A Simulation Study for Fluidized Bed Combustion of Petroleum Coke With CO₂ Capture

Petroleum coke is regarded as a difficult fuel because of its high sulphur content and low volatile content. However, its low price and increased production, means that there is a powerful economic stimulus to use it for power generation. In this work, a process simulation has been performed as part of a feasibility study on the utilization of petroleum coke for power generation with low-cost CO₂ capture. The proposed system employs a pressurized fluidized bed combustor and a calciner. In the combustor itself, the petroleum coke is burned and most of the CO₂ generated is captured by a CaO sorbent under pressurized condition to form CaCO₃. The CaCO₃ is transported into the calciner where limited proportion of the petroleum coke is burned with pure O₂, and calcines the spent sorbent back into CaO and CO₂. A nearly pure CO₂ stream is obtained from the calciner for subsequent disposal or utilization. The predicted overall efficiency of the combustion is near 40%. The proposed system would also be suitable for firing other high carbon and low ash fuel, such as anthracite.