Fluidized bed combustion

Magazine article, 2016

Fluidized bed combustion (FBC) of solid fuels takes place in bubbling fluidized bed as well as circulating fluidized bed (CFB) boilers. Particular attention is paid to the description of the CFB type, the most common one. The performance in terms of cyclone efficiency and related combustion efficiency is explained. The most significant properties of fluidized bed boilers with respect to emission reduction of nitrogen and sulfur oxides are presented, and the flexibility in emission reduction is illustrated by examples. Finally, the main trends in development of future designs are briefly shown, particularly in relation to CO2 capture: oxy-combustion, calcium looping, and similar. It is concluded that the remarkable flexibility of FBC allows it to be applied to a variety of tasks in relation to solid fuel combustion.