Slag Formation during Entrained Flow Gasification: Calcium-Rich Bark Fuel with KHCO₃ Additive

Slag property management is of utmost importance for successful operation of entrained flow gasifiers. The present study investigates the influence of potassium introduced as KHCO3 on the ash and slag formation of softwood bark, a calcium-rich fuel, during entrained flow gasification. The bark contained only minor mineral inclusions causing the ash composition to be dominated by calcium and potassium. Wood bark with and without KHCO3 additive was gasified between 850 and 1400 degrees C at O-2 stoichiometric ratio (lambda) 0.6. The ash particles collided with a flat impact probe inside the hot reactor at particle impact angles set to 90 degrees, 60 degrees, and 30 degrees. The reactor and probe allowed long-distance microscope data collection close to the probe surface. Particle deposition was optically monitored and resulting deposits were analyzed by SEM-EDS and XRD. Thermodynamic equilibrium and viscosity calculations were used to assist interpretation of experimental results. The predicted temperature window for liquid carbonate formation was experimentally verified, but the melt fraction of the deposit was too low to cause efficient flow and removal of ash from the probe under the prevailing experimental conditions. At higher temperatures, spherical particles indicated lower ash melting temperatures than expected from the bulk ash composition, and a detailed mechanism was proposed.