Fluidized bed combustion is a popular mode of utilization of poor fuels for the purpose of power generation. Studies on a single fuel particle undergoing fluidized bed combustion has been of utmost interest in the recent past. However, the harsh environment in a fluidized bed prevents the use of advanced laser diagnostic techniques from getting emission and combustion data from a fuel particle undergoing combustion due to the scattering caused by fluidized bed particles.
The present paper attempts to recreate the thermal and chemical conditions experienced by a coal particle in an oxyfuel fluidized bed in the clean environment of a flat flame burner. The main objective is to develop a setup which can enable the use of laser based diagnostic techniques in the study of coarse coal particle combustion at a temperature pertaining to fluidized beds. The setup utilizes lean combustion of H₂/O₂/N₂ and H₂/O₂/CO₂ mixtures to produce a flame of exhaust gas temperature 1123 K and to vary O₂ concentration in the exhaust in the range of 10 - 30 %
. To understand the single particle combustion of a coal particle at temperatures pertaining to fluidized bed combustion, the center and surface temperature of the particle is measured using thermocouples. Moreover, distinct phases of combustion of the particle are captured using a DSLR camera. Combustion characteristics such as particle temperature, burnout time of volatile phase, apparent reaction rate etc. is reported. The effect of O₂ concentration, particle size and environment (Oxyfuel and Non Oxyfuel) and particle ash content on the combustion of a high ash coal particle is studied.