Model for biomass char combustion in the riser of a dual fluidized bed gasification unit: Part II — Model validation and parameter variation

The two-phase combustion model for biomass char combustion in a riser of a dual fluidized bed gasification unit that has been presented in part I is validated using the data obtained from the 8 MWth dual fluidized bed reactor at Guessing/Austria. The model is capable of calculating the average temperatures in all zones, the gas phase composition, solid hold up, char feed rates and air ratio. The model predictions for the temperature profile along the riser and for the exiting gas composition are in good agreement with the measured values. The simulation results show that the residual char from the gasifier is only partly converted in the riser for char particles larger than 0.6 mm. Un-combusted char is circulated back into the gasification reactor. Parameter variations show that the exact location where additional liquid fuels are introduced in the middle zone of the riser does not affect the global behaviour of the combustion reactor. Based on the simulation results it is proposed that external supply of char (additional) may be a very effective method for reducing producer gas recycling to the riser, which is currently necessary to obtain the desired gasification temperatures.     

A novel dual circulating fluidized bed system for chemical looping processes

A fluidized bed system combining two circulating fluidized bed reactors is proposed and investigated for chemical looping combustion. Direct hydraulic communication of the two circulating fluidized bed reactors via a fluidized loop seal allows for high rates of global solids circulation and results in a stable solids distribution in the system. A 120 kW fuel power bench scale unit was designed, built, and operated. Experimental results are presented for natural gas as fuel using a nickel‐based oxygen carrier. No carbon was lost to the air reactor under any conditions operated. It is shown from fuel power variations that a turbulent/fast fluidized bed regime in the fuel reactor is advantageous. Despite the relatively low riser heights (air reactor: 4.1 m, fuel reactor: 3.0 m), high CH₄ conversion and CO₂ yield of up to 98% and 94%, respectively, can be reported for the material tested. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009     

Modelling fast pyrolysis of biomass in a fluidized bed reactor

A compartmental one-dimensional model of a fluidized bed pyrolytic converter of biomass is presented. Reference conditions are those of non-catalytic fast pyrolysis of biomass in a shallow fluidized bed with external regeneration of the bed material. The fate of biomass and of the resulting char has been modelled by considering elutriation of biomass and char particles, char attrition as well as bed drain/regeneration. The course of primary and secondary pyrolitic reactions is modelled according to a semi-lumped reaction network using well-established kinetic parameters taken from the literature. A specific focus of the present study is the role of the heterogeneous volatile–char secondary reactions, whose rate has been modelled by borrowing a kinetic expression from the neighbouring area of tar adsorption/decomposition over char. The results of computations highlight the relevance of heterogeneous volatile–char secondary reactions and of the closely associated control of char loading in the bed. The sensitivity of the reactor performance to char elutriation and attrition, to proper management of bed drain/regeneration, and to control of gas phase backmixing is demonstrated. Model results provide useful guidelines for optimal design and control of fluidized bed pyrolyzers and pinpoint future research priorities.     

Gas leakage measurements in a cold model of an interconnected fluidized bed for chemical-looping combustion

In chemical-looping combustion (CLC) a gaseous fuel is burnt with inherent separation of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. The oxygen is transported from the combustion air to the fuel by means of metal oxide particles acting as oxygen carriers. A CLC system can be designed similar to a circulating fluidized bed, but with the addition of a bubbling fluidized bed on the return side. Thus, the system consists of a riser (fast fluidized bed) acting as the air reactor. This is connected to a cyclone, where the particles and the gas from the air reactor are separated. The particles fall down into a second fluidized bed, the fuel reactor, and are via a fluidized pot-seal transported back into the riser. The gas leaving the air reactor consists of nitrogen and unreacted oxygen, while the reaction products, carbon dioxide and water, come out from the fuel reactor. The water can easily be condensed and removed, and the remaining carbon dioxide can be liquefied for subsequent sequestration.The gas leakage between the reactors must be minimized to prevent the carbon dioxide from being diluted with nitrogen, or to prevent carbon dioxide from leaking to the air reactor decreasing the efficiency of carbon dioxide capture. In this system, the possible gas leakages are: (i) from the fuel reactor to the cyclone and to the pot-seal, (ii) from the cyclone down to the fuel reactor, (iii) from the pot-seal to the fuel reactor. These gas leakages were investigated in a scaled cold model. A typical leakage from the fuel reactor was 2%, i.e. a CO₂ capture efficiency of 98%. No leakage was detected from the cyclone to the fuel reactor. Thus, all product gas from the air reactor leaves the system from the cyclone. A typical leakage from the pot-seal into the fuel reactor was 6%, which corresponds to 0.3% of the total air added to the system, and would give a dilution of the CO₂ produced by approximately 6% air. However, this gas leakage can be avoided by using steam, instead of air, to fluidize the whole, or part of, the pot-seal. The disadvantages of diluting the CO₂ are likely to motivate the use of steam.     

