Characteristics of Natural Gas Combustion in a Circulating Fluidized Bed

Authored by: Dennis Y. Lu, Edward J. Anthony, Gerhard Löffler, Franz Winter

Corresponding Author: Dennis Y. Lu

A mail can be sent to the corresponding author at dennis.lu@canada.ca

This work consists of both empirical measurements and modelling work surrounding emissions of CO and NOx from firing natural gas in a circulating fluidized bed in order to better understand the gas-phase C/H/N/O chemistry. The model provides a good and useful fit.

Key Words:
Natural gas, circulating fluidized bed, combustion, emissions

Summary:
This paper presents a study of natural gas combustion in a fluidized bed, as a model system for investigating the gas-phase reactions involving C/H/N/O chemistry taking place in the absence of char. The experimental work was conducted using a pilot-scale mini circulating FBC (CFBC) unit of 0.1 m diameter and 5 m height. Combustion characteristics and emissions were investigated by varying the operating conditions and in particular the combustion temperature, fluidizing velocity and bed material. The results fit with the general current consensus that FBC chemistry is associated with super-equilibrium free radical processes, similar to high-temperature flame systems. A CFBC model has been developed based on the general kinetic model and a NO/N2O formation model. It uses the semi-theoretical approach with some measured parameters as inputs and appears to be capable of providing a reasonable description of the nitrogen chemistry and the concentration profiles of NH3, HCN, NO, and N2O for the case of burning natural gas.

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