Combined measurement techniques for fast detection of alkali release in fluidized bed combustion

Paper in proceeding, 2021

This study presents an approach combining three alkali-measuring techniques to quantitatively measure the released alkali compounds during the thermal conversion of biomass and Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) in fluidized bed reactors. The method includes measurements of alkali-containing species in the gas phase, as aerosols, or taken up by the bed material. Two techniques are used for online alkali detection in the flue gas: An In-situ Alkali Chloride Monitor (IACM), and a Surface Ionisation Detector (SID). The third technique is an Electronic Tongue (ET) used for the post-analysis of alkali content in the bed material. These three techniques form a method used to determine the alkali present in gaseous state (IACM), as aerosols (SID), and in the bed material (ET). The use of these techniques can enable the determination of optimal intervals to regenerate the bed material and to avoid bed agglomeration, slagging and fouling, as well as high-temperature corrosion.