A novel three-step calcium looping process for post- and precombustion carbon dioxide capture incorporates a sorbent reactivation step, namely, steam hydration, which maintains the multicyclic sorbent reactivity, reduces the solids circulation in the process, and improves the overall efficiency.

The influence of ash in chemical-looping combustion has been studied in a lab-scale fluidized bed reactor. The gas conversion was clearly affected by the addition of ash, and very similar results were seen both for methane conversion and for CO conversion in solid fuel tests. Additionally, no negative effect of ash addition on the fluidizability of the bed material could be seen.

The feasibility of CO₂ capture in situ desulfurization using traditional desulfurizers was examined in Ca-based chemical looping combustion (CLC) of coal. The performances of CaSO₄ and desulfurizers were assessed under pressurized conditions in CLC of coal and the potential of anhydrite as a promising low-cost oxygen carrier was evaluated.

Carbon capture via indirectly heated carbonate looping can decrease the efficiency penalty of the post-combustion capture technology. Thermodynamic mass and energy balances of the process are presented. A concept is proposed based on a fluidized-bed heat exchanger system transferring heat from a combustor to the calciner by means of sodium-filled heat pipes. Cold flow model investiga-tions proved the concept of a 300-kW_th pilot plant.

The reaction of petroleum coke with CuFe₂O₄ as oxygen carrier was systematically investigated. The evolution of minerals and sulfur species contained in the petroleum coke and their interactions with the reduced CuFe₂O₄ were explored in detail.

The sorption-enhanced steam methane reforming (SE-SMR) reaction was studied on a Ni-hydrotalcite-derived catalyst synthesized via a precipitation technique. Ca-based materials synthesized by a sol-gel technique served as CO₂ sorbents. Under SE-SMR conditions, hydrogen of 99 vol % purity was obtained, i.e., thermodynamic equilibrium was reached.

The reactive multiphase model is incorporated into the computational fluid dynamics code to simulate the reactive fluid dynamics in a chemical looping combustion (CLC) reactor with a two-fluid model. This model can recognize the complex gas-solid flow behaviors and chemical reactions in the process of a CLC system.

For implementing CaO carbonation and calcination reactions to separate CO2 from the flue gas it is imperative that the calcium sorbent maintains high reactivity over multiple cycles. Multicycle carbonation-calcination tests for three limestone types were carried out under simulated flue gas conditions to investigate the influence of the presence of steam and SO₂ on CO₂ sorption capacity.

One possibility to minimize CO₂ emissions from coal-fired power plants is the use of carbon capture and storage technology. Carbon capture tests using the carbonate looping technology have been performed in a 1-MW_th carbonate looping pilot plant. The results from these tests are highly encouraging since very high CO₂ capture efficiencies were achieved. The performance of the tests as well as the analysis of the results are presented.

Calcium looping is a promising concept for post-combustion CO₂ capture applications. A long-term test proved the stability and ease of operation of a 3-kW_th facility. Detailed design parameters of the 1.9-MW_th facility currently under construction in Taiwan are presented. The ambition of this pilot plant is to achieve a CO₂ capture rate of 1 t h^–1.

The indirectly heated carbonate looping process is a promising way to reduce CO₂ emissions of fossil-fired power plants. Gas release and its possibility to transform a fixed to a fluidized bed during the calcination process are discussed on the basis of experimental investigations in an electrically heated fluidized-bed calciner.

From an industrial point of view, continuous research activity is important to generate thermodynamic equilibrium data for gas/liquid or gas/liquid/liquid systems and to predict their physical, thermal, and kinetic properties. Standardization of experimental test facilities for distillation, absorption, desorption, and liquid-liquid extraction is essential.

Graphene oxide is reduced by spray pyrolysis and a three-layer graphene is synthesized. Spray pyrolysis reduction proved to be a simple, reproducible, and appropriate synthesis method with great potential to be applied for large-scale production at low cost. Temperature as the most important parameter in this process is investigated and controlled.

The transesterification of soybean oil with methanol to produce biodiesel was studied using water-stable Brønsted ionic liquids as catalysts. [(CH₃CH₂)₃N(CH₂)₃SO₃H]HSO₄ showed the best catalytic activity and stability. Under optimized conditions, the yield of biodiesel reached 94.8 %.

Impacts of wall confinement on heat transfer phenomena of confined spherical particles in Newtonian and power-law fluids are investigated by means of a numerical approach for wide ranges of relevant dimensionless parameters. An empirical correlation for the average Nusselt numbers of confined spheres in such fluids is proposed based on numerical results.

A novel high-precision on-line method for predicting the melt index of propylene polymerization based on fuzzy functions and weighted least squares support vector machines is proposed to overcome the high correlation characteristics and high nonlinear characteristics in the propylene polymerization process. The validity of these methods is demonstrated through practical data in a real factory.

Heterogeneous catalyzed hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) was combined with impinging streams and a pilot-scale multiple impinging jets cavitation reactor was constructed. Zero-valent iron powder served as a cost-efficient catalyst to improve significantly the performance of low-pressure HC. The mechanism of enhancing effects of the catalyst is discussed.

The regeneration of deactivated Pt-Sn/γ-Al₂O₃ catalyst utilized for the dehydrogenation of isobutane to isobutene in a commercial-scale plant is presented. The activity of the commercial Pt/γ-Al₂O₃ catalyst is recovered after the regeneration process and the selectivity of the regenerated catalyst for the production of isobutene is similar to that of the fresh one.

Bio-char served as feedstock to perform hydrogen production by means of steam gasification in a fluidized-bed reactor. The influence of gasification temperature and steam-to-char ratio was evaluated. The optimal contact of bio-char with steam in this reactor leads to enhanced carbon conversion, hydrogen production, and large-scale production.

Although bubble columns are applied in many chemical production facilities, only a limited number of experimental studies regarding bubble column hydrodynamics under industrial conditions do exist. An overview of available publications regarding gas holdups and dispersion in bubble columns operated under high pressure is presented and discussed in detail.