FLUE GAS DESULPHURIZATION IN A CIRCULATING FLUIDIZED

BED: INVESTIGATION AFTER 10 YEARS OF SUCCESSFUL

COMMERCIAL OPERATION AT THE FACILITY OF PILSEN/CZ

Leuschke, F.*; Bleckwehl, S.

AE&E Lentjes GmbH
D-40880 Ratingen, Germany
* now with Imtech Deutschland GmbH & Co.
KG, D-82152 Planegg, Germany
Ratschow, L.**; Werther, J.

Hamburg University of Technology
D-21071 Hamburg, Germany
** now with Pyry Energy GmbH,
Hamburg,Germany
Abstract At the cogeneration plant in Pilsen, Czech Republic, a circulating fluidized bed
(CFB) technology for flue gas desulphurization (FGD) is operating successfully for already more
than 10 years (Hansen, et al. (1994), Sauer and Porter (1994), Sauer and Baege (1998)). The
semi-dry process is based on the conversion of calcium hydroxide with sulphur to calcium
sulphite and calcium sulphate. To investigate the current plant operation and the chemical-
physical processes directly in the CFB absorber, a measurement campaign was performed by
AE&E Lentjes in conjunction with Hamburg University of Technology, utilizing a system of
double-channel capacitance probes as presented by Wiesendorf and Werther (2000) with
integrated thermocouples. This system has been used for the first time in a CFB FGD reactor. In
the atmosphere of very cohesive particles, the system was still suitable for local measurements of
solids concentrations, as well as strand velocities and temperature distributions. Commonly
accepted characteristics of CFB systems, such as core-annulus flow structure with strands of
particles falling down in the proximity of the wall and a concentration gradient with higher solids
volume concentrations in the proximity of the wall, could be validated for this very lean FGD
system. The results of the measurement campaign presented contain solids concentration
distributions, as well as solids velocity and temperature distributions to describe the processes
directly in the absorber. Furthermore, the influences of different operating parameters such as
CFB absorber temperature, pressure drop across the CFB absorber, SO
2
emission, as well as the
sorbent material on the desulphurisation efficiency are described.
INTRODUCTION
Circulating fluidized bed (CFB) technology was commercially introduced by Lurgi in the early eighties for
the scrubbing of acid gases, especially for flue gas desulphurisation (FGD). The semi-dry process is based
on the conversion of calcium hydroxide with sulphur to calcium sulphite and calcium sulphate. Worldwide,
more than 60 plants based on this CFB FGD technology are in commercial operation (Yi et al. (2005)).
After 10 years of successful operation, a check of the facility at Pilsen provided the opportunity to use up-
to-date measurement equipment in order to verify basic assumptions of the CFB FGD technology. At the
Pilsen facility, a single reactor with an inner diameter of 8.4 m performs the flue gas desulphurization of a
cogeneration plant, consisting of 5 older boilers.
Several necessary parameters for the design of commercial scale plants have never been measured and
validated before due to the complexity of the CFB process and its chemical reactions. Therefore, a
measurement campaign at the CFB FGD plant of the cogeneration plant in Pilsen was performed by AE&E
Lentjes in conjunction with Hamburg University of Technology, to investigate experimentally the process
depending on the main operating parameters, as well as, the chemical-physical processes directly in the CFB
absorber.
PRINCIPLE OF THE CFB FGD TECHNOLOGY
