Calcium sulfate, conversion limestone

Formation of emissions from fluidised-bed combustion is considerably different from that associated with grate-fired systems. Flyash generation is a design parameter, and typically >90% of all soHds are removed from the system as flyash. SO2 and HCl are controlled by reactions with calcium in the bed, where the lime-stone fed to the bed first calcines to CaO and CO2, and then the lime reacts with sulfur dioxide and oxygen, or with hydrogen chloride, to form calcium sulfate and calcium chloride, respectively. SO2 and HCl capture rates of 70—90% are readily achieved with fluidi2ed beds. The limestone in the bed plus the very low combustion temperatures inhibit conversion of fuel N to NO. ... 

The sulfur sorbent that has received the most attention is limestone because of its widespread availability and low cost. Unfortunately the conversion of limestone to calcium sulfate results in a volumetric increase, and it can be readily shown (8 ) that for particles that do not permit volumetric expansion on reaction the maximum conversion attainable is about 59 percent (the value is dependent on the specific volumes of reactant and product). This constraint can be avoided by use of dolomite, since the MgO is not sulfated and the void volume produced by the decomposition of MgCO and CaCO is sufficient to permit complete calcium utilization, but at the expense of an added weight of sorbent and added energy requirement for calcination. The above conclusions follow from consideration of the stoichiometric relations ... 

Conversion of calcium oxide to calcium sulfate is limited by the plugging of the pores. A relation was reported between the conversion and porosity by Eq.2.26. That equation was written for a pure CaO particle. Eq.2.26 was modified for the presence of components other than CaO in the limestone. 

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