Sulfur Evolution and Capture Behavior by a Solid Waste of Red Mud during Chemical Looping Combustion of Petroleum Coke

The sulfur evolution behavior during the chemical looping combustion (CLC) process of petroleum coke was investigated in a fluidized bed reactor with a low-cost solid waste of red mud as the oxygen carrier. Effects of temperature, oxygen carrier, and potassium catalyst addition on sulfur release were investigated, and H2S oxidization kinetics with the red mud and the effect of elements in the red mud on sulfur conversion were evaluated in detail. The red mud oxygen carrier had a promoting effect on H2S generation and thus enhanced sulfur conversion. The addition of potassium remarkably accelerated carbon conversion due to its catalytic effect. Meanwhile, it promoted H-2 generation and then enhanced the generation of H2S. The addition of potassium into the process could weaken the release of gaseous sulfur but had no obvious negative influence on the reactivity of the red mud oxygen carrier. The experiment H2S interaction with the red mud suggested that the conversion of H2S to SO2 decreased with increasing temperature. The red mud has a low ability to oxidize H2S to SO2 but a high reactivity to capture sulfur-containing gases. Solid sulfur-containing products such as CaSO4 and Fe3S4 as well as K2S2 in the case of K addition into the process were detected.

Automated summary

Using red mud as the oxygen carrier, the study found that it can promote sulfur conversion during the chemical looping combustion process. The addition of potassium catalyst further enhances sulfur conversion and carbon conversion.