Abstract: Combustion of biomass or coal is known to yield aerosols and condensed alkali minerals that affect boiler heat transfer performance. In this work, alkali behavior in the pressurized oxyfuel co-combustion of coal and biomass is predicted by thermodynamic and chemical kinetic calculations. Existence of solid minerals is evaluated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of ashes from pressure thermogravimetric combustion. Results indicate that a rise in pressure affects solid alkali minerals negligibly, but increases their contents in the liquid phase and decreases them in the gas phase, especially below 900 °C. Thus, less KCl will condense on the boiler heat transfer surfaces leading to reduced corrosion. Increasing the blend ratio of biomass to coal will raise the content of potassium-based minerals but reduce the sodium-based ones. The alkali-associated slagging in the boiler can be minimized by the synergistic effect of co-combustion of sulphur-rich coal and potassium-rich biomass, forming stable solid K₂SO₄ at typical fluidized bed combustion temperatures. Kinetics modelling based on reaction mechanisms shows that oxidation of SO₂ to SO₃ plays a major role in K₂SO₄ formation but that the contribution of this oxidation decreases with increase in pressure.

Key words: Oxyfuel co-combustion; Equilibrium calculations; Chemical kinetic reactions; Mineral’s identifications; Thermogravimetric combustion

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