Comparison of Solid Circulation Characteristics with Change of Lower Loop Seal Geometry in a Circulating Fluidized Bed

Circulating fluidized bed system consists of SEWGS reactor - lower loop seal - regeneration reactor - riser - cyclone - upper loop seal has been used for solid circulation between the SEWGS reactor and the regeneration reactor in a SEWGS system for pre-combustion CO2 capture. A vertical type lower loop seal has been used in current system but this lower loop seal requires high gas flow rate through the lower loop seal for fluidization and smooth solid circulation, and consequently, causes slugging behavior sometimes. To overcome these disadvantages, inclined type lower loop seal was proposed by this study. Solid circulation characteristics with change of lower loop seal geometry were measured and compared in a bubbling - bubbling - riser type circulating fluidized bed using CO2 absorbent (P-78) as bed material at ambient temperature and pressure. We could conclude that the inclined lower loop seal is better than the vertical type lower loop seal from the viewpoints of minimum flow rate requirement for stable solid circulation and solid height change during solid circulation.