A sorbent regenerator simulation model in copper oxide flue gas cleanup processes

Sorbent regeneration is an important step in copper oxide flue gas cleanup processes because poor regeneration performance could require higher sorbent circulation rate and inventory, resulting in increased process costs. This article describes a countercurrent moving‐bed regeneator model using natural gas as the reducing agent. The model incorporates several aspects important for predicting the regenerator performance, such as gas expansion effects, deviation from first‐order kinetics with respect to copper sulfate, and mass transfer limitations. The sorbent residence time predicted by this model is in good agreement with data obtained from the life‐cycle test system at the Federal Energy Technology Center. The tests conducted include effects of reactor temperature, the methane to copper sulfate feed ratio, and sorbent residence time, on sorbent regeneration. The regenerator modeling also details the impact of gas velocity on the reactor performance.