Modelling of circulating fluidized bed combustion of a char

The combustion of a char in the 41 mm ID riser of a laboratory circulating fluidized bed combustor has been investigated at different air excesses and rates of solids (char and sand) circulating in the loop. Riser performance was characterized by an axial oxygen concentration profile as well as by the overall carbon content and particle size distribution. The proposed model accounts for carbon surface reaction, intraparticle and external diffusion, and attrition. External diffusion effects were relevant in the riser dense region where char was potentially entrapped in large clusters of inert solids. Experimental data and results of the model calculations are in satisfactory agreement.     

Modelling of NO and N2O emissions from biomass-fired circulating fluidized bed combustors

A model for NO and N₂O emissions from biomass-fired circulating fluidized bed (CFB) combustors has been developed and evaluated in this study. All the model parameters were chosen for a typical woody biomass-pinewood chips. Both drying and devolatilization of biomass particles were modelled with limited rates, which were selected from the literature based on woody biomass fuels. The partition of fuel-nitrogen between volatiles and char was also specifically chosen for pinewood based on available experimental data from the literature. Volatile nitrogen was assumed to consist of NH₃, HCN and N₂ with the distribution between three species as input parameters to the model. Twenty-five homogenous and heterogeneous global chemical reactions were included in the model, of which 20 reactions represents the global fuel-nitrogen reactions. Both gaseous and solid phase were assumed to be in plug flow. The model has been applied to the modelling of a 12 MW_th CFB boiler. The predicted N₂O emissions were always less than 5 ppmv for pinewood combustion, which was consistent with the experimental results. The predicted NO emissions increased with the total excess air of the riser and the fuel-N content while the predicted percentage conversion of fuel-N to NO decreased with increasing fuel-N content. The NO emissions were also predicted to decrease with increasing primary zone stoichiometry. These predictions agree with the experimental results. The predicted NO emissions decreased slightly with increasing bed temperature, whereas experiments showed that NO emissions slightly increased with bed temperature for birch chips combustion and did not change with bed temperature for fir chips combustion. Sensitivity analyses reveal that the reaction between NO and char is the key reaction to determine the NO emissions.     

Modelling fluidized bed combustion of high-volatile solid fuels

A model of an atmospheric bubbling fluidized bed combustor operated with high-volatile solid fuel feedings is presented. It aims at the assessment of axial burning profiles along the reactor and of the associated temperature profiles, relevant to combustor performance and operability. The combustor is divided into three sections: the dense bed, the splashing region and the freeboard. Three combustible phases are considered: volatile matter, relatively large non-elutriable char particles and fine char particles of elutriable size. The model takes into account phenomena that assume particular importance with high-volatile solid fuels, namely fuel particle fragmentation and attrition in the bed and volatile matter segregation and postcombustion above the bed. An energy balance on the splashing zone is set up, taking into account volatile matter and elutriated fines postcombustion and radiative and convective heat fluxes to the bed and the freeboard.Results from calculations with a high-volatile biomass fuel indicate that combustion occurs to comparable extents in the bed and in the splashing region of the combustor. Due to volatile matter segregation with respect to the bed, a significant fraction of the heat is released into the splashing region of the combustor and this results in an increase of the temperature in this region. Extensive bed solids recirculation associated to solids ejection/falling back due to bubbles bursting at bed surface promotes thermal feedback from this region to the bed of as much as 80-90% of the heat released by afterburning of volatile matter and elutriated fines. Depending on the operating conditions a significant fraction of the volatile matter may burn in the freeboard or in the cyclone.     

