Developments in fluidized bed conversion of solid fuels

A summary is given on the development of fluidized bed conversion (combustion and gasification) of solid fuels. First, gasification is mentioned, following the line of development from the Winkler gasifier to recent designs. The combustors were initially bubbling beds, which were found unsuitable for combustion of coal because of various drawbacks, but they proved more useful for biomass where these drawbacks were absent. Instead, circulating fluidized bed boilers became the most important coal converters, whose design now is quite mature, and presently the increments in size and efficiency are the most important development tasks. The new modifications of these conversion devices are related to CO2 capture. Proposed methods with this purpose, involving fluidized bed, are single-reactor systems like oxy-fuel combustion, and dual-reactor systems, including also indirect biomass gasifiers.