Pyrolysis and Combustion of Pulverized Wheat Straw in a Pressurized Entrained Flow Reactor

Within the past decade, there has been an interest for pressurized combustion and gasification of solid fuels in power plants due to the potential for high efficiency. The utilization of new types of solid fuels for pressurized combustion and gasification depends on char yield and char reactivity at relevant conditions.

The pressurized entrained now reactor designed at Rise is introduced. Pyrolysis and combustion at 10 and 20 bar pressure have been studied using pulverized wheat straw. Samples of partly reacted particles are collected, and the conversion is calculated using the ash tracer technique. The pyrolysis experiments show a yield larger than the yield from the proximate analysis.

The pyrolysis is completed in about Is, and the yield is the same for 10 and 20 bar pressure. The combustion experiments show a high reactivity with oxygen, and the effects of pressure on combustion are discussed using the 10 and 20 bar experiments.