻¹ respectively. ©1997 SCI     

Performance of an oxygen-permeable membrane reactor for partial oxidation of methane in coke oven gas to syngas

Perovskite-type oxygen-permeable membrane reactors of BaCo_0.7Fe_0.2Nb_0.1O_3−δ packed with Ni-based catalyst had high oxygen permeability and could be used for syngas production by partial oxidation of methane in coke oven gas (COG). The BCFNO membrane itself had a poor catalytic activity to partial oxidation of CH₄ in COG. After the catalyst was packed on the membrane surface, 92% of methane conversion, 90% of H₂ selectivity, 104% of CO selectivity and as high as 15 ml/cm²/min of oxygen permeation flux were obtained at 1148 K. During continuously operating for 550 h at 1148 K, no degradation of performance of the BCFNO membrane reactor was observed under the condition of hydrogen-rich COG. The possible reaction pathways were proposed to be an oxidation-reforming process. The oxidation of H₂ in COG with the surface oxygen on the permeation side improves the oxygen flux through the membrane, and H₂O reacts with CH₄ by reforming reactions to form H₂ and CO.     

Reactivity of a CaSO<Subscript>4</Subscript>-oxygen carrier in chemical-looping combustion of methane in a fixed bed reactor

Chemical-looping combustion (CLC) is a promising technology for the combustion of gas or solid fuel with efficient use of energy and inherent separation of CO₂. A reactivity study of CaSO₄ oxygen carrier in CLC of methane was conducted in a laboratory scale fixed bed reactor. The oxygen carrier particles were exposed in six cycles of alternating reduction methane and oxidation air. A majority of CH₄ reacted with CaSO₄ to form CO₂ and H₂O. The oxidation was incomplete, possibly due to the CaSO₄ product layer. The reactivity of CaSO₄ oxygen carrier increased for the initial cycles but slightly decreased after four cycles. The product gas yields of CO₂, CH₄, and CO with cycles were analyzed. Carbon deposition during the reduction period was confirmed with the combustible gas (CO+H₂) in the product gas and slight CO₂ formed during the early stage of oxidation. The mechanism of carbon deposition and effect was also discussed. SO₂ release behavior during reduction and oxidation was investigated, and the possible formation mechanism and mitigation method was discussed. The oxygen carrier conversion after the reduction decreased gradually in the cyclic test while it could not restore its oxygen capacity after the oxidation. The mass-based reaction rates during the reduction and oxidation also demonstrated the variation of reactivity of CaSO₄ oxygen carrier. XRD analysis illustrated the phase change of CaSO₄ oxygen carrier. CaS was the main reduction product, while a slight amount of CaO also formed in the cyclic test. ESEM analysis demonstrated the surface change of particles during the cyclic test. The reacted particles tested in the fixed bed reactor were not uniform in porosity. EDS analysis demonstrated the transfer of oxygen from CaSO₄ to fuel gas while leaving CaS as the dominant reduced product. The results show that CaSO₄ oxygen carrier may be an interesting candidate for oxygen carrier in CLC. This work was presented at the 7 ^th China-Korea Workshop on Clean Energy Technology held at Taiyuan, China, June 26–28, 2008.     

Kinetics of oxidation of food wastes with H2O2 in supercritical water

In this study, supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) of carrots and beef suet was carried out in a batch reactor system with an H₂O₂ oxidant, at a temperature between 400 and 450°C and reaction times from 10 s to 10 min. The results showed that the oxidative decomposition of carrots and beef suet proceeded rapidly and a high total organic carbon (TOC) decomposition of up to 97.5% was obtained within 3 min at 420°C for carrots and within 5 min at 450°C for beef suet when there was a sufficient supply of oxygen. It was also found that the oxidation reaction for both carrots and beef suet might be separated into a fast reaction at the early stage and a slow reaction at the later stage. In the later stage following the early stage reaction, acetic acid, which is a fairly stable product of the early stage reaction, is the reactant and the rate of overall oxidation reaction for complete decomposition is dominated by the later stage reaction. Global kinetic analysis based on the model described above showed that the early stage oxidative reaction of beef suet could be considered as a first-order reaction with respect to the concentration of organic carbon. The activation energy was 37.3 kJ mol⁻¹. Oxidation of acetic acid could also be expressed as a first-order reaction, and the activation energy was 106.5 kJ mol⁻¹. The early stage oxidation reaction of carrots was too fast to be analyzed. On the basis of intermediate products identified, reaction pathways were discussed. For carrots, polysaccharides may first be hydrolyzed to glucose and then oxidation of the glucose may take place. For beef suet, glyceride is first hydrolyzed to glycerin and carboxylic acids corresponding to the components of glyceride, followed by consecutive reactions for oxidative decomposition.     

