Simulation of circulating fluidized bed reactors using ASPEN PLUS

A comprehensive model is developed for the combustion of coal in a circulating fluidized bed combustor (CFBC). The proposed model integrates hydrodynamic parameters, reaction model and kinetic subroutines necessary to simulate coal combustion in a CFBC. Kinetic expressions were developed for the char combustion rates and the SO2 absorption in the bed using data from the literature. The reaction model, which considers only the important steps of coal combustion, was simulated using four ASPEN PLUS reactor models and several subroutines. The developed subroutines were then nested in the ASPEN PLUS input file, so that the CFBC may be represented. The validity of the model was demonstrated using 14 different sets of operating conditions for the CANMET 0.8 MWth CFBC pilot plant. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.