Co-combustion of coal and biomass in a circulating fluidized bed combustor

In this research, co-combustion of coal and rice husk was studied in a circulating fluidized bed combustor (CFBC). The effects of mixed fuel ratios, primary air and secondary air flow rates on temperature and gas concentration profiles along riser (0.1 m inside diameter and 3.0 m height) were studied. The average particle size of coal from Maetah used in this work was 1,128 mm and bed material was sand. The range of primary air flow rates was 480–920 l/min corresponding to U _g of 1.0–2.0 m/s for coal feed rate at 5.8 kg/h. The recirculation rate through L-valve was 100 kg/hr. It was found that the temperatures along the riser were rather steady at about 800–1,000 degrees Celsius. The introduction of secondary air improved combustion and temperature gradient at the bottom of the riser, particularly at a primary air flow rate below 1.5 m/s. Blending of coal with biomass, rice husk, did improve the combustion efficiency of coal itself even at low concentration of rice husk of 3.5 wt%. In addition, the presence of rice husk in the feed stocks reduced the emission of both NO _x and SO₂.     

10 kWth级串行流化床中木屑化学链燃烧试验

设计并建立了10 kW_th级串行流化床化学链燃烧反应器系统,以NiO/Al₂O₃为载氧体,在该系统上进行生物质（松木木屑）化学链燃烧分离CO₂的试验研究,探讨了燃料反应器温度T、水蒸气/生物质比率S/B对两个反应器（空气反应器和燃料反应器）气体产物组成以及燃烧效率的影响。试验结果表明,燃料反应器温度是影响生物质化学链燃烧过程的重要因素,随着温度的升高,燃料反应器气体产物中CO₂浓度不断上升,CH4浓度显著降低,CO浓度先升高而后迅速下降;较高的反应器温度有助于燃烧效率的提高。随着S/B的增加,燃料反应器气体产物中CO和CH₄浓度均会增大,CO₂浓度以及燃烧效率有所降低。在100 h的连续试验过程中,采用共沉淀法制备的NiO/Al₂O₃载氧体展现出良好的氧化-还原性能和较强的持续循环能力,是生物质化学链燃烧理想的载氧体。     

Comparison of dual fluidized bed steam gasification of biomass with and without selective transport of CO2

A comparison of dual fluidized bed gasification of biomass with and without selective transport of CO₂ from the gasification to the combustion reactor is presented. The dual fluidized bed technology provides the necessary heat for steam gasification by circulating hot bed material that is heated in a separate fluidized bed reactor by combustion of residual biomass char. The hydrogen content in producer gas of gasifiers based on this concept is about 40 vol% (dry basis). Addition of carbonates to the bed material and adequate adjustment of operation temperatures in the reactors allow selective transport of CO₂ (absorption enhanced reforming—AER concept). Thus, hydrogen contents of up to 75 vol% (dry basis) can be achieved. Experimental data from a 120 kW_{Fuel input} pilot plant as well as thermodynamic data are used to determine the mass- and energy-balances. Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and energy balances for both concepts are presented and discussed.     

Modeling combustion of straw–bitumen pellets in a fluidized bed

Recently, straw–bitumen pellets have been proposed as an alternative fuel. In this paper, a comprehensive model for steady state combustion of straw–bitumen pellets in a bubbling fluidized bed is presented. The combustor is divided into three sectors: a dense bed zone, a splashing zone and a freeboard zone. Relevant phenomena including volatile release and segregation, char comminution and elutriation, bed particles ejection, and post-combustion above the bed have been taken into consideration. Energy equations for the splashing and freeboard zones have been established.     

