Thermal analysis of fluidised bed combustion residues containing limestone scavenger

A method has been developed using thermoanalytical techniques for the analysis of residues from coal-burning fluidised bed plant where limestone is used as a sulphur scavenger. This completely eliminates the need for lengthy wet chemical analyses and allows the derivation of parameters necessary for efficient plant operation, such as limestone addition rate, calcium utilisation efficiency and calcium to sulphur mole ratio. The method also gives values for the unburned carbon content and the ratio of coal ash to limestone derivatives in the sample.