Parametric investigation of the calcium looping process for CO2 capture in a 10 kWth dual fluidized bed

Calcium looping (CaL) is a promising post-combustion CO2 capture technology which is carried out in a dual fluidized bed (DFB) system with continuous looping of CaO, the CO2 carrier, between two beds. The system consists of a carbonator, where flue gas CO2 is adsorbed by CaO and a regenerator, where captured CO2 is released. The CO2-rich regenerator flue gas can be sequestered after gas processing and compression. A parametric study was conducted on the 10 kW(th) DFB facility at the University of Stuttgart, which consists of a bubbling fluidized bed carbonator and a riser regenerator. The effect of the following parameters on CO2 capture efficiency was investigated: carbonator space time, carbonator temperature and calcium looping ratio. The active space time in the carbonator, which is a function of the space time and the calcium looping ratio, was found to strongly correlate with the CO2 capture efficiency. BET and BJH techniques provided surface area and pore volume distribution data, respectively, for collected sorbent samples. The rate of sorbent attrition was found to be 2 wt.%/h which is below the expected sorbent make-up rate required to maintain sufficient sorbent activity. Steady-state CO2 capture efficiencies greater than 90% were achieved for different combinations of operational parameters. Moreover, the experimental results obtained were briefly compared with results derived from reactor modeling studies. Finally, the implications of the experimental results with respect to commercialization of the CaL process have been assessed. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.