Under high-pressure
conditions, coal chemical looping gasification
(CLG) is a potential technology for industrial applications based
on its ability to provide clean and efficient conversion of coal to
produce syngas. Within the range of 0.1–1.2 MPa, simulations
and experiments were carried out as a validation methodology to study
the gasification of coal chars with H2O in the presence
of Fe2O3/Al2O3 as the
oxygen carrier (OC) in a fixed-bed reactor. The characteristics of
pressurized CLG and the crystalline phase of the reduced OC were investigated
by combining the mass transfer model with intrinsic kinetic experiments.
The results showed that H2O replenishment and H2 removal on the particle surface of coal char by causing the Fe-based
OC to undergo reduction, within the mass transfer coefficient K
m
a
m of 0.0015–0.0035
m3 mol–1 min–1, minimized
the concentration gradient between the particle surface and the bulk
caused by external diffusion as well as the H2 inhibition
effect on the surface of coal char particles. The maximum gasification
rate of CLG was 2.14 times greater than the gasification rate without
OC, and the influence of the coal type on the gasification rate decreased
with increasing pressure. The reduced state of the Fe-based OC was
Fe3O4 at atmospheric pressure, but FeAl2O4 appeared when the total pressure was greater
than 0.3 MPa, while the average rate of oxygen release slowed significantly,
and the maximum oxygen release increased. The deep reduction process
of Fe2O3/Al2O3 to Fe–Al
spinel could significantly enhance the gasification rate of coal char.
In addition, an overall kinetic model was established that could describe
the variations in the gasification rate with the temperature, pressure,
carbon conversion, and lattice oxygen release, including the influence
of external diffusion. The simulations reveal the pressured reaction
mechanisms of the enhancement of char gasification during CLG with
the kinetic model.