The dry desulphurisation following the principle of the expanded circulating fluid bed (CFB) operates at a
temperature of approximately 75 C, typically using hydrated lime for the combined absorption of SO
2
, SO
3
,
HF and HCl. The process produces a dry product which is collected at a filter and is easy to handle. The
absorber is arranged downstream the boiler(s). The process scheme of the dry CFB FGD and its control is
shown in Fig. 1. The CFB absorber is an empty vertical flue gas duct with venturi shaped nozzles at the
bottom. The solids matter with mean particle sizes around 5 m consists of lime, recirculated
desulphurisation products and fly
ash. It is suspended in the flue gas
prior to entering the FGD absorber
through the nozzles. Within the
circulating fluid bed the solids are
distributed over the entire height of
the absorber. The average solids
velocity is much lower than the
average gas velocity, the difference
is called slip velocity. This slip
velocity between flue gas and solids
is the characterising criterion for the
optimal heat and mass transfer
behaviour within the circulating fluid
bed absorber. This allows the
injection of water directly into the
fluid bed and the control of the absorption temperature independently from the amount of lime feed. The
absorption product which mainly consists of calcium sulphite (CaSO
3
x H
2
O), calcium sulphate (CaSO
4
x
H
2
O), limestone (CaCO
3
) and fly ash, is separated from the clean gas in the downstream filter. The
product is recirculated back to the absorber via air-slides to prolong the solids retention time of the sorbent.
This aims at reducing the Ca/S molar ratio of the process, which is approximately between 1.1 to 1.5
depending on the SO
2
raw gas and clean gas concentrations and the amount/composition of the fly ash. The
clean gas passes through the booster fan and is vented to the atmosphere via the stack. The amount of
product which corresponds to the amount of hydrated lime fed to the absorber, the inlet fly ash quantity and
the collected acid gases, is discharged and conveyed to the product silo. The CFB FGD process requires
three main control circuits to regulate, i.e. the reagent feed rate as a function of the flue gas flow rate and the
SO
2
content of the raw gas and the clean gas, the water injection rate into the fluid bed as a function of the
temperature at the outlet of the absorber and the rate of discharge from the solids circuit as a function of the
pressure drop across the CFB absorber (Fig. 1). Additionally, the flue gas recirculation controls the
minimum gas volume flow to the absorber to establish the fluidized bed independent from boiler load.
EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS
Plant Design
The experimental investigations of
the CFB FGD process were carried
out at the CFB absorber integrated in
the flue gas cleaning system of the
cogeneration plant in Pilsen (Fig. 2).
The Pilsen combined heat and power
plant consists of 5 different boilers,
burning local lignite. All units are
equipped with individual dust filter
and ID fans and feed their gases to a
common duct upstream of the CFB
FGD plant. The desulphurisation
plant consists of a single CFB
absorber with an electrostatic
precipitator (ESP) for dedusting and
an additional booster fan to cover the
pressure drop of the new equipment.
The flue gas after passing the ESP
is discharged to the stack without
reheating. The CFB FGD plant
cleans a gas quantity of maximal 688.000 Nm
3
/h from the 5 boilers and the raw gas contains a SO
2

