Effects of Steam Addition during Calcination on Carbonation Behavior in a Calcination/Carbonation Loop

The effects of steam addition during calcination on the carbonation behavior of calcium‐based sorbents in cyclic calcination/carbonation experiments were investigated. Variations in the CaO conversion rate during carbonation were measured to evaluate the influence of operating conditions and particle size on the carbonation reaction in kinetic‐ and diffusion‐controlled reaction regimes. Surface sintering and particle aggregation during cyclic calcination/carbonation affected the sorbent surface area, pore volume, and possibly the pore size, resulting in less sorbent recyclability and a trigger time retard in the fast kinetic‐controlled carbonation. Steam addition during calcination positively affected the recyclability of the sorbents and altered the carbonation behavior. The reaction behavior and recyclability of calcium‐based sorbents in various calcination environments for carbon capture were investigated. Steam addition during calcination positively influenced the recyclability of the sorbents and changed the carbonation behavior in kinetic‐ and diffusion‐controlled reaction regimes since larger pores and a rather stable pore structure were formed.