Carbon dioxide capture using solid sorbents in a fluidized bed with reduced pressure regeneration in a downer

The most common technology for postcombustion CO₂ capture for existing power plants is the amine solvent scrubber. The energy consumption for capturing CO₂ from flue gases using amine solvent technology is 15 to 30% of the power plant electricity production. Hence, there is a need to develop more efficient methods of removing CO₂. Here, we show a novel design, obtained using multiphase CFD, and of a fluidized‐bed reduced pressure regenerator, coupled with a fluidized‐bed sorber, which has the potential to reduce the energy consumption. The undesirable core‐annular flow regime in the riser‐sorber is eliminated using multiple jet inlets and large particles leading to a shorter height. Up to 88% of the heat liberated in the riser‐sorber is recovered in the downer‐regenerator. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 59: 4519–4537, 2013