Effects of Pd particle size on the rates of oxygen back-spillover and CO oxidation under dynamic oxygen storage and release measurements over Pd/CeO2 catalysts

A kinetic mathematical model has been applied to investigate for the first time the effects of Pd particle size on the rates of oxygen back-spillover and CO oxidation during Oxygen Storage Capacity (OSC) measurements under dynamic conditions over Pd/CeO₂ catalysts in the 500–700 °C range. The dependence of the intrinsic rate constant k₁ of the CO oxidation reaction on PdO, and that of k ₂ ^app of the oxygen back-spillover from ceria to Pd/PdO on the palladium particle size was estimated by performing curve-fitting of the experimental CO and CO₂ pulse transient responses obtained. Activation energies of 8.0, 9.5 and 21.1 kJ/mol were calculated for the Eley–Rideal step of CO oxidation for the 1.3, 1.8 and 16.4 nm Pd particles, respectively, supported on CeO₂. The transient rates of CO oxidation and oxygen back-spillover were found to decrease with increasing Pd particle size.     

Fe2O3/粉煤灰载氧体化学链燃烧实验与机理研究

提出了一种以粉煤灰为载体制备的新型铁基载氧体。采用同步热重分析仪、小型流化床以及DFT分别研究了新型载氧体的活性与热稳定性,发泡剂含量与反应温度以及粉煤灰主要组分之间的协同作用对新型载氧体性能的影响。研究结果表明,新型载氧体在以CO为燃料的化学链系统中具有较高的活性;新型载氧体较大的孔隙率以及粉煤灰多组分间的协同作用促使850℃下发泡剂含量为10.0%(质量)的新型铁基载氧体的最大转化率(84.9%)比Fe₂O₃/Al₂O₃的最大转化率(54.3%)高30%,且新型铁基载氧体在30个循环测试中表现出良好的热稳定性。载体制备采用的发泡剂含量以及反应温度对新型铁基载氧体性能影响很大,适当的发泡剂含量(约10%(质量))可提高新型载氧体性能。此外,高温下会造成载氧体的烧结现象。最后,采用密度泛函理论(DFT)研究了粉煤灰与载氧体之间的界面作用以及协同氧化CO的电子特性。计算结果表明,粉煤灰和Fe₂O₃之间的界面电荷转移使Fe₂O₃为电正性,促使CO在表面的相互作用,载体和活性组分之间的协同作用降低了载氧体与CO前线轨道能量差,进而促进了CO与Fe₂O₃的反应。     

Kinetics of ethanol oxidation in subcritical water

Ethanol oxidation in subcritical water was examined at 25 MPa in the temperature range of 260-350 °C with equivalence ratio of 0.6. With oxygen as the oxidiser, the overall first-order decomposition reaction parameters were determined to be 10^2.9 ± 0.4 s⁻¹ for the pre-exponential factor and 53.8 ± 4.6 kJ mol⁻¹ for the activation energy. The products obtained by the hydrothermal oxidation of ethanol were acetaldehyde, acetic acid, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. First-order kinetics was enough to capture the main characteristics of species concentration profiles. Consecutive reaction network: C₂H₅OH → CH₃CHO → CH₃COOH → CO → CO₂ well described the behaviour of components obtained from wet oxidation of ethanol.     

Application of arrhenius kinetics to evaluate oxidative stability in vegetable oils by isothermal differential scanning calorimetry

In this study, 10 different vegetable oils were oxidized at four different isothermal temperatures (383, 393, 403, and 413 K) in a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The protocol involved oxidizing vegetable oils in a DSC cell with oxygen flow. A rapid increase in evolved heat was observed with an exothermic heat flow appearing during initiation of the oxidation reaction. From this resulting exotherm, the onset of oxidation time (T _o) was determined graphically by the DSC instrument. In our experimental data, linear relationships were determined by extrapolation of the log (T _o) against isothermal temperature. The rates of lipid oxidation were highly correlated with temperature. In addition, based on the Arrhenius equation and activated complex theory, reaction rate constants (k), activation energies (E _a), activation enthalpies (ΔH ^‡), and activation entropies (ΔS ^‡) for oxidative stability of vegetable oils were calculated. The E _a′, ΔH ^‡, and ΔS ^‡ for all vegetable oils ranged from 79 to −104 kJ mol⁻¹, from 76 to −101 kJ mol⁻¹, and from −99 to −20 J K⁻¹ mol⁻¹, respectively. Based on the results obtained, differential scanning calorimetry appears to be a useful new instrumental method for kinetic analysis of lipid oxidation in vegetable oil.     

