Single particle behaviour in circulating fluidized bed combustors

An investigation of single particle behaviour in a circulating fluidized bed combustor is described, relating to sulphur capture reactions by limestone under alternate oxidizing and reducing conditions present in a circulating fluidized bed combustor, and to the devolatilization and burn out of fuel particles in a boiler. A cold pilot scale model of a circulating fluidized bed combustor was used. Here sand was recirculated by means of air. Pressure measurements along the riser determined suspension density. A radioactive tracking facility to determined the dynamic picture of the particle trajectories in the simulated boiler. In the splash zone, closest to the secondary air inlet an exponential decay in the solids suspension density with the riser height was observed. A transport zone was characterized by an exponential decay in the solids suspension but with a smaller decay constant. The tracer particles moved between the zones with a mean frequency of ca. 1 Hz. The upwards particle velocity in the upper dilute transport zone decreased with particle size and density, resulting in a decreased number of particle observations for the larger particles with the riser height. The particles kept their axial course within relatively short ranges but this pattern was wiped out at larger distances. The mean particle residence time in the zone above and below the secondary air inlet was almost independent of particle characteristics, but was proportional to the magnitude of the internal particle recirculation. The internal particle recirculation increased by increasing the riser height, and decreased by increasing the riser diameter. (AB) (88 refs.).