concentration of up to 5.200 mg/Nm
3
. The clean gas parameters which have to be guaranteed downstream of
the CFB FGD are 50 mg/Nm
3
for dust and 1.490 mg/Nm
3
for SO
2
. This equals a desulphurisation
efficiency of 71% thus, meeting the statutory requirements. Due to the good part load performance of the
Flue Gas
Clean Gas
Flue Gas Recirculation
Dry Product Discharge
Water
Absorbent
CFB
Absorber Ab-
sorbent
Silo
De-
Dusting
S
t
a
c
k
Booster
Fan
T
dP
SO
2
Storage in
Hoppers
V
Flue Gas
Clean Gas
Flue Gas Recirculation
Dry Product Discharge
Water
Absorbent
CFB
Absorber Ab-
sorbent
Silo
De-
Dusting
S
t
a
c
k
Booster
Fan
TT
dP dP
SO
2
SO
2
Storage in
Hoppers
VV

Fig. 1: Dry CFB flue gas desulphurisation process scheme
Fig. 2: Flow diagram of the cogeneration plant in Pilsen
CFB FGD process, the desulphurisation plant is capable of covering a load range of operation from 1 to 5
boilers. Hydrated lime serving as sorbent is produced on site in a dry lime hydration plant. Due to the
controlled water injection into the hydrator, lime (CaO) is hydrated to hydrated lime (Ca(OH)
2
) in a dry
mode. The solid product of the CFB FGD plant is used as stabilising material which is produced in a plant
installed below the storage silos for the CFB FGD product.
Measuring Program
The experimental studies of the
CFB FGD process comprise two
main topics, i.e. the analysis of
the current plant operation and
the investigation of the chemical-
physical processes directly in the
CFB absorber. The investigation
of the existing plant operation
contains the experimental
examination of the operation
measurements such as the SO
2

raw gas concentration at the inlet
of the CFB absorber, the SO
2

clean gas concentration at the
inlet of the stack, the volume flow
rate and the weighing of the
sorbent. Furthermore, the desul-
phurisation efficiency depending
on the CFB absorber temperature, the SO
2
emission, the pressure drop across the CFB absorber as well as
the type of sorbent was investigated (Tab. 1). To analyse the chemical-physical processes in the CFB
absorber, which has a total height of nearly 42 m and an inner diameter of approximately 8.4 m, local
measurements of solids concentrations, as well as strand velocities and temperature distributions were
performed with a system of double-channel capacitance probes with integrated thermocouples in different
vertical and horizontal measuring levels (Fig.3). A major problem during the measurements was the
stickiness of the particles. Minutes only after the insertion of the probes into the reactor the particles formed
a thick coating on the capacitance needles which made reliable measurements impossible. However,
attaching a mechanical vibrator to the probe tube (in fact, a drill with jack hammer function was used)
prevented the particles from attaching to the probe tip and thus enabled the measurements.
Investigation of the Current Plant Operation
The experimental examination of the operation measurements i.e. the SO
2
raw gas and clean gas
concentration, the volume flow rate and the weighing of sorbent showed that these measurements were
resilient, plausible and correct. The variation of the CFB absorber temperature showed that with increasing
temperature from 77 to 82 C due to the degradation of the kinetic reactions conditions the desulphurisation
efficiency decreased, in case of constant SO
2
emission limit resulting in increased sorbent consumption. The
decrease of the reactor temperature caused the opposite influence. Compared to the absorber temperature
which had a significant influence on the desulphurisation efficiency, the pressure drop across the CFB
absorber, being proportional to the total solids content within the absorber, had no noticeable influence on
the desulphurisation efficiency. The reduction of the SO
2
stack emission down to 50 mg/Nm
3
besides
constant operating conditions generates, in fact, an increase in the sorbent consumption, but shows that
desulphurisation efficiency > 99 % is
achieved and that tightened emission limits
could be maintained without any problems.
Furthermore, the direct application of lime
(CaO) as absorbent was tested, showing
significant increase of the sorbent
consumption, but the prescriptive limits
were also maintained with direct use of
CaO, ensuring a high availability of the
CFB FDG plant as a quite reasonable
5
21m Level 9,3m Level
21m Level
9,3m Level
14,8m Level
30
60
30
60
30
30
60
60
7
8
2
1
6
4
3
14
13
12
11
10
CFB-Absorber
Water-
Injection
1,5m
Top of Venturi Nozzles = 0m
5
21m Level 9,3m Level
21m Level
9,3m Level
14,8m Level
30
60
30
60
30
30
60
60
7
8
2
1
6
4
3
14
13
12
11
10
CFB-Absorber
Water-
Injection
1,5m
Top of Venturi Nozzles = 0m


Fig. 3: Arrangement of the different measuring levels in the CFB absorber
Tab. 1: Parameters for Investigation of the Current Plant Operation
Operating Value
Pressure Drop across Absorber [mbar] 8,5 6,0
Sorbent Ca(OH)
2
12,0
SO
2
Emission [mg/Nm
3
] 1490,0 400,0 50,0
CFB Absorber Temperature [C] 77,0 72,0 82,0
Parameter
Varied Values
CaO
Investigation of the Plant Operation

