Circulating fluidized bed combustion in the turbulent regime: modelling of carbon combustion efficiency and sulphur retention

A model has been developed considering the hydrodynamic behaviour of a turbulent circulating fluidized bed, the kinetic of coal combustion and sulphur retention in the riser. The hydrodynamic characteristics of the turbulent fluidization regime were integrated together with the kinetic submodels of char combustion and sulphur retention by limestone. From the combustion of a lignite and an anthracite with limestone addition in a hot CBF pilot plant of 20 cm internal diameter and 6.5 m high, the effect of operating conditions such as temperature, excess air, air velocity, Ca/S molar ratio, coal and limestone particle size distributions on carbon combustion efficiency and sulphur retention were studied. The experimental results were compared with those predicted by the model and a good correlation was found for all the conditions used.