The SE-CLR process is a combination of the aCLR and Sorption Enhanced Reforming (SER) processes that allows obtaining separate streams of hydrogen and CO2. The central process is a partial combustion with an oxygen carrier that also includes a CO2 sorbent. Therefore, in addition to the fuel and air reactors, the SE-CLR process requires a third calcination reactor for the regeneration of the sorbent. This process has the potential to achieve high H2 purity. In addition, other advantages of SE-CLR are the elimination of the subsequent H2 purification stages necessary in the aCLR process and the need for external energy input for the regeneration of the sorbent necessary in the SER process, which can be translated into a lower cost of the process as a whole. The objective of the present work is first to develop bifunctional oxygen carriers (metal oxide combined with CO2 sorbent) with adequate properties for the SE-CLR process. NiO has been chosen as the active redox phase and CaO as CO2 sorbent. Then, mass and enthalpy balances have been calculated analyzing the effect of the main operating variables on the process, such as temperature of calciner, material conversion (both NiO and CO2 sorbent), fraction of hot solids from the AR transferred to the FR and the oxygen to fuel ratio fed in the fuel reactor. Once determined, the developed oxygen carriers are evaluated through tests in the continuous facilities (1 kWth) to analyze their performance and durability throughout the redox cycles.
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