Experience gained in bench scale and pilot scale fluidised bed processing

Abstract

The CSIR has had a strong drive in fluidised bed technology for over two decades. During this period collaboration has been fostered with numerous partners and clients. By being able to draw on their resources, skills, test and other facilities, considerable progress has been made. The earliest developments were in coal combustion. This was formalised in the formation of the NFBC boiler in the early 1980’s for the investigation of utilising discard and duff coals. Work has been done on in-bed sulphur capture to reduce the sulphur dioxide off-gas content. Additionally, work has been conducted on a number of sulphur bearing ores. More recently attention has been placed on the oxidative and reductive roasting of ilmenite to affect the downstream recovery of titanium dioxide. Expertise in the design and commissioning of industrial-scale plants has led to the supply (through licensees) of a biomass sludge incinerator/boiler generating 26t/h steam, a 20 MW high-sulphur pitch incinerator and a 12 MW fluidised bed deodoriser. In the late 1990’s the Fluidised Bed Centre of Excellence was formed to combine the expertise and facilities of the CSIR and Kumba Resources, particularly in the field of combustion and minerals beneficiation