Heavy Metal Removal and Neutralization of Acid Mine Waste Water ‐ Kinetic Study

The influence of the apatite on the efficiency of neutralization and on heavy metal removal of acid mine waste water has been studied. The analysis of the treated waste water samples with apatite has shown an advanced purification, the concentration of the heavy metals after the treatment of the waste water with apatite being 25 to 1000 times less than the Maximum Concentration Limits admitted by European Norms (NTPA 001/2005). In order to establish the macro‐kinetic mechanism in the neutralization process, the activation energy, Ea, and the kinetic parameters, rate coefficient of reaction, k_r, and k_t were determined from the experimental results obtained in “ceramic ball‐mill” reactor. The obtained values of the activation energy Ea >> 42 kJ mol^?1 (e.g. Ea = 115.50 ± 7.50 kJ mol^?1 for a conversion of sulphuric acid η_H2SO4 = 0.05, Ea = 60.90 ± 9.50 kJ mol^?1 for η ^H2SO4 = 0.10 and Ea = 55.75 ± 10.45 kJ mol^‐1 for η ^H2SO4 = 0.15) suggest that up to a conversion of H2SO4 equal 0.15 the global process is controlled by the transformation process, adsorption followed by reaction, which means surface‐controlled reactions. At a conversion of sulphuric acid η ^H2SO4 > 0.15, the obtained values of activation energy Ea < 42 kJ mol^‐1 (e.g. Ea = 37.55 ± 4.05 kJ mol^‐1 for η ^H2SO4 = 0.2, Ea = 37.54 ± 2.54 kJ mol^‐1 for η ^H2SO4 = 0.3 and Ea = 37.44 ± 2.90 kJ mol^‐1 for η ^H2SO4 = 0.4) indicate diffusion‐controlled processes. This means a combined process model, which involves the transfer in the liquid phase followed by the chemical reaction at the surface of the solid. Kinetic parameters as rate coefficient of reaction, kr with values ranging from (5.02 ± 1.62) 10‐4 to (8.00 ± 1.55) 10‐4 (s^‐1) and transfer coefficient, kt, ranging from (8.40 ± 0.50) 10‐5 to (10.42 ± 0.65) 10‐5 (m s^‐1) were determined.     

The use of DTA to study spontanceous ignition of cellulose

The use of differential thermal analysis has enabled spontaneous ignition behaviour of cotton cellulose to be investigate. The temperature. T_i, at which the onset of spontaneous ignition occurs is recorded as a function of the oxygen concentration of the flowing oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere to which the cellulose sample is exposed in the DTA furnace, when heated at a defined heating rate. The dependence of T_i, on heating rate has enabled the activation energy, E_p, of the rate-determining flammable pyrolysis product reaction to the determined using both a previously derived simple kinetic model and the technique of Ozawa. E_p, increases from a lower limiting value of 112 kJ mol^?1 at zero oxygen concentration to an asymptote value of 169 kJ mol^?1 at oxygen volume concentrations above 30%. This effect is described in terms of oxygen catalysis of competing pyrolysis routes. At a given heating rate, increased oxygen concentration reduces T_i. A plot of 1/T_i versus In [O₂] gives two liner regions which intersect at an oxygen concentration of about 20%, suggesting that two combustion mechanisms exist, one above and the other below this value. Below this concentration, which is similar to the conventional limiting oxygen for cellulose, significant char remains, suggesting that ignition of gaseous products only occurs. If the difference in slopes is sttributed to the variations in E_p with oxygen concentration, then a value for the activation energy of gaseous product oxidation, E_ox = 215 kJ mol^?1 is derived.     

