Oxygen Carriers for Chemcial-Looping Combustion

Other conference contribution, 2010

Chemical-looping combustion (CLC) is a combustion technology with inherent separation of the greenhouse gas CO2. The technique involves the use of a metal oxide as an oxygen carrier which transfers oxygen from combustion air to the fuel, and hence a direct contact between air and fuel is avoided. Considerable research has been conducted on CLC in the last decade with respect to oxygen carrier development. Most work has focused on oxygen carriers based on the metals Ni, Co, Fe, Cu and Mn using gaseous fuels, such as natural gas. A number of continuous prototype reactors based on interconnected fluidized beds with a thermal power of 0.3 – 120 kW have successfully been operated using different types of both natural and synthetic oxygen carriers particles. From these tests it can be established that almost complete conversion of the fuel can be obtained and 100% CO2 capture is possible at a low cost. The CLC process has also been adapted for solid fuels and Chalmers has successfully operated a 10 kW reactor using various solid fuels with the natural oxygen carrier ilmenite. The presentation will give an overview of the research performed on CLC and highlights the current status of the technology.