Chlorine behavior in fluidized bed incineration of refuse-derived fuels

Chlorine distribution and NOX formation during RDF combustion were studied experimentally by using laboratory scale fluidized beds. Contary to the thermodynamics information that chlorine (hydrogen chloride) cannot be captured much by CaO at temperatures above 973 K, the experimental results showed that almost 40% of the chlorine fed to the bed was captured by bottom ash irrespective of bed temperatures. With respect to the effect of chlorine on NOX emission, it was found that chlorine activates CaO as catalyst of NH3 oxidation to NOX, possibly making the two-stage combustion scheme less effective to reduce NOX.