Combustion of an oil palm residue with elevated potassium content in a fluidized-bed combustor using alternative bed materials for preventing bed agglomeration

Bioresour Technol. 2015 Apr:182:272-281. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2015.01.128. Epub 2015 Feb 11.

Abstract

Palm kernel shell (PKS) was burned at 45 kg/s and excess air of 20-80% in a fluidized-bed combustor using alumina, dolomite, and limestone as the bed material. Temperature and gas concentrations were recorded along the reactor centerline as well as at stack. A SEM-EDS analysis was performed to investigate morphology and elemental composition of bed particles. An X-ray fluorescence method was used to determine the composition of used/reused bed materials and PM emitted from the combustor at different operating times. Excess air of 40% seems to be most appropriate for burning PKS in this combustor with an alumina bed, whereas 60% excess air is more suitable when using dolomite and limestone, as ensuring high (98.6-98.9%) combustion efficiency and acceptable CO and NO emissions. By using the selected bed materials, bed agglomeration can be prevented in this combustor. However, the bed materials exhibit substantial time-domain changes in physical and chemical properties.

Keywords: Alternative bed materials; Bed agglomeration prevention; Fluidized-bed combustion; Oil palm residue.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aluminum Oxide / chemistry
  • Biomass
  • Calcium Carbonate / chemistry
  • Equipment Design
  • Industrial Waste
  • Magnesium / chemistry
  • Palm Oil
  • Plant Oils / chemistry*
  • Potassium / chemistry*
  • Temperature
  • Time Factors
  • Waste Management / instrumentation*
  • Waste Management / methods*

Substances

  • Industrial Waste
  • Plant Oils
  • Palm Oil
  • Calcium Carbonate
  • Magnesium
  • Aluminum Oxide
  • Potassium
  • calcium magnesium carbonate