Fluidization Dynamics of a New Two-Staged Fuel Reactor for Chemical Looping Gasification

A new staged fuel reactor (FR), which integrates a bubbling bed and a spouted fluidized bed, is proposed in the present work with regard to lowering the pressure drop of the staged FR during chemical looping applications. In order to gain insights into the gas–solid fluid dynamics of the new design, a cold experimental setup was established. The fluidization dynamics of the staged FR was investigated based on the pressure pulsation signal analysis using time domain analysis, power spectral density analysis, wavelet analysis, and the Hurst exponent analysis by the R/S method. There are four flow types of funnel-like flow, spout-fluidization, spouting motion, and unsteady spouting motion to be classified, and the transition boundaries of the corresponding flow types were determined. The design provides a way to lower the overall pressure drop of FR and then reduces the fan energy consumption to hold the oxygen carrier particle circulation.