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Title: Examining and Modeling Oxygen Uncoupling Kinetics of Cu-Based Oxygen Carriers for Chemical Looping with Oxygen Uncoupling (CLOU) in a Drop Tube Fluidized Bed Reactor

Journal Article · · Energy and Fuels

Chemical looping combustion with oxygen uncoupling (CLOU) is a promising carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology for conversion of gaseous and solid hydrocarbon fuels where the release of gaseous O2 from an oxygen carrier is favored at high temperature and low O2 partial pressure. One promising CLOU material is the copper oxide redox system (CuO–Cu2O). The primary objective of this study was to examine the use of a drop tube fluidized bed reactor (DT-FBR) for evaluating the kinetics of oxygen uncoupling with Cu-based oxygen carriers. Appropriate rate expressions from redox experiments are needed to model and scale up CLOU systems. Additionally, the determined oxygen uncoupling kinetic parameters were validated using a computational fluid dynamic model. Two oxygen carriers consisting of 20 wt % CuO/Al2O3 and 9 wt % CuO/Al2O3 were prepared by physical mixing. A third oxygen carrier sample was prepared at 9 wt % CuO/Al2O3 by incipient wetness impregnation. The reaction rates of the copper oxide redox system are strongly dependent on thermodynamic effects of the oxygen partial pressure relative to the equilibrium oxygen partial pressure. The results presented in this paper offer an alternative and simplified kinetic analysis compared to that traditionally presented in the literature for the thermal reduction of copper oxide or other CLOU oxygen carriers. The reactor system used in this study allows for operating parameters to be adjusted, minimizing thermodynamic and mass transfer limitations, which eliminates the need for more complex kinetic/thermodynamic reaction models. The reaction kinetics measured in this study is compared based on the preparation method and the CuO weight percent loading. These results may aid in the development of CLOU technologies during reactor design and process modeling.

Research Organization:
National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA, Morgantown, WV, and Albany, OR (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE)
Grant/Contract Number:
89243318CFE000003
OSTI ID:
1569815
Report Number(s):
RSS010
Journal Information:
Energy and Fuels, Vol. 33, Issue 6; ISSN 0887-0624
Publisher:
American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 14 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science