Sulfur Tolerance and Rate of Oxygen Release of Combined Mn-Si Oxygen Carriers in Chemical-Looping with Oxygen Uncoupling (CLOU)

Journal article, 2014

Sulfur tolerance and rate of oxygen release of combined Mn-Si oxygen carriers for chemical-looping with oxygen uncoupling (CLOU) is investigated. The oxygen carriers were produced by spray-drying and calcined at 1150 degrees C. The resistance toward sulfur and the rates of oxygen release were evaluated in a laboratory-scale fluidized-bed reactor. It was found that the combined Mn-Si oxygen carrier is tolerant to SO2, at least up to a partial pressure of 5000 vppm. The rates of oxygen release were determined in the temperature range of 975 to 1100 degrees C using devolatilized wood char as fuel while fluidizing with N-2, to maintain a low oxygen partial pressure surrounding the particles. The Arrhenius parameters k(o) and E-app for the release of oxygen were estimated for the investigated materials assuming a zero-order reaction with respect to oxygen. The rates of oxygen release were relatively high, particularly at above 1050 degrees C. From the obtained reaction rates, the solids inventory required for combustion of coal was determined to be as low as 40 kg/MWth in the fuel reactor at 1100 degrees C. The results indicated that combined Mn-Si oxygen carriers could be interesting materials for the CLOU process by virtue of their resistance to sulfur deactivation and high rate of oxygen release.