Rotary Bed Reactor for Chemical-Looping Combustion

Abstract

Reactor for chemical looping combustion. The reactor includes a rotary wheel having a plurality of channels extending therethrough, each channel having a wall with a porous oxygen carrier layer disposed on a bulk layer having high thermal inertia and conductivity. A stationary feeding chamber is located proximate to a bottom portion of the rotary wheel, the feeding chamber partitioned into a plurality of sectors for delivery of a selected pressurized feed gas into the channels of the rotary wheel as it rotates through the sectors. A stationary exit chamber is located proximate a top portion of the rotary wheel, the exit chamber partitioned into at least two sectors through which separate gas streams emerge. A motor is provided for rotating the rotary wheel. In a preferred embodiment, the sectors In the feeding chamber are fuel, air, fuel purging and air purging sectors.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . Reactor for chemical looping combustion comprising:
 a rotary wheel including a plurality of channels defined by channel walls extending therethrough, each channel wall including a porous oxygen carrier layer disposed on a bulk layer having high thermal inertia and conductivity;   a stationary feeding chamber proximate to a bottom portion of the rotary wheel, the feeding chamber partitioned into a plurality of sectors for delivery of a selected pressurized feed gas into the channels of the rotary wheel as it rotates through the sectors;   a stationary exit chamber proximate to a top portion of the rotary wheel, the exit chamber partitioned into at least two sectors through which separate gas streams emerge; and   means for rotating the rotary wheel at a selected angular velocity.   
     
     
         2 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein the sectors in the feeding chamber are fuel, air, fuel purging and air purging sectors. 
     
     
         3 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein the sectors in the exit chamber are for air and combustion products. 
     
     
         4 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein the oxygen carrier layer is a metal oxide. 
     
     
         5 . The reactor of  claim 4  wherein the metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of cobalt-, nickel-, copper-, iron- and manganese-oxide. 
     
     
         6 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein the selected feed gases flow in a co-current or counter-current pattern through the rotary wheel. 
     
     
         7 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein the bulk layer is a ceramic. 
     
     
         8 . The reactor of  claim 7  wherein the ceramic is selected from the group consisting of Al 2 O 3 , YSZ, TiO 2  and BN. 
     
     
         9 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein the channels are selected from the group consisting of grid-type, honeycomb, plate-types, corrugated shapes. 
     
     
         10 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein the feed gas includes a reducing gas. 
     
     
         11 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein the feed gas includes an oxidizing gas. 
     
     
         12 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein the sectors in the feeding chamber are separated by insulating Walls. 
     
     
         13 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein the channels are prepared by wet-impregnation, dry-impregnation, deposition-precipitation, and wash-coating. 
     
     
         14 . The reactor of  claim 1  wherein the porous oxide carrier layer is surface etched to enhance surface porosity and improve oxygen carrier loading.