CIRCULATING FLUIDIZED BED REACTOR

The circulating fluidized bed reactor is the gasifier (fuel reactor) part of the dual fluidized bed reactor system, which can be disconnected from the combustor (air reactor) and operated as a single CFB fluidized with any combination of steam, oxygen and carbon dioxide and with gaseous, liquid or solid feedstock. The fluidizing gas electric preheaters can heat the fluidizing gas to 1650°F (900°C) or the system can operate autothermally if the overall reaction environment is exothermic. The product gas can be analyzed by the suite of analytical instrumentation and solid samples can be taken at various locations throughout the reactor.

Specifications

  • Feedstock: coal, biomass, waste, natural gas, liquid fuels
  • Feed rate 50-100 lb/hr (23-45 kg/hr)
  • Max. thermal input: 750,000 Btu/hr (220 kW)
  • Max. temperature: 2000°F (1100°C)
  • Fluidizing gas: air, air+O2, steam, steam+O2, steam+CO2+O2, or CO2+O2,
  • Fluidizing gas preheater:  65 kW, max 1830°F (1000°C)
  • Feed system:  Gravimetric metering coupled to rotary valve and water-cooled auger feeder
  • Design:  Steel shells lined with two layers of castable refractory
  • Overall dimensions: Ø 24 in (0.61 m) x 6.4 m (21.0 ft) tall
  • Reactor inner dimensions: Ø 10 in (0.26 m) x 5.6 m (18.4 ft) tall
  • Cyclone inner dimensions: Ø 20 in (0.51 m) x 40 in (1.02 m) barrel x 40 in (1.02 m) cone

Capabilities

  • Air-blown gasification
  • Oxygen/steam-blown gasification
  • CFB oxy-fuel combustion

Research

  • Measurement  of system performance (syngas, fuel conversion, temperatures, circulation rates)
  • Evaluation of bed materials for gasification, tar cracking (performance, attrition)
  • Comparative studies of feedstocks and feedstock blends
  • Acquisition of data for system scale-up
  • Simulation model validation