Design and cold model testing of a biomass gasifier consisting of two interconnected fluidized beds

A simple and efficient reactor, consisting of two parallel interconnected fluidized beds, is proposed for the air gasification of low density biomass, with a capacity of the order of a few MWth. Solids circulate through the system as a result of the different fluidizing fluxes maintained on each side of a partition plate which separates the two beds at their air inlets. The product fuel is suitable both for power generation, by means of an internal combustion engine, and for distributed gas utilities. A key feature of the design relates to the ability of the circulating solids inventory to carry with it the buoyant biomass particles, thereby opposing their tendency to segregate to the bed surface, and at the same time reduce the elutriation of fine carbon particles. Both of these conditions favour the yield and quality of the product gas. A cold model of the proposed reactor, designed and operated in accord with the dimensionless similarity criteria, confirms the feasibility of the proposed reactor configuration.     

A bubbling fluidized bed solar reactor model of biomass char high temperature steam-only gasification

A two phase biomass char (biochar) steam gasification model based on the systems kinetics is developed in a bubbling fluidized bed with concentrated solar heat as source of energy. The model calculates the dynamic and steady state profiles, as well as the complex parameters of fluidized beds. This robust model is capable of predicting the temperature and concentration profiles of gases in the bubble, emulsion gas and solid phases. The Rosseland equation is used to calculate the radiative transfer within the bed. Due to the nature of the fluidized bed, the small bed thermal conductivity and bigger void between particles, there is a large temperature gradient throughout the bed, indicating that the system is highly non-isothermal. The set-up of a fluidized bed with solar irradiation in the upper side of the reactor is found to be a less efficient gasifying system in comparison with a packed bed, but could be optimized if the source of heat is changed to the bottom of the reactor. The trends and responses of the model are in good agreement with the experimental trends reported in the literature. Hydrogen is the principal product followed by carbon monoxide, the carbon dioxide production is small and the methane production is negligible.     

Some process fundamentals of biomass gasification in dual fluidized bed

The dual fluidised bed gasification technology is prospective because it produces high caloric product gas free of N₂ dilution even when air is used to generate the gasification-required endothermic heat via in situ combustion. This study is devoted to providing the necessary process fundamentals for development of a bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) biomass gasifier coupled to a pneumatic transported riser (PTR) char combustor. In a steam-blown fluidized bed of silica sand, gasification of 1.0 g biomass, a kind of dried coffee grounds containing about 10 wt.% water, in batch format clarified first the characteristics of fuel pyrolysis (at 1073 K) under the conditions simulating that prevailing in the gasifier intended to develop. The result shown that via pyrolysis more than 60% of fuel carbon and up to 75% of fuel mass could be converted into product gas, while the simultaneously formed char was about 22% of fuel mass. With all of these data as the known input, a process simulation using the software package ASPEN then revealed that the considered dual bed gasification plant, i.e. a BFB gasifier + a PTR combustor, is able to sustain its independent heat and mass balances to allow cold gas efficiencies higher than 75%, given that the fuel has suitable water contents and the heat carried with the product gas from the gasifier and with the flue gas from the char combustor is efficiently recovered inside the plant. In a dual fluidized bed pilot gasification facility simulating the gasification plant for development, the article finally demonstrated experimentally that the necessary reaction time for fuel, i.e. the explicit residence time of fuel particles inside the BFB gasifier computed according to a plug granular flow assumption, can be lower than 160 s. The results shown that varying the residence time from 160 to 1200 s only slightly increased the gasification efficiency, but the reaction time available in the PTR, say, about 3 s in our case, was too short to assure the finish even of fuel pyrolysis.     

Co-pyrolysis of bituminous coal and biomass in a pressured fluidized bed

An experimental study on co-pyrolysis of bituminous coal and biomass was performed in a pressured fluidized bed reactor. The blend ratio of biomass in the mixture was varied between 0 and 100 wt%, and the temperature was over a range of 550–650 °C under 1.0 MPa pressure with different atmospheres. On the basis of the individual pyrolysis behavior of bituminous coal and biomass, the influences of the biomass blending ratio, temperature, pressure and atmosphere on the product distribution were investigated. The results indicated that there existed a synergetic effect in the co-pyrolysis of bituminous coal and biomass in this pressured fluidized bed reactor, especially when the condition of bituminous coal and biomass blend ratio of 70:30(w/w), 600 °C, and 0.3 MPa was applied. The addition of biomass influenced the tar and char yields and gas and tar composition during co-pyrolysis. The tar yields were higher than the calculated values from individual pyrolysis of each fuel, and consequently the char yields were lower.The experimental results showed that the composition of the gaseous products was not in accordance with those of their individual fuel. The improvement of composition in tar also indicated synergistic effect in the co-pyrolysis.     

