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FLUIDIZED BED COMBUSTION BOILERS

The basis for a FBC system is a bed of an

inert mineral such as sand or limestone
through which air is blown from below.
The air is pumped through the bed in
sufficient volume and at a high enough
pressure to entrain the small particles of
the bed material so that they behave
much like a fluid.
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The principles of fuel burning in a fluidized bed
also provide suitable conditions for burning a
wide range of fuels such as coal, biomass,
sewage treatment plant sludge, separated
municipal waste, and others.
The fluidized bed boiler technology is thus the
most perfect method of burning fuels both from
an ecological point of view and an economical
point of view, i.e. with the highest efficiency
and the lowest emissions.
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• Wood waste • Oil
• Bark (outer covering of tree) • Natural gas
• Paper mill sludge • Coal (in combination)
• Recycled paper • Peat
facility sludge • Biomass
• Sewage sludge • Sugar cane waste
• Tire-derived fuels • Agricultural waste
(in combination)

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 FBC reduces the amount of sulfur emitted in the form of SOx
emissions. Limestone is used to precipitate out sulfate during
combustion, which also allows more efficient heat transfer from the
boiler to the apparatus used to capture the heat energy (usually
water tubes).
 The heated precipitate coming in direct contact with the tubes
(heating by conduction) increases the efficiency.
 Since this allows coal plants to burn at cooler temperatures, less
NOx is also emitted. However, burning at low temperatures also
causes increased polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emissions.
 FBC boilers can burn fuels other than coal, and the lower
temperatures of combustion (800 °C / 1500 °F) have other added
benefits as well.

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 Production of NOx is temperature depended as in FBC temperature is less
than other combustion processes Hence it results in low production of NOx.
 Lower production of SOx because SO2, SO3 etc. are captured by limestone.
 FBC has 10 times more heat transfer then other combustion processes
because of burning particle, hence it has a high combustion efficiency.
 FBC has a lower combustion temperature of 750 °C whereas an ordinary
boiler operates at 850 °C.
 FBC has low sintering process (melting of Ash).
 Less area is required for FBC due to high coefficient of convective heat
transfer.
 Low air pollution.
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 FLUIDIZED BED COMBUSTION BOILERS

 Types of FBC boilers:

 Atmospheric Fluidized Bed / Bubbling bed Combustion boiler (AFBC)
 Atmospheric circulating (fast) Fluidized Bed Combustion system(CFBC)
 Pressurized Fluidized Bed Combustion System (PFBC).

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 Coal size 1 – 10 mm
 Air velocity 1.2 to 3.7 m/s
 Bed height 0.9 to 1.5 m
 Fluidized bed boiler can operate at near atmospheric

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 Coal size 6 –12 mm
 Air velocity 3.7 to 9 m/sec.
 Temperature ranges 840-900°C
 Limestone is mixed along with coal
 Taller CFBC boiler used for better space utilization
 Steam generation rate - industrial purpose 75 – 100 TPH
 Sulfur present in the fuel is retained in the circulating solids in the form
of calcium sulphate and removed in solid form
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 Large-scale coal burning applications
 The bed vessel is operated at pressure up to 16 atm
 The off-gas from the fluidized bed combustor drives the gas turbine
 Electricity is generated more efficiently than in conventional system
 The overall conversion efficiency is higher by 5% to 8%

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 Principle:

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 Advantages:
 High Efficiency
 Reduction in Boiler Size
 Fuel Flexibility
 Ability to Burn Low Grade Fuel (coal with ash content of 67% - low calorific value
2500 kcal/kg)
 Ability to Burn Fines (below 6 mm)
 Pollution Control
 Low Corrosion and Erosion
 Easier Ash Removal
 Simple Operation, Quick Start-Up
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 Advantages:
 Fast Response to Load Fluctuations
 No Slagging in the Furnace-No Soot Blowing – the ash is non
sticky
 Provisions of Automatic Coal and Ash Handling System
 High Reliability – low moving parts
 Reduced Maintenance
 High Efficiency of Power Generation

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