Research paperOn the oxy-combustion of lignite and corn stover in a lab-scale fluidized bed reactor

- Oxy-combustion of lignite and corn stover blends is experimentally characterized in a labscale reactor
- SO2 emissions are affected by the chlorine content in the corn while NOx are more dependent on operating conditions
- Significant potassium contents in the bottom bed ashes have been found linked to amorphous aluminosilicates
- Oxy-firing increases the iron content in fly ashes, mainly in the form of molten particles of eutectic FeO-FeS
- Deposition rates are affected by the KCl content in the corn rather than the firing atmosphere, but chlorine is not detected in the deposits

This paper addresses an experimental investigation concerning oxy-combustion of coal and biomass in a lab-scale fluidized bed reactor. While co-firing has been widely studied under conventional air conditions, few experiences are available to date for O2/CO2 atmospheres. The research is focused on SO2 and NOx emissions, along with the deposition rates and ashes mineralogy. The influences of the atmosphere (air vs. 30/70% O2/CO2), the coal-to-biomass energy input ratio (80/20%, 90/10%), the chlorine mass fraction in the biomass (0.35%, 1%, 2%) and the Ca:S mole ratio (2.5, 4) are reported and discussed in the paper, for two specific fuels: high sulfur lignite and high chlorine corn stover. Concerning SO2 emissions a correlation among the sulfur and the chlorine contents is clearly detected, being affected by the direct desulfurization mechanism occurring under oxy-firing conditions. The single effect of the chlorine content is found to be almost 1.5% of the desulfurization efficiency. NOx emissions are otherwise more dependent on oxygen excess and CO concentration in the reactor, rather than the fuel share or the chlorine supplied. Thick deposition is only detected when chlorine content in the corn is 2%. Potassium aluminosilication is found to be enhanced in comparison to potassium sulfation under oxy-firing, especially for the highest Ca:S mole ratio: observed aluminosilication is five times higher when Ca:S ratio is increased from 2.5 to 4. A significant enrichment in iron is also detected for the fly ash composition, with an increase of 30-50% in comparison to air combustion.