IHCaL 300-kWth pilot plant

The Indirectly heated carbonate looping 300-kWth pilot plant for CO2 capture consists of three fluidized bed reactors: a carbonator, a calciner, and a combustion chamber (see Figure 1). The carbonator is designed as circulating fluidized bed (CFB) reactor, while the calciner operates as a bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) reactor. Several coupling devices in the solid stream interconnect these two reactors. A cone valve controls the global solid circulation between carbonator and calciner. The combustor is similarly designed as the calciner, being fuelled and thermally connected with the calciner via 72 heat pipes. Each heat pipe is made of a high-temperature steel casing, has a length of 2 m, and is filled with sodium. Heat pipes transfer the required heat for the calcination and the heating of the sorbent via evaporation and condensation of the working fluid, aided via capillary forces that arise from the structure of the internal lining. Besides the core components, several peripheral components, similar to those in a large-scale industry plant, are included in the test rig, such as cooling systems, filters, and solids feeding systems. The flue gas of each reactor is cooled down and mixed before leaving the system through a stack. All reactors can be fluidized with fluidization gas, preheated up to 550 °C.

Pilot testing of various processes such as carbonate looping (CaL), the indirectly heated carbonate looping process (IHCaL), and the CALICAPT process.

This pilot plant is the largest testing facility for the IHCaL process worldwide.