Release and transformation of alkali metals during co-combustion of coal and sulfur-rich wheat straw

Abstract Co-combustion of coal and biomass is a low-cost, large-scale, and efficient way to utilize biomass energy, which has a wide range of potential applications. However, biomass, especially herbaceous fuels, contains high levels of volatile K, Na, and Cl, the use of which may result in ash-related operational problems, such as corrosion, fouling, and slagging during thermal utilization. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of wheat straw and temperature on the release and transformation of alkali metal species during co-combustion of coal and S-rich wheat straw. Results indicate that the amounts of K and Na released during co-combustion could be reduced by the effects of Fe, Ti, S, Si, and Al from blended fuels. At lower wheat straw shares, the release of K decreased due to reactions of KCl with Fe species, and Ti species, forming K 2 Fe 2 O 4 and K 2 TiO 3 . At high wheat straw shares, the release of K could be mainly captured in the form of K 2 SO 4 ; small amounts of KAlSiO 4 were also observed in the bottom ash. When the wheat straw share was 80 wt.%, increasing temperatures enhanced the release of KCl(g) and NaCl(g) at 600–800 °C. By contrast, in the range of 800–1000 °C, the amounts of these gases released exhibited no apparent association with temperature. Compared with the release of K, fuel K was mainly retained in the bottom ash. The K 2 SO 4 content in the bottom ash decreased with increasing temperature in the range of 600–1000 °C, whereas the fraction of K in the form of KAlSiO 4 and KAlSiO 6 increased with increasing temperature, especially at temperatures between 800 and 1000 °C.

[1]  Havva Balat,et al.  Potential contribution of biomass to the sustainable energy development. , 2009 .

[2]  Klaus R. G. Hein,et al.  Effect of co-combustion of biomass on emissions in pulverized fuel furnaces , 1998 .

[3]  Cuiping Wang,et al.  Investigation on minerals migration during co-firing of different straw/coal blending ratios , 2013 .

[4]  Rundong Li,et al.  The effect of coal sulfur on the behavior of alkali metals during co-firing biomass and coal , 2011 .

[5]  S. G. Sahu,et al.  Thermogravimetric assessment of combustion characteristics of blends of a coal with different biomass chars , 2010 .

[6]  A. Robinson,et al.  Pilot-Scale Investigation of the Influence of Coal−Biomass Cofiring on Ash Deposition , 2002 .

[7]  A. Demirbas,et al.  Sustainable cofiring of biomass with coal , 2003 .

[8]  F. Frandsen,et al.  Rheology of fly ashes from coal and biomass co-combustion , 2010 .

[9]  Anthony John Griffiths,et al.  Biomass co-firing trials on a down-fired utility boiler , 2013 .

[10]  Ala Khodier,et al.  Deposit formation and emissions from co-firing miscanthus with Daw Mill coal: Pilot plant experiments , 2012 .

[11]  K. Hein,et al.  Assessment of Chlorine−Alkali−Mineral Interactions during Co-Combustion of Coal and Straw , 2002 .

[12]  A. Bahillo,et al.  Oxy-fuel combustion effects on trace metals behaviour by equilibrium calculations , 2013 .

[13]  P. Glarborg,et al.  Release to the Gas Phase of Inorganic Elements during Wood Combustion. Part 2: Influence of Fuel Composition , 2008 .

[14]  A. Gungor Simulation of co-firing coal and biomass in circulating fluidized beds. , 2013 .

[15]  Anders Nordin,et al.  Effect of Coal Minerals on Chlorine and Alkali Metals Released during Biomass/Coal Cofiring , 1999 .

[16]  Chunjiang Yu,et al.  Experimental research on agglomeration in straw-fired fluidized beds , 2011 .

[17]  D. Boström,et al.  Influence of TiO2 Additive on Vaporization of Potassium during Straw Combustion , 2009 .

[18]  Chun Chang,et al.  Production of ethyl levulinate by direct conversion of wheat straw in ethanol media. , 2012, Bioresource technology.

[19]  A. Gil,et al.  A pilot-scale fireside deposit study of co-firing Cynara with two coals in a fluidised bed , 2008 .

[20]  Peter Arendt Jensen,et al.  Transformation and Release to the Gas Phase of Cl, K, and S during Combustion of Annual Biomass , 2004 .

[21]  Q. Hou,et al.  Co-refining of wheat straw pulp and hardwood kraft pulp , 2011 .

[22]  Joakim Myung Johansen,et al.  Release of K, Cl, and S during Pyrolysis and Combustion of High-Chlorine Biomass , 2011 .