Kinetics and Combustion Characteristics of Deinking Sludge in a Thermobalance and an Internally Circulating Fluidized Bed

The kinetic parameters (activation energy, pre‐exponential factor and reaction order) of volatile and char of deinking sludge are determined by thermo‐gravimetric analysis. From the Arrhenius plot, the activation energy and the pre‐exponential factor of char are determined. The reaction order is found to be 0.7 with respect to oxygen partial pressures of 507 – 3040 Pa. The effects of riser gas velocity, solid feeding rate and annulus air on combustion efficiency have been determined in an internally circulating fluidized bed (ICFB). The combustion efficiency decreases with increasing riser gas velocity and solid feeding rate, while it increases with increasing annulus air. High combustion efficiency is obtained when the annulus air is injected.     

串行流化床内气固流动控制

针对化学链燃烧分离CO₂技术特点,在一串行流化床（循环床+喷动床）冷态实验装置上,以CaSO₄载氧体为实验原料（d_p= 0.6 mm）,研究串行流化床气固流动特性。基于床内压力分布特征,提出将循环床（空气反应器）沿床高方向划分为鼓泡段和快速流化段2个流型区域,将喷动床（燃料反应器）沿床高方向划分为喷动段、鼓泡段和悬浮段3个流型区域,得出串行流化床内气固流动控制机理。研究并考察了循环床流化风速度、喷动床喷动风速度对串行流化床内反应器间（空气反应器和燃料反应器）气体串混、颗粒循环速率以及床层压降的影响。研究结果表明,流化风是床内颗粒循环的驱动力,流化风速度应控制在 3.77～4.05 m·s^-1;喷动风速度对床内颗粒循环以及系统稳定运行起着关键作用,建议将喷动风速度控制在0.42～0.56 m·s^-1。     

A novel biomass air gasification process for producing tar-free higher heating value fuel gas

Biomass is a promising sustainable energy source. A tar-free fuel gas can be obtained in a properly designed biomass gasification process. In the current study, a tar-free biomass gasification process by air was proposed. This concept was demonstrated on a lab-scale fluidized bed using sawdust under autothermic conditions. This lab-scale model gasifier combined two individual regions of pyrolysis, gasification, and combustion of biomass in one reactor, in which the primary air stream and the biomass feedstock were introduced into the gasifier from the bottom and the top of the gasifier respectively to prevent the biomass pyrolysis product from burning out. The biomass was initially pyrolyzed and the produced char was partially gasified in the upper reduction region of the reactor, and further, char residue was combusted at the bottom region of the reactor in an oxidization atmosphere. An assisting fuel gas and second air were injected into the upper region of the reactor to maintain elevated temperature. The tar in the flue gas entered the upper region of the reactor and was decomposed under the elevated temperature and certain residence time. This study indicated that under the optimum operating conditions, a fuel gas could be produced with a production rate of about 3.0 Nm³/kg biomass and heating value of about 5000 kJ/Nm³. The concentration of hydrogen, carbon monoxide and methane in the fuel gas produced were 9.27%, 9.25% and 4.21%, respectively. The tar formation could be efficiently controlled below 10 mg/Nm³. The system carbon conversion and cold gasification efficiency reached above 87.1% and 56.9%, respectively. In addition, the investigation of energy balance for the scale-up of the proposed biomass gasification process showed that the heat loss could be recovered by approximately 23% of total energy input. Thus, partial fuel gas that was produced could be re-circulated and used to meet need of energy input to maintain the elevated temperature at the upper region of reactor for tar decomposition. It was predicted the heating value of product fuel gas would be 8000 kJ/Nm³ if the system was scaled up.