Design, Testing, and Operation of a Plug-Flow, Inclined Fluidized Bed Reactor

摘要

This report describes the design, testing, and initial operation of a plug-flow, fluidized bed reactor. The reactor is designed to overcome the problem of nonuniform residence times of particles having different sizes, which is common when using conventional, vertical, fluidized beds. Cold-flow tests using solid tracers have verified that the inclined fluidized bed is a plug-flow reactor. The reactor retains the desirable characteristics of fluidized beds such as high heat transfer rates, good mixing, high throughput, and no moving parts, while it also has the capability for uniform residence times of different-sized particles and nonisothermal operation. Combustion tests show the reactor is capable of burning 96 to 99% of the organic carbon from oil shales containing 6.2 to 13.9 wt % organic carbon and 76% from retorted shale containing 2.9 wt % organic carbon. Retorting tests using eastern shale with steam produce very heavy, viscous oil that does not flow from the present oil collection equipment. Oil would not flow from collection equipment during shakedown tests of the combined retort and combustor system with eastern and western shale retorted with pyrolysis gas. Yields were estimated from spent shale analyses at 103 and 114% of Fischer assay for tests using western and eastern shales. Recommendations are made for improvements in the oil collection equipment and future tests. Provision should be made to separate and remove heavy oil above its pour point. A factorial matrix of tests to study residence time, gas composition, and bed temperature is recommended. 14 refs., 10 figs., 10 tabs. (ERA citation 13:005426)