Modeling of particle size distribution of limestone in sulfur capture in air and oxy-fuel circulating fluidized bed combustion

Abstract:

Measurements for partition of Ca-containing compounds in particles in air and oxy-fuel combustion are presented. A model for steady and unsteady state particle size distribution (PSD) of limestone including the effects of PSD of the feed, attrition, fly ash, and bottom ash removal is presented. By incorporating models for sulfation, a new model for distribution of Ca-containing compounds CaCO₃, CaO, and CaSO₄ in different particle sizes during sulfation is found. The model can be applied to study the effects of different factors on the PSD of limestone in the bed, to optimize the PSD in the bed, and to study reasons for the measured PSDs and distributions of Ca-containing compounds in different size fractions in the bed in sulfur capture in circulating fluidized bed combustion in air and oxy-fuel conditions.

Keywords::

• limestone
• sulfur capture
• circulating fluidized bed
• population balance modeling
• oxy-fuel

Acknowledgments

The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme FP7/2012 under grant agreement no 295533 (O2GEN, “Optimization of Oxygen-based CFBC Technology with CO2 capture”) and grant agreement no 239188 (FLEXI BURN CFB, “Development of High Efficiency CFB Technology to Provide Flexible Air/Oxy Operation for Power Plant with CCS”).

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.