Commissioning of a pilot scale fluidised bed combustor

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to perform a test and commissioning on a newly fabricated pilot scale fluidised bed combustor for the production of ash from rice husk. The combustor with the height of 6.0 mH and diameter of 0.5 mD has been designed and installed at the Faculty of Chemical and Natural Resources, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. The scope of this study includes installation of the centrifugal exhaust fan, modification of the combustor feeding system, observation on the combustion temperature stability, oil palm shell usage as an igniter for the bed combustor start-up and flue gas measurement from the firing of rice husk in the pilot scale fluidised bed combustor. Under this study, a fluidising velocity of 4, 5, 6 and 7 Umf were applied for the combustion temperature stability observation on the fluidised bed combustor. The oil palm shell obtained from the Kulai Palm Oil Mills of Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA) Johor, were used as an igniter to pre-heat the bed combustor in order to start-up the combustion process in a safe manner during the experimental works. In addition, an installation of the centrifugal exhaust fan and a modification on the feeding system was performed as a troubleshooting measured during the study. The flue gas from the combustion of rice husk was analysed using the MRU Gas Analyser which showed that the gas generated consists of O2, CO2, CO, NOx and SO2 at the concentration of 7.7%, 11.2%, 0.5%, 189 ppm and 80 ppm, respectively. The newly fabricated pilot scale fluidised bed combustor was successfully commissioned with the production of ash from the firing of rice husk in the unit.