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MODELING CHAR OXIDATION AS A FUNCTION OF PRESSURE ...

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asis behind the selection between the mole fraction and concentration needs to be<br />

explored.<br />

The data of Croiset et al. were reported in an Arrhenius plot [ln(k) vs. (1/T)]<br />

assuming the char/oxygen reaction is first order. The oxygen partial pressures associated<br />

with these values of k are required in order to: (1) convert these values of k into reaction<br />

rates, and (2) to evaluate other reaction rate forms, such as Langmuir-Hinshelwood rate<br />

forms. Unfortunately, these oxygen partial pressures were not reported. Therefore, this<br />

set of data was not considered in this project.<br />

Data of MacNeil and Basu<br />

MacNeil and Basu (1998) recently studied the combustion of char under<br />

simulated, pressurized, circulating fluidized bed (PCFB) conditions at furnace<br />

temperatures between 973 and 1123 K. A quartz wool matrix was used to disperse the<br />

char. The experiment was claimed to resemble the fluidized circulating bed conditions in<br />

that the voidage was very high. Kinetic rates of char combustion were measured at 1, 3,<br />

5, 7 atm, at oxygen concentrations of 5, 10 and 21%. The surface reaction rates increased<br />

with pressure up to 5 atm and further increase of pressure led to decrease of reaction<br />

rates. This trend was thought to be consistent with Monson’s observation (MacNeil and<br />

Basu, 1998). However, re-examination of Monson’s data in this study showed that<br />

Monson’s data at 1, 5, and 10 atm could be unified using a single rate expression, and the<br />

data at 15 atm were affected by ignition problems. The observation that the burning rate<br />

increased up to 5 atm and decreased beyond this point in Monson’s experiments was an<br />

artifact and was actually due to the lower wall temperatures and gas temperatures at high<br />

pressures.<br />

The unexpected effects of total pressure observed by MacNeil and Basu are<br />

difficult to explain and could also be an artifact. Therefore, this set of data was also<br />

excluded in this study.<br />

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