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Published on: October 25, 2017
Fixed Bed Chemical Looping beyond Gas Switching: Application to Dynamic Industrial Waste Gas Conversion
Andrew J Furlong1,2,3, Nicole K Bond1, Jan B Haelssig4
1Natural Resources Canada, CanmetENERGY-Ottawa, 1 Haanel Drive, Ottawa, ON K1A 1M1, Canada.
Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research
|June 15, 2026
Summary
Fixed bed chemical looping effectively converts industrial waste gases like CO and H2 into a usable product for CO2 separation. This method avoids dilution and flaring, offering a novel waste treatment solution.
Area of Science:
- Chemical Engineering
- Environmental Science
- Materials Science
Background:
- Industrial waste gases from processes like electric arc furnaces (EAF) are often diluted or flared.
- Existing treatment methods lack efficiency for dynamic and variable waste streams.
- CO2 capture requires concentrated streams, posing a challenge for dilute industrial off-gases.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate fixed bed chemical looping for converting variable industrial waste gases.
- Assess copper- and iron-based oxygen carriers (OCs) for CO, H2, and hydrocarbon conversion.
- Develop a process configuration for CO2 separation system integration.
Main Methods:
- Bench-scale testing of fixed bed reactors with synthetic EAF off-gas.
- Evaluation of copper- and iron-based oxygen carrier materials.
- Analysis of operating limits (temperature, flow rate, OC conversion) and material deactivation.
Main Results:
- High oxygen carrier utilization achieved before breakthrough.
- Potential for improved performance at higher temperatures.
- Identified challenges: external mass transfer resistances, flow channeling, and coke deposition on iron-based OCs.
Conclusions:
- Fixed bed chemical looping is a viable method for treating dynamic industrial waste gases.
- Strategies for mitigating deactivation (temperature management, steam co-feeding) were proposed.
- A novel reactor configuration for load balancing and external heat removal was presented.
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