Various aspects provide for a multistage fluidized bed reactor, particularly comprising a volatilization stage and a combustion stage. The gas phases above the bed solids in the respective stages are separated by a wall. An opening (e.g., in the wall) provides for transport of the bed solids from the volatilization stage to the combustion stage. Active control of the gas pressure in the two stages may be used to control residence time. Various aspects provide for a fuel stream processing system having a pretreatment reactor, a combustion reactor, and optionally a condensation reactor. The condensation reactor receives a volatiles stream volatilized by the volatilization reactor. The combustion reactor receives a char stream resulting from the removal of the volatiles by the volatilization reactor.

Various aspects provide for a multistage fluidized bed reactor, particularly comprising a volatilization stage and a combustion stage. The gas phases above the bed solids in the respective stages are separated by a wall. An opening (e.g., in the wall) provides for transport of the bed solids from the volatilization stage to the combustion stage. Active control of the gas pressure in the two stages may be used to control residence time. Various aspects provide for a fuel stream processing system having a pretreatment reactor, a combustion reactor, and optionally a condensation reactor. The condensation reactor receives a volatiles stream volatilized by the volatilization reactor. The combustion reactor receives a char stream resulting from the removal of the volatiles by the volatilization reactor.

An apparatus for controlling flow of a material includes an inlet for receiving the material from a source, and a seal mechanism connected to the inlet, the seal mechanism having a fluidizing bed configured to receive the material from the inlet, a first discharge passageway and a second discharge passageway. The fluidizing bed includes a first transport zone associated with the first discharge passageway and a second transport zone associated with the second discharge passageway, wherein the first and second transport zones are configured to receive transport gas from a transport gas source. The transport gas is controllable to selectively divert a flow of the material into the first discharge passageway and the second discharge passageway.

An apparatus for controlling flow of a material includes an inlet for receiving the material from a source, and a seal mechanism connected to the inlet, the seal mechanism having a fluidizing bed configured to receive the material from the inlet, a first discharge passageway and a second discharge passageway. The fluidizing bed includes a first transport zone associated with the first discharge passageway and a second transport zone associated with the second discharge passageway, wherein the first and second transport zones are configured to receive transport gas from a transport gas source. The transport gas is controllable to selectively divert a flow of the material into the first discharge passageway and the second discharge passageway.

Aspects provide for volatilizing a biomass-based fuel stream, removing undesirable components from the resulting volatiles stream, and combusting the resulting stream (e.g., in a kiln). Removal of particles, ash, and/or H2O from the volatiles stream improves its economic value and enhances the substitution of legacy (e.g., fossil) fuels with biomass-based fuels. Aspects may be particularly advantageous for upgrading otherwise low-quality biomass to a fuel specification sufficient for industrial implementation. A volatilization reactor may include a fluidized bed reactor, which may comprise multiple stages and/or a splashgenerator. A splashgenerator may impart directed momentum to a portion of the bed to increase bed transport via directed flow.

Aspects provide for volatilizing a biomass-based fuel stream, removing undesirable components from the resulting volatiles stream, and combusting the resulting stream (e.g., in a kiln). Removal of particles, ash, and/or H2O from the volatiles stream improves its economic value and enhances the substitution of legacy (e.g., fossil) fuels with biomass-based fuels. Aspects may be particularly advantageous for upgrading otherwise low-quality biomass to a fuel specification sufficient for industrial implementation. A volatilization reactor may include a fluidized bed reactor, which may comprise multiple stages and/or a splashgenerator. A splashgenerator may impart directed momentum to a portion of the bed to increase bed transport via directed flow.

An oxygen fired fluidized bed combustor system (Oxy-FBC) is provided. The system provides means of producing a nearly pure stream of carbon dioxide for storage at high efficiency by controlling the oxygen content within certain regions of the combustor to control the rate of heat release allowing efficient transfer of heat from the combustor to the boiler tubes while avoiding excessively high temperatures that will cause ash melting, and simultaneously remove sulphur from the combustor via sorbents such as limestone and dolomite. The present invention utilizes a coarse oxygen carrier bed material to distribute heat and oxygen throughout an Oxy-FBC, while injecting fine sulphur sorbent that will continuously be removed from the bed.

An oxygen fired fluidized bed combustor system (Oxy-FBC) is provided. The system provides means of producing a nearly pure stream of carbon dioxide for storage at high efficiency by controlling the oxygen content within certain regions of the combustor to control the rate of heat release allowing efficient transfer of heat from the combustor to the boiler tubes while avoiding excessively high temperatures that will cause ash melting, and simultaneously remove sulphur from the combustor via sorbents such as limestone and dolomite. The present invention utilizes a coarse oxygen carrier bed material to distribute heat and oxygen throughout an Oxy-FBC, while injecting fine sulphur sorbent that will continuously be removed from the bed.

The invention relates to a method and to a device for chemical looping combustion CLC of a solid hydrocarbon feed wherein it is proposed to inject the solid hydrocarbon feed so as to limit any occurrence of sticking of the feed to the walls of the injection device. The solid feed is fed into a conveying zone operating under fluidized bed conditions and opening into a combustion reactor. A fluidization gas is injected into this conveying zone while controlling the flow of gas in such a way that the superficial velocity of the gas in the conveying zone is higher than the terminal velocity of the solid hydrocarbon feed particles and the terminal velocity of solid particles present in the combustion reactor, and while controlling the fluidization gas temperature in such a way that the temperature in the conveying zone is less than or equal to 500 C.

The invention relates to a method and to a device for chemical looping combustion CLC of a solid hydrocarbon feed wherein it is proposed to inject the solid hydrocarbon feed so as to limit any occurrence of sticking of the feed to the walls of the injection device. The solid feed is fed into a conveying zone operating under fluidized bed conditions and opening into a combustion reactor. A fluidization gas is injected into this conveying zone while controlling the flow of gas in such a way that the superficial velocity of the gas in the conveying zone is higher than the terminal velocity of the solid hydrocarbon feed particles and the terminal velocity of solid particles present in the combustion reactor, and while controlling the fluidization gas temperature in such a way that the temperature in the conveying zone is less than or equal to 500 C.