Quantitative Tomographic Laser Absorption Imaging of Atomic Potassium during Combustion of Potassium Chloride Salt and Biomass.

Gaseous potassium (K) species play an important role in biomass combustion processes, and imaging techniques are powerful tools to investigate the related gas-phase chemistry. Here, laser absorption imaging of gaseous atomic K in flames is implemented using tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy at 769.9 nm and a high-speed complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) camera recording at 30 kfps. Atomic K absorption spectra are acquired for each camera pixel in a field of view of 28 × 28 mm at a rate of 100 Hz. The technique is used to determine the spatial distribution of atomic K concentration during the conversion of potassium chloride (KCl) salt and wheat straw particles in a laminar premixed CH4/air flame with an image pixel resolution of up to 120 µm. Due to axisymmetry in setup geometry and, consequently, atomic K distributions, the radial atomic K concentration fields could be reconstructed by one-dimensional tomography. For the KCl sample, the K concentration field was in excellent agreement with previous point measurements. In the case of wheat straw, atomic K concentrations of around 3 ppm were observed in a cylindrical flame during devolatilization. In the char conversion phase, a spherical layer of atomic K, with concentrations reaching 25 ppm, was found within 5 mm of the particle surface, while the concentration rapidly decreased to sub-ppm levels along the vertical axis. In both cases, a thin (∼1 mm) layer without any atomic K was observed in close vicinity to the particle, suggesting that the potassium was initially not released in its atomic form.

TDLAS-based photofragmentation spectroscopy for detection of K and KOH in flames under optically thick conditions.

Photofragmentation spectroscopy is combined with tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy to measure the line shape of the fragment species. This provides flexibility in choosing the UV pulse location within the line shape and accurate quantification of both target species and background fragment concentrations, even under optically thick conditions. The technique is demonstrated by detection of potassium hydroxide (KOH) and atomic potassium K(g) above solid KOH converted in a premixed methane-air flat flame. Time series of KOH(g) and K(g) concentrations are recorded as a function of solid KOH mass and flame stoichiometry. The total substance released during the conversion is in good agreement with the initial solid KOH mass. Under fuel-rich conditions, increased K(g) concentrations at the expense of KOH(g) are observed compared to thermodynamic equilibrium.

Numerical Study and Experimental Verification of Biomass Conversion and Potassium Release in a 140 kW Entrained Flow Gasifier.

In this study, a Eulerian-Lagrangian model is used to study biomass gasification and release of potassium species in a 140 kW atmospheric entrained flow gasifier (EFG). Experimental measurements of water concentration and temperature inside the reactor, together with the gas composition at the gasifier outlet, are used to validate the model. For the first time, a detailed K-release model is used to predict the concentrations of gas-phase K species inside the gasifier, and the results are compared with experimental measurements from an optical port in the EFG. The prediction errors for atomic potassium (K), potassium chloride (KCl), potassium hydroxide (KOH), and total potassium are 1.4%, 9.8%, 5.5%, and 5.7%, respectively, which are within the uncertainty limits of the measurements. The numerical model is used to identify and study the main phenomena that occur in different zones of the gasifier. Five zones are identified in which drying, pyrolysis, combustion, recirculation, and gasification are active. The model was then used to study the transformation and release of different K species from biomass particles. It was found that, for the forest residue fuel that was used in the present study, the organic part of K is released at the shortest residence time, followed by the release of inorganic K at higher residence times. The release of inorganic salts starts by evaporation of KCl and continues by dissociation of K2CO3 and K2SO4, which forms gas-phase KOH. The major fraction of K is released around the combustion zone (around 0.7-1.3 m downstream of the inlet) due to the high H2O concentration and temperature. These conditions lead to rapid dissociation of K2CO3 and K2SO4, which increases the total K concentration from 336 to 510 ppm in the combustion zone. The dissociation of the inorganic salts and KOH formation continues in the gasification zone at a lower rate; hence, the total K concentration slowly increases from 510 ppm at 1.3 m to 561 ppm at the outlet.