The invention relates to a CLC plant for the combustion of solid hydrocarbon feedstocks generating particles of unburnt residues, comprising a solid/solid separator above the combustion reactor in order to efficiently separate the particles of the oxygen-carrying solid from the particles of unburnt residues contained in the gas/solid mixture (14) exiting from the combustion reactor. The chamber (1) of the solid/solid separator, the combustion reactor and the inlet (2) for the gas/solid mixture (14) of the chamber have a parallelepiped shape. The inlet (2) is equipped at its top with means (3) for distribution of said gas/solid mixture in the chamber which extend over the entire length of the inlet, improving the solid/solid separation.

The invention relates to a method for operating a fluidized bed boiler, comprising carrying out the combustion process with a fluidized bed comprising ilmenite particles, wherein the average residence time of the ilmenite particles in the boiler is at least 75 hours. The invention further relates to ilmenite particles obtainable by a corresponding method and the use of said ilmenite particles as oxygen-carrying material.

The invention relates to a method for operating a fluidized bed boiler, comprising carrying out the combustion process with a fluidized bed comprising ilmenite particles, wherein the average residence time of the ilmenite particles in the boiler is at least 75 hours. The invention further relates to ilmenite particles obtainable by a corresponding method and the use of said ilmenite particles as oxygen-carrying material.

The invention relates to a method for operating a fluidized bed boiler (6), comprising the steps of: a) providing fresh ilmenite particles having a shape factor of 0.8 or lower as bed material to the fluidized bed boiler (6); b) carrying out a fluidized bed combustion process; c) removing at least one ash stream comprising ilmenite particles from the fluidized bed boiler; d) separating ilmenite particles from the at least one ash stream, wherein the separation includes a step of using a magnetic separator (12) comprising a field strength of 2,000 Gauss or more; e) recirculating separated ilmenite particles into the bed of the fluidized bed boiler; wherein the average residence time of ilmenite particles in the fluidized bed is 100 h or more.

The invention relates to a method for operating a fluidized bed boiler (6), comprising the steps of: a) providing fresh ilmenite particles having a shape factor of 0.8 or lower as bed material to the fluidized bed boiler (6); b) carrying out a fluidized bed combustion process; c) removing at least one ash stream comprising ilmenite particles from the fluidized bed boiler; d) separating ilmenite particles from the at least one ash stream, wherein the separation includes a step of using a magnetic separator (12) comprising a field strength of 2,000 Gauss or more; e) recirculating separated ilmenite particles into the bed of the fluidized bed boiler; wherein the average residence time of ilmenite particles in the fluidized bed is 100 h or more.

The invention relates to a CLC plant for the combustion of solid hydrocarbon feedstocks generating particles of unburnt residues, comprising a solid/solid separator above the combustion reactor in order to efficiently separate the particles of the oxygen-carrying solid from the particles of unburnt residues contained in the gas/solid mixture (14) exiting from the combustion reactor. The chamber (1) of the solid/solid separator, the combustion reactor and the inlet (2) for the gas/solid mixture (14) of the chamber have a parallelepiped shape. The inlet (2) is equipped at its top with means (3) for distribution of said gas/solid mixture in the chamber which extend over the entire length of the inlet, improving the solid/solid separation.

The invention relates to a CLC plant for the combustion of solid hydrocarbon feedstocks generating particles of unburnt residues, comprising a solid/solid separator above the combustion reactor in order to efficiently separate the particles of the oxygen-carrying solid from the particles of unburnt residues contained in the gas/solid mixture (14) exiting from the combustion reactor. The chamber (1) of the solid/solid separator, the combustion reactor and the inlet (2) for the gas/solid mixture (14) of the chamber have a parallelepiped shape. The inlet (2) is equipped at its top with means (3) for distribution of said gas/solid mixture in the chamber which extend over the entire length of the inlet, improving the solid/solid separation.

In a method and a plant for chemical looping oxidation-reduction combustion (CLC) of a gaseous hydrocarbon feed, for example natural gas essentially containing methane, catalytic reforming of the feed is performed within the reduction zone where combustion of the feed is conducted on contact with an oxidation-reduction active mass in form of particles. The reforming catalyst comes in form of untransported fluidized particles within the reduction zone. The catalyst thus confined in the reduction zone does not circulate in the CLC loop.

In a method and a plant for chemical looping oxidation-reduction combustion (CLC) of a gaseous hydrocarbon feed, for example natural gas essentially containing methane, catalytic reforming of the feed is performed within the reduction zone where combustion of the feed is conducted on contact with an oxidation-reduction active mass in form of particles. The reforming catalyst comes in form of untransported fluidized particles within the reduction zone. The catalyst thus confined in the reduction zone does not circulate in the CLC loop.

A watertube panel portion for a fluidized bed reactor and a corresponding method. The watertube panel portion includes multiple parallel metal tubes having a tube length L1, an outer surface, an original outer diameter OD1, and an original wall thickness WT1, and a circumferentially extending recess formed in a central portion of each of the tubes, between first and second end portions. The recess has a constant depth D that is less than the wall thickness WT1. The recess encircles the outer surface of the central portion of the metal tube. A circumferentially extending metal coating has a constant thickness of at most the depth D of the recess to blanket the recess of each of the multiple metal tubes. A fin is continuously welded between each pair of adjacent tubes.