A phenomenological design method of the parallel packed bed reactors for chemical looping combustion of gas fuels

The parallel packed bed reactor (PPBR) is a promising route for industrial application of chemical looping combustion. This paper introduces a phenomenological approach for the rational design of PPBR, serving as a manner to efficiently obtain comprehensive design results. Based on the macroscopic propagation of heat and reaction fronts, it elucidates the dynamic heat/mass transfer within the bed. Subsequently, it is applied to design a 1.5 MWth reactor. The risk of carbon deposition in the bed is firstly investigated from a thermodynamic perspective. Then, the study reveals that the height-to-diameter ratio of the reactor must meet certain constraints to ensure stable and cost-effective operation, and these constraints are extended to the scale-up process. Sensitivity analysis is utilized to investigate the effect of key parameters on the design schemes and performance. Effects of particle size on intra-particle gas diffusion is analyzed. Finally, detailed design schemes and performance of the reactor are determined.