The influence of temperature on limestone sulfation and attrition under fluidized bed combustion conditions

The influence of temperature on attrition of two limestones during desulfurization in a fluidized bed reactor was investigated. Differences in the microstructure of the two limestones were reflected by a different thickness of the sulfate shell formed upon sulfation and by a different value of the ultimate calcium conversion degree. Particle attrition and fragmentation were fairly small under moderately bubbling fluidization conditions for both limestones. An increase of temperature from 850 °C to 900 °C led to an increase of the attrition rate, most likely because of a particle weakening effect caused by a faster CO₂ evolution during calcination. This weakening effect, however, was not sufficiently strong to enhance particle fragmentation in the bed. The progress of sulfation, associated to the build-up of a hard sulfate shell around the particles, led in any case to a decrease of the extent of attrition. Sulfation at 900 °C was less effective than at 850 °C, and this was shown to be related to the porosimetric features of the different samples.