A Pb/Zn Based Chemical Looping System for Hydrogen and Power Production With Carbon Capture

This paper describes an extension of a novel, carbon-burning, fluid phase chemical looping combustion system proposed previously. The system generates both power and H₂ with ‘inherent’ carbon capture using chemical looping combustion (CLC) to perform the main energy release from the fuel. A mixed Pb and Zn based oxygen carrier is used, and due to the thermodynamics of the carbothermic reduction of PbO and ZnO respectively, the system generates a flue gas which consists of a mixture of CO₂ and CO. By product H₂ is generated from this flue gas using the water-gas shift reaction (WGSR). By varying the proportion of Pb to Zn circulating in the chemical loop, the ratio of CO₂ to CO can be controlled, which in turn enables the ratio between the amount of H₂ produced to the amount of power generated to be adjusted. By this means, the power output from the system can be ‘turned down’ in periods of low electricity demand without requiring plant shutdown. To facilitate the adjustment of the Pb/Zn ratio, use is made of the two metal’s mutual insolubility, as this means they form in to two liquid layers at the base of the reduction reactor. The amount of Pb and Zn rich liquid drawn from the two layers and subsequently circulated around the system is controlled thereby varying the Pb/Zn ratio. To drive the endothermic reduction of ZnO formed in the oxidiser, hot Zn vapour is ‘blown’ into the reducer where it condenses, releasing latent heat. The Zn vapour to produce this ‘blast’ of hot gas is generated in a flash vessel fed with hot liquid metal extracted from the oxidiser. A mass and energy balance has been conducted for a power system, operating on the Pb/Zn cycle. In the analysis, reactions are assumed to reach equilibrium and losses associated with turbomachinery are considered; however, pressure losses in equipment and pipework are assumed to be negligible. The analysis reveals that a power system with a second law efficiency of between 62% and 68% can be constructed with a peak turbine inlet temperature of only ca. 1850 K. The efficiency varies as the ratio between power and H₂ production varies, with the lower efficiency occurring at the maximum power output condition.