Screening of zinc-based sorbents for hot-gas desulfurization

Highly reactive and attrition-resistant ZnO-based sorbents that are suitable for bubbling fluidized-bed reactors can be produced using the spray-drying method. Most of the ZnO-based sorbents prepared here (ZAC-X, X = 18N-25N) satisfy the physical and chemical criteria for bubbling fluidized-bed application [spherical shape, average particle size, 90-110 μm; size distribution, 40-230 μm; bulk density, 0.9-1.0 g/mL; attrition index (AI), 40-80%; sulfur sorption capacity, 14-17 wt %; sorbent use, 70-80%]. The performance test of the ZAC-C sorbent at Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) with a bubbling fluidized-bed for 70 h also demonstrated that it had good sulfidation and regeneration performance (11 wt % sorption capacity and 52% sorbent use) as well as reasonable attrition resistance (1.1% attrition loss for 70 h).