Oxygen separation via chemical looping of the perovskite oxide Sr0.8Ca0.2FeO3 in packed bed reactors for the production of nitrogen from air
Abstract
A redox chemical looping process is investigated as an add-on deoxygenation unit for the production of high-purity nitrogen from air using pressure swing adsorption systems. A material screening study indicated the non-stoichiometric perovskite oxide Sr0.8Ca0.2FeO as a promising candidate redox material with fast kinetics and a 75% greater gravimetric oxygen capacity compared to state-of-the-art SrFeO3 at the desired process conditions. Granules of Sr0.8Ca0.2FeO3 were manufactured and characterised according to their thermodynamic and kinetic redox properties. A lab scale packed-bed reactor was experimentally tested as proof-of-concept and used to validate a convection–diffusion model of mass transfer within the reactor. The model was further applied for scaling up to a production of 1000 Nm3h−1 of high-purity nitrogen. The results indicate good performance of the packed-bed configuration and a favourable energy demand compared with existing nitrogen production technologies. The proposed technology could greatly extend the useable oxygen impurity range of pressure swing adsorption systems for nitrogen production. Show more
Permanent link
https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000573926Publication status
publishedExternal links
Journal / series
Chemical Engineering JournalVolume
Pages / Article No.
Publisher
ElsevierSubject
Oxygen separation; Redox cycles; chemical looping; Packed bed reactor; Nitrogen productionOrganisational unit
03530 - Steinfeld, Aldo / Steinfeld, Aldo
Funding
823802 - Solar Facilities for the European Research Area - Third Phase (EC)
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