High Temperature Fluidization

LOCATION: Canada

Metal Chloride Pyro-hydrolysis

Client Objective

AGEIAS’ client had developed a fluidized pyro-hydrolysis concept for processing a metal chloride brine to produce a metal oxide product. To support technoeconomic assumptions, experimental testing was required to determine reaction kinetics to validate the reactor sizing basis for scale up.

AGEIAS has extensive fluidization expertise and experience for high temperature applications. With limited budget and schedule, the client approached AGIEAS to design, assemble, and test a pilot plant test stand to generate the required data.

The AGEIAS Approach

Experimentally, there were several technical challenges to overcome:

The process required high temperature steam
Previous brine feeding trials were unsuccessful, preventing any reaction testing
Reaction temperatures of up to 650C were required
A byproduct of the reaction is an acid stream, gaseous at the high reaction temperatures creating costly materials of construction challenges

Brine feeding was challenging as the liquid feed froze at cooler temperatures and dehydrated at higher temperatures resulting in plugging of feed lines and feed spray nozzles. Liquid feeding into a fluidized bed can also prove difficult as poor introduction can result in defluidization and bogging of the bed. Based on literature review, AGEIAS designed and executed a lab-based experimental plan to characterize the brine phase behavior and spray regimes to optimize feed conditions.

Based on newly optimized feeding conditions, AGEIAS designed and built a test stand for the process. AGEIAS understood that the objective of the test stand was for short term operations to generate data and designed creative approaches for unit operations to minimize reliance on exotic materials of construction to save significant capital expense. Custom in-house built examples included:

A brine dehydration and feeding system
A super-heated steam generator with feed control
A modified reactor vessel utilizing used components
A back-end cooler, condenser, and scrubber train

To mitigate the process hazards, AGEIAS built the test stand in one of their ventilated enclosures. AGEIAS specified process instrumentation and configured a fully operational PLC system to facilitate controls and operations.

Customer Value

AGEIAS’ diversified services provided their client a complete solution to solve their problem:

A lab-based study on optimized feeding conditions to facilitate testing,
Engineering design and assembly for a complete test stand balance of plant,
Piloting space to facilitate operation

During experimental campaigns AGEIAS’ specialized fluidized-bed expertise allowed them to troubleshoot test stand operations, make improving modifications, and generate the data their client needed. By fully understanding their objective, AGEIAS’ creative design approaches saved their client significant time and expense.

Capabilities Demonstrated

Design, assembly, and operations of process pilots and test stands
High temperature fluidization
Novel testing equipment design
Flexible experimental system design
Process research under challenging, hazardous operating conditions
Process instrumentation and controls design
PLC and HMI configuration

How We Help You:

It often takes several tools to solve a problem. We strive to understand your challenge and objectives to tailor the right solution for your challenge and its constraints. Whatever combination of lab, engineering, or high temperature piloting solution – our team is ready to meet that challenge.