A Preliminary Research on a Plasma Spout-Fluid Bed Reactor

L. Tang, H. Huang, X. Yang, H. Hao, K. Zhao

Department of Civil Engineering, Guangzhou University, Waihuanxi Road, Guangzhou, China.
Department of Environmental Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Waihuanxi Road, Guangzhou, China.

DOI: 10.4236/epe.2013.54B056                

Abstract

A laboratory-scale plasma spout-fluid bed reactor with a 10 kW DC plasma torch was developed and tested using quartz sand particle and rice hull. The preliminary experimental results including particle recirculation and attrition, bed temperature distribution and stability, as well as biomass gasification system energy balance were presented in this paper. Research results indicated that plasma spout-fluid bed reactor may be a technically feasible reactor for carbonaceous organic material gasification.

Keywords

Thermal Plasma; Spout-fluid Bed; Gasification

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	P. G. Rutberg, “Some Plasma Environmental Technologies Developed in Russia,” Plasma Sources Sci. Technol., Vol. 11, No. 3A, 2002, pp. A159-A165. doi:10.1088/0963-0252/11/3A/324
[2]	Z. Zhao, et al., “Biomass Pyrolysis in an Argon/Hydrogen Plasma Reactor,” Chemical Engineering Technology, Vol. 24, No. 5, 2001, pp. 197-199.
[3]	T. Inaba and T. Iwao, “Treatment of Waste by Dc Arc Discharge Plasma,” IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics & Electrical Insulation, Vol. 7, No. 5, 2000, pp. 684-692. doi:10.1109/94.879362
[4]	K. Koutaro, et al., “Melting Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Residue by Plasma Melting Furnace With a Graphite Electrode,” Thin Solid Films, Vol. 386, No. 2, 2001, pp. 183-188. doi:10.1016/S0040-6090(00)01640-0
[5]	K.Seok-Wan, et al., “100 kW Steam Plasma Process for Treatment of PCBs (Polychlorinated Biphenyls) Waste,” Vacuum, Vol. 70, No. 1, 2003, pp. 59-66. doi:10.1016/S0042-207X(02)00761-3
[6]	B. G. Ivan and I. M. Boris, “Some General Conclusions from the Results of Studies on Solid Fuel Steam Plasma Gasification,” Fuel, Vol. 71, No. 8, 1992, pp. 895-901. doi:10.1016/0016-2361(92)90239-K
[7]	K. E. Sherick and J. E. Findiey, “Energy and Costs Scoping Study for Plasma Pyrolysis Thermal Processing System,” Energy Citations Database,G-WTD-9993,1992.
[8]	P. Suwannakuta, “A Study on Biomass Gasification in Spout-Fluid Bed,” Master thesis No. ET-02-22, Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok, Thailand, 2002.
[9]	R. J. Munz and O. S. Mersereau, “A Plasma Spout-fluid Bed for the Recovery of Vanadium from Vanadium Ore,” Chemical Engineering Science，Vol. 45, No. 8, 1990, pp. 2489-2495.