alternative in case of mechanical problems with the hydrator.
Investigation of the Chemical-Physical Processes in the CFB Absorber
The experimental studies of the chemical-physical processes in the absorber were performed by using a
system of double-channel capacitance probes with integrated thermocouples as presented by Wiesendorf and
Werther (2000). This system was used in the present work for the first time in a CFB FGD reactor. In the
presence of very cohesive particles, this system was still suitable for local measurements of solids
concentrations, as well as strand velocities and temperature distributions. The results of the measurements of
vertical and horizontal distributions in the reactor are detailed in the following sections.
Time-averaged horizontal profiles of the solids concentration
Time plots of the solids concentration can be drawn, aided by the measurements with the capacitance probes
in the CFB FGD. These time dependent plots were averaged for a time period of 30 seconds each.
Measurements were carried out at various penetration depths, giving a radial concentration profile at each
measuring port. These radial profiles have been interpolated for two horizontal layers in the CFB FGD with
the help of the commercial software
Matlab.
At the horizontal layer 21 m above
the Venturi nozzles, only the region
opposite the outlet to the electro-
static precipitator can be drawn out,
the rest of the horizontal layer had
not been accessible for the probes
(Fig. 4 left). Therefore, only half of
these horizontal layers are plotted.
Due to good accessibility of the
measurement ports 1 - 8 at 9.3 m
above the Venturi nozzles, it was
possible to draw an entire concen-
tration profile for this height, as can
be seen in Fig. 4 on the right side. In
Fig. 4, as well as in all following
plots of horizontal profiles, the
location of the measurement ports
has been indicated together with the
day of the measurement. Due to the
complex measurement procedure, it
has not been possible to perform the
measurements on each port on the
same day.
The solids volume concentrations in
the plots range from 0 to 1.5%. In
the lower part of the CFB FGD,
there was a local maximum when
measuring port 2 at a penetration
depth of 1 m. Several repetitions of
the measurement at this port have
confirmed the maximum. Other
concentration maxima were
measured at ports 5, 6, and 8. There
is an obvious subsidence in the
solids volume concentration.
The fluid dynamics in a circulating
fluidized bed are commonly
described by a core-annulus flow
structure, consisting of a solids-rich annulus where the solids fall down and a lean core region where the
solids are entrained upwards by the fluid. In the lower part of the CFB FGD, the concentration profile has
c
V
[%]
H = 21 m above nozzles H = 9.3 m
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5
port 14; Oct 20
port 13; Oct 20
port 12; Oct 20
port 10; Oct 20
H
2
O
outflow
to ESP
inflow direction
of flue gas
H
2
O
inflow direction
of flue gas

Fig. 4: Time-averaged solids volumetric concentration in the CFB FGD.
Left: Interpolation from measurements in a horizontal layer 21 m above the
Venturi-nozzles. Right: Interpolation from the measurements in a horizontal
layer 9.3 m above the Venturi nozzles.
v [m/s]
H = 21 m above nozzles H = 9.3 m
-4 -2 0 2 4 6 8
port 14; Oct 20
port 13; Oct 20
port 12; Oct 20
port 11; Oct 20
port 10; Oct 20
outflow
to ESP
H
2
O
inflow direction
of flue gas
H
2
O
inflow direction
of flue gas

