Chemical Looping Combustion for Power Production

The post-combustion technologies generally consist of chemical absorption systems that are operated at almost atmospheric pressure and with amine-based solvent. One of the most promising technologies is chemical looping combustion (CLC): the conversion is performed by using a solid metal (called oxygen carrier), which is alternatively oxidized and reduced by sequential contact with an air and a fuel stream. In this chapter, the CLC combustion technology is discussed. The description mainly concerns the different Oxygen Carriers (OCs) that have been studied and the main properties of the solid materials. The chapter presents the reactor concepts and the main operating conditions that have been studied and tested. It presents a literature review of the different power plants that have been designed and fully integrated with a CLC unit for efficient CO₂ capture. The chapter discusses the CLC technology as possible solution for a carbon-free power production from fossil fuels.