Chemical-looping Combustion of Solid Fuels – Technology Overview and Recent Operational Results in 100 kW Unit

Chemical-looping combustion is a new combustion principle that uses metal oxides for oxygen transfer from air to fuel. Fuel is never mixed with combustion air and the combustion products, CO2 and steam, are recovered in a separate flow without gas separation. Thus, CO2 capture is inherent in the process and costs and energy penalties for gas separation are avoided. The paper includes:
• an overview of results from a 100-kW chemical-looping combustor for solid fuel.
• a discussion of technology scale-up and costs based on comparison to conventional circulating fluidized-bed boilers.The added cost for a CLC power plant, compared with a conventional CFB plant, should be in the range 12-27 €/tonne of CO2 avoided, and likely around 19-20 €/tonne.