Two stages catalytic pyrolysis of olive oil waste

A study of the pyrolysis of a waste from the extraction of olive oil has been carried out. The work objective was to characterize the char, tar and gaseous phases generated in the process for their possible utilization in energy generation. On the other hand, the influence of a set of variables has been studied, including the efficacy of the dolomite as catalyst. Finally, as previous step to the design of industrial installations, a kinetic study of the process (catalyzed and uncatalyzed), based in the generation of the principal gases, has been carried out. In the uncatalyzed process only the influence of temperature (400–900 °C) was studied. In the catalytic process, the influence of temperature (500–800 °C) and mass of catalyst (0–100 g) was studied. Also, the dolomite effectiveness as catalyst was evaluated. For this motive, consecutive experiments, without reactivating dolomite, were carried out (0–6 runs), and the yields of solids, liquids and gases were determined. An increase in reaction temperature leads to a decrease in char and tar yield and to an increase in the gas phase yield. When the catalyst is present and when the mass of the same is increased, an important decrease in the tar yield and a high increase in the gas phase yield are produced. This increment in the yield of gases is very significant in the case of hydrogen. In addition, the catalyst is very stable. Your activity remains constant during six consecutive pyrolysis experiments, without need to carry out the reactivation of the same. In the kinetic study carried out, it has been considered that the gases are formed through parallel independent first-order reactions, with different activation energy. For uncatalyzed experiments, the experimental data, once adjusted to the model, provided activation energies of 77.8, 38.6, 70.5 and 16.9 kJ mol^− 1 and the Arrhenius pre-exponential factors of 210.1, 9.9, 775.3 and 0.43 min^− 1 for H₂, CO, CH₄, and CO₂, respectively. For catalyzed experiments (following the same sequence) the activation energies were 15.6, 16.5, 12.7 and 23.3 kJ mol^− 1 and the Arrhenius pre-exponential factors 3.8, 1.4, 4.3 and 3.5 min^− 1.     

Liquefaction of partially dried and oxidized coals: 1. Coal drying and oxidation

Belle Ayr subbituminous coal was dried with gases including nitrogen, air, and nitrogen-air mixtures (simulated flue gases) to study the effect of drying on the coal characteristics in preparation for subsequent liquefaction experiments. Drying was carried out in micro-, laboratory- and bench-scale units at temperatures from ambient to 200 °C. The net moisture-free oxygen content of the coal increased with time and temperature to 3 wt%. Volatile oxygen-containing species, other than carbon oxides, that may have been released during drying were not investigated as the objective was to characterize oxidation kinetics and changes in coal properties. Two distinct kinetic regimes of oxygen consumption were observed during drying; an initial high-rate period of E_A?42–55 kJ mol^?1 followed by one of low rate, E_A?13 kJ mol^?1. A Powhatan No. 5 (Pittsburgh seam) bituminous coal, which initially had much lower oxygen content than the Belle Ayr coal (7.9 versus 23.3 wt%), gave analogous drying and oxidation results; however, the maximum net moisture-free oxygen uptake was ≈8 wt%.     

Carbon capture and utilization via chemical looping dry reforming

Chemical looping combustion (CLC) is a clean energy technology for CO₂ capture that uses periodic oxidation and reduction of an oxygen carrier with air and a fuel, respectively, to achieve flameless combustion and yield sequestration-ready CO₂ streams. While CLC allows for highly efficient CO₂ capture, it does not, however, provide a solution for CO₂ sequestration.Here, we propose chemical looping dry reforming (CLDR) as an alternative to CLC by replacing air with CO₂ as the oxidant. CLDR extends the chemical looping principle to achieve CO₂ reduction to CO, which opens a pathway to CO₂ utilization as an alternative to sequestration. The feasibility of CLDR is studied through thermodynamic screening calculations for oxygen carrier selection, synthesis and kinetic experiments of nanostructured carriers using cyclic thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and fixed-bed reactor studies, and a brief model-based analysis of the thermal aspects of a fixed-bed CLDR process.Overall, our results indicate that it is indeed possible to reduce CO₂ to CO with high reaction rates through the use of appropriately designed nanostructured carriers, and to integrate this reaction into a cyclic redox (“looping”) process.     

Subaquatic oxidation of coal by water-dissolved oxygen

Subaquatic oxidation of two bituminous coals by water-dissolved oxygen was investigated using batch reactor equipped with membrane oxygen sensor. Effects of time, temperature and coal grain size were studied as basic parameters influencing the oxidation process. Obtained results showed the subaquatic coal oxidation can be considered as interaction of the first reaction order with respect to oxygen. From temperature dependence of oxidation rate, activation energies E = 72 ± 4 kJ mol⁻¹ and/or 50 ± 4 kJ mol⁻¹ were calculated. For the samples, oxygen consumption R_O2 was found to be in the range of 2 × 10⁻⁷ mol O₂ kg⁻¹ s⁻¹ to 6 × 10⁻⁷ mol O₂ kg⁻¹ s⁻¹, such values being quite comparable with R_O2 for aerial oxidation of bituminous coals.