Effect of coal blending on particle agglomeration and defluidisation during spouted-bed combustion of low-rank coals

The possibility of blending coals to alleviate particle agglomeration and bed defluidisation during fluidised-bed combustion (FBC) of several low-rank coals was exploited. A laboratory scale spouted bed combustor was employed to fire coal blends from two lignites with a sub-bituminous coal at ratios of 50:50 and 90:10, at temperatures ranging 800°C. Experiments showed significant improvements in FBC operation with the coal blends compared to the raw lignites. No particle agglomeration and bed defluidisation were evident after 15 h of operation with the blends at 800°C. Chemical analyses indicated that the formation of low temperature eutectics was suppressed by calcium aluminosilicate phases from the sub-bituminous coal, rendering the surface of ash-coated particles dry and less sticky. This was identified as the key mechanism for the control of particle agglomeration and bed defluidisation in FBC, which led to extended combustion operation with the coal blends.