Recent advances in fluidized bed technology in biomass processes

Abstract

Owing to its solids handling ability, intimate contact between the phases and excellent mixing and heat-transfer characteristics, fluidized bed technology has been applied successfully to coal processing and in the petroleum industry for a number of decades. With renewed interest in biomass energy, due to its carbon neutrality, fluidized bed technology is of special relevance for biomass. Recent advances in thermochemical conversion of biomass into energy and chemicals using fluidized bed technology are reviewed in this paper. Combustion, gasification and pyrolysis are the main routes being investigated as thermochemical processes with biomass as feedstock. Among the major challenges are the variability in biomass feedstock characteristics, tuning the fluidization operating conditions and configurations and controlling emissions and auxiliary equipment in handling the feedstock. It is expected that further advancements in various aspects related to fluidized bed biomass technology will proceed before full utilization of biomass feedstock conversion into useful energy and products for mitigating greenhouse gases can be realized.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.