Fig. 5: Time-averaged strand velocity in the CFB FGD. Left: Interpolation
from measurements in a horizontal layer 21 m above the Venturi-nozzles.
Right: Interpolation from the measurements in a horizontal layer 9.3 m
above the Venturi nozzles.
such a typical pattern. While the solids concentration varies in the core region between 0.5 vol.-% and
1 vol.-%, it increases to values of roughly 3 vol.-% in the proximity of the wall. The annulus region has a
thickness of 0.05 m to 0.1 m only which is smaller than in CFB combustors (Werther (2005)).
In the upper part of the CFB FGD, the measurement at port 11 was discarded due to sticky solids on the tip
of the measurement probe which led to aberrant values. A core-annulus flow pattern cannot be clearly
identified at this height. There may be several reasons for this phenomenon. One explanation lies in the
location of the ports opposite the exit to the ESP. The whole flue gas stream drifts into the direction of the
outlets which leads to the destruction of a typical concentration profile. The darker color indicates an overall
lower solids concentration in this region of the CFB FGD.
Time-averaged horizontal profiles of the vertical strand velocity
By means of the capacitance probes, it is also possible to determine solids velocities. In order to do so, time
plots of the signals obtained from measuring with the two tips of one probe, are compared. By means of a
cross correlation the average time shift between the two signals can be found. The vertical distance between
the tips of the probe divided by the time shift of the signals can be interpreted as the strand velocity.
Assuming that the solids strands move in average with the same velocity as the particles they consist of,
solids velocity distributions can be shown. In Fig. 5, the solids velocity distribution is shown for two
horizontal planes. At the lower level, the core-annulus flow structure can be clearly identified. The vertical
solids velocities range from -4 m/s in the annulus region to +6 m/s in the core region. In analogy to the
concentration profiles, regions with lower solids velocity can be identified in the core region. They are at the
locations of high solids concentration (compare to Fig 4).
The core-annulus intersection is commonly identified at the radius of net zero vertical solids velocity.
Applied on the solids velocity profile of the lower part of the CFB FGD, the width of the annulus region
would be roughly 0.25 m and deviates from the observation of a very shallow annulus region from the
concentration measurements. This observation is probably system-specific: in many known CFB systems,
the fluid is fed through a nozzle floor. In this case of a Venturi CFB, it is possible that at the height of 9.3 m
above the Venturi nozzles, flue gas stream has not yet spread out to the full width of the reactor diameter.
In the upper part of the CFB FGD, the solids velocities are in the range of the theoretical mean superficial
gas velocity of circa 4 m/s. The terminal settling velocity of the solids is very low, due to a very small mean
particle diameter of 4 6 m. Therefore, it is likely that the solids and the flue gas have approximately the
same velocity in the very lean regions. Contrary to the observation of the solids concentrations, a core-
annulus structure can also be found in the upper part of the riser.
Time-averaged horizontal temperature profiles
Some of the probes were equipped with an additional thermocouple at the probe tip. Fig. 6 shows a
temperature distribution from measurements that were carried out on the 23
rd
October. During this
measuring period, the location of water injection for the desulphurization process was at a port below
measuring port 5. Fig. 6 (right)
shows a temperature distribution at
the 9.3 m level. The flue gas
temperature at the outlet of the CFB
FGD was set to 72C. It is clearly
visible that the flue gas temperature
is lower at the side of water
injection. Furthermore, the
temperature in the proximity of the
wall is lower than the temperature in
the core. The temperature profile is
not symmetric to the point of water
injection. The temperature is higher
at the side of the outflow to the ESP.
A calculation of the solids mass flux
profile from the solids concentration
and solids velocities has shown that
the mass flux on the side of the
outflow, is twice the mass flux on
outflow
to ESP
H
2
O
60 65 70 75 80 85 90
T
clean gas
= 72 C
T [C]
H = 21 m above nozzles H = 9.3 m
T 5 C due to increased water injection
port 14; Oct 23
port 13; Oct 23
port 12; Oct 23
port 11; Oct 23
port 10; Oct 23
inflow direction
of flue gas
H
2
O inflow direction
of flue gas

