Description of the mark ii atmospheric fluidized bed combustor at the Canadian Combustion Research Laboratory

The facilities for fluidized bed research at the Canadian Combustion Research Laboratory at CANMET's Bells Corners Complex near Ottawa have been improved recently by the development of a pilot-scale combustor suitable for testing a wide variety of solid fuels. The major features of the new facility are a 380 mm x 400 mm Atmospheric Fluidized Bed Combustor (AFBC) with variable in-bed cooling, capability of feeding a variety of fuel sizes both in-bed and over-bed, sulphur sorbent injection, and fines recycle. The combustor and its auxiliary equipment are described in detail and CCRL's current capabilities for AFBC research are outlined. The facility was brought to the point of operability in March 1981, although elements of the gas clean-up system are not yet in service. Preliminary testing using Klimax lignite from Saskatchewan demonstrated satisfactory performance of the combustor. The R & D program planned for the next few years will expand on previous research conducted on a smaller AFBC at CCRL, and is designed to provide information necessary for the design of full-scale fludized bed combustion.