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.

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.

A bubbling fluidized bed combustion device (1) comprising a fluidization vessel (2), a fluidized sand bed (3) arranged in the fluidization vessel and an arrangement for monitoring the fluidized sand bed. The arrangement comprises at least one radar level gauge (4) arranged to repeatedly measure a distance (D) in the fluidization vessel from a reference point (5) to at least one portion (6) of the top surface of (7) the fluidized sand bed, and to provide a measurement signal (S) representative of the distance. The invention also relates to a method for monitoring a fluidized bed in a bubbling fluidized bed combustion device.

A bubbling fluidized bed combustion device (1) comprising a fluidization vessel (2), a fluidized sand bed (3) arranged in the fluidization vessel and an arrangement for monitoring the fluidized sand bed. The arrangement comprises at least one radar level gauge (4) arranged to repeatedly measure a distance (D) in the fluidization vessel from a reference point (5) to at least one portion (6) of the top surface of (7) the fluidized sand bed, and to provide a measurement signal (S) representative of the distance. The invention also relates to a method for monitoring a fluidized bed in a bubbling fluidized bed combustion device.

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.

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.

Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for measuring the height of a solid bed in a high-temperature and high-pressure fluidized bed system, and a fluidized bed system having the solid bed height measuring apparatus. The solid bed height measuring apparatus includes a lower pressure probe mounted at an upper side as high as a first height from a gas distributor of a fluidized bed reactor to measure pressure of the mounted location, and a middle pressure probe mounted at an upper side as high as a second height from the lower probe to measure pressure of the mounted location. An upper pressure probe is mounted at the top of the fluidized bed reactor to measure the inside pressure of the fluidized bed reactor. First and second differential pressure gauges are used for measuring differential pressures.