Fig. 6: Time Time-averaged solids Temperature profile in the CFB FGD.
Outlet temperature = 72C. Left: Interpolation from measurements in a
horizontal layer 21 m above the Venturi-nozzles. Right: Interpolation from
the measurements in a horizontal layer 9.3 m above the Venturi nozzles.
the opposite side. This indicates that the temperature on the side of the outflow to the ESP is higher, because
more water can be evaporated, due to higher solids flux. In Fig. 6, on the left, the temperature profile is
shown for the upper part of the CFB FGD. The overall temperature is about 10C lower, due to complete
evaporation of the injected water at this height. At this height, the temperature is still lower at the side of
water injection. In the proximity of the walls, the temperature dropped below 60C.
CONCLUSIONS
A measurement campaign was carried out at the CFB FGD cogeneration plant in Pilsen and performed by
Lentjes in conjunction with the Hamburg University of Technology in order to investigate the
desulphurisation efficiency depending on the main operating parameters like CFB absorber temperature,
SO
2
emission and pressure drop across the CFB absorber as well as the chemical-physical processes directly
in the CFB reactor. A system of double-channel capacitance probes with integrated thermocouples was used
to measure the local solids concentrations, as well as strand velocities and temperature distributions in
different vertical and horizontal measuring levels of the CFB reactor. The variation of the CFB absorber
temperature showed that with increasing temperature, due to the degradation of the kinetic reactions
conditions the desulphurisation efficiency decreased whereby in case of constant SO
2
emission limit the
sorbent consumption increased. In case of decreasing the reactor temperature the opposite influence is
noticed. Compared to the absorber temperature which had a significant influence on the desulphurisation
efficiency, the pressure drop across the CFB absorber had no influence on the efficiency. The reduction of
the SO
2
emission limit to 50 mg/Nm
3
besides constant operating conditions generates, in fact, an increase in
the sorbent consumption, but also showed that desulphurisation efficiencies > 99 % are achieved and that
tightened EU emission limits could be maintained without any problems.
In the lower part of the CFB FGD, the fluid dynamical measurements confirmed a core-annulus flow
structure, consisting of a solids-rich annulus where the solids fall down and a lean core region where the
solids are entrained upwards by the fluid. While the solids concentration varies in the core region between
0.5 vol.-% and 1 vol.-%, it increases to values of roughly 3 vol.-% in the proximity of the wall. The
concentration profile in a horizontal layer is not homogeneous; a subsidence slope concerning the solids
concentration and solids velocity was detected. At the height of the exit to the ESP, a core-annulus flow
structure was not detected with regard to solids concentration. The whole flue gas stream drifts into the
direction of the outlets which leads to the destruction of a typical concentration profile.
The flue gas temperature is lower at the side of water injection. In the proximity of the wall, it is lower than
in the core. Furthermore, the horizontal temperature profile at 9.3 m above the Venturi nozzles is not
symmetric to the location of water injection. The temperature is higher at the side of the outflow to the ESP.
A calculation of the solids mass flux profile from the solids concentration and solids velocities has shown
that the mass flux on the side of the outflow is twice the mass flux on the opposite side. This indicates that
the temperature on the side of the outflow to the ESP is higher because more water can be evaporated, due to
higher solids flux. In the upper part of the CFB FGD, the overall temperature is about 10C lower, due to
complete evaporation of the injected water at this height.
REFERENCES
Hansen, S.K., Toher, J., Lanois, G., Sauer, H.: High efficiency, dry flue gas SOx and combined SOx/NOx -
removal experience with the Lurgi circulating fluid bed dry scrubber - a new economical retrofit option
for U.S. utilities for acid rain remediation, International Power Generation Conference, San Diego, 1991.
Sauer, H.; Porter, D. E.: Dry Removal of Gaseous Pollutants from Flue Gases with the Circulating Fluid Bed
Scrubber, C479/022 IMechE (1994).
Sauer, H.; Baege, R.: Recent Developments on CFB FGD Technology, Power Gen Europe, Milano, 1998.
Werther, J.: Fluid dynamics, temperature, and concentration fields in large-scale CFB combustors, Proc. 8
th

Int. Conf. Circulating Fluidized Beds (K.Cen, (Ed.)), Hangzhou, China 2005, pp. 1-25.
Wiesendorf, V., Werther, J.: Capacitance Probes for Solids Volume Concentration and Velocity
Measurements in Industrial Fluidized Bed Reactors, Powder Technology 110 (2000), pp. 143-157.
Yi, J.; Sauer, H.; Leuschke, F; Baege, R.: What is possible to achieve on flue gas cleaning using the CFB
technology, 8th International Conference on Circulating Fluidized Beds, Hangzhou, 2005.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
We would like to thank the operator of the cogeneration plant in Pilsen for the excellent collaboration and
the possibility to perform the experimental investigations during the commercial operation.