IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/appene/v227y2018icp506-515.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Lithium as energy carrier: CFD simulations of LI combustion in a 100MW slag tap furnace

Author

Listed:
  • Maas, Pascal
  • Schiemann, Martin
  • Scherer, Viktor
  • Fischer, Peter
  • Taroata, Dan
  • Schmid, Günther

Abstract

Metal combustion is currently under discussion as a possible basis for a closed energy loop. One potential metal with several benefits for such a process is lithium. While the reaction products in conventional combustion processes are gaseous, the reaction products of lithium combustion are solid (Li2CO3, Li2O) and, hence, easy to capture and to recycle. The current paper describes the lay-out and optimization of a 100 MWth lithium slag tap furnace by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) using CO2 as oxidizer for the lithium. ANSYS Fluent has been extended by two lithium combustion models developed by the authors. The first reference model is one-step model directly converting Li to Li2CO3, neglecting the intermediate species Li2O. The second extended model is a two-step model considering Li2O as intermediate species. Simulations were carried out using a fixed geometry of the slag tab, varying the injection angle of gas and lithium spray and the CO2-Li ratio with respect to the lithium conversion level and lithium product capture efficiency. The simulations show that a high capture efficiency of lithium combustion products is possible when a large injection angle is used. The conversion level is highly dependent on injection angle, CO2-Li ratio and the Li combustion model used. While the conversion level of the reference model is inherently limited and lies between 84 and 87.6%, the extended model predicts significantly higher conversion levels in the order of 96.7–99.2% which would be needed for industrial application.

Suggested Citation

  • Maas, Pascal & Schiemann, Martin & Scherer, Viktor & Fischer, Peter & Taroata, Dan & Schmid, Günther, 2018. "Lithium as energy carrier: CFD simulations of LI combustion in a 100MW slag tap furnace," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 227(C), pages 506-515.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:227:y:2018:i:c:p:506-515
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.09.041
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261917313235
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.09.041?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rehman, Shafiqur & Al-Hadhrami, Luai M. & Alam, Md. Mahbub, 2015. "Pumped hydro energy storage system: A technological review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 586-598.
    2. Morgan, Robert & Nelmes, Stuart & Gibson, Emma & Brett, Gareth, 2015. "Liquid air energy storage – Analysis and first results from a pilot scale demonstration plant," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 845-853.
    3. Shkolnikov, E.I. & Zhuk, A.Z. & Vlaskin, M.S., 2011. "Aluminum as energy carrier: Feasibility analysis and current technologies overview," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(9), pages 4611-4623.
    4. Yongqi Sun & Zuotai Zhang & Lili Liu & Xidong Wang, 2015. "Heat Recovery from High Temperature Slags: A Review of Chemical Methods," Energies, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-19, March.
    5. Zhang, Hui & Wang, Hong & Zhu, Xun & Qiu, Yong-Jun & Li, Kai & Chen, Rong & Liao, Qiang, 2013. "A review of waste heat recovery technologies towards molten slag in steel industry," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 956-966.
    6. Schiemann, Martin & Bergthorson, Jeffrey & Fischer, Peter & Scherer, Viktor & Taroata, Dan & Schmid, Günther, 2016. "A review on lithium combustion," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 948-965.
    7. Bergthorson, Jeffrey M. & Yavor, Yinon & Palecka, Jan & Georges, William & Soo, Michael & Vickery, James & Goroshin, Samuel & Frost, David L. & Higgins, Andrew J., 2017. "Metal-water combustion for clean propulsion and power generation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 186(P1), pages 13-27.
    8. Auner, Norbert & Holl, Sven, 2006. "Silicon as energy carrier—Facts and perspectives," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 31(10), pages 1395-1402.
    9. Bergthorson, J.M. & Goroshin, S. & Soo, M.J. & Julien, P. & Palecka, J. & Frost, D.L. & Jarvis, D.J., 2015. "Direct combustion of recyclable metal fuels for zero-carbon heat and power," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 368-382.
    10. Wang, H.Z. & Leung, D.Y.C. & Leung, M.K.H. & Ni, M., 2009. "A review on hydrogen production using aluminum and aluminum alloys," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 13(4), pages 845-853, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Bergthorson, Jeffrey M. & Yavor, Yinon & Palecka, Jan & Georges, William & Soo, Michael & Vickery, James & Goroshin, Samuel & Frost, David L. & Higgins, Andrew J., 2017. "Metal-water combustion for clean propulsion and power generation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 186(P1), pages 13-27.
    2. Trowell, K.A. & Goroshin, S. & Frost, D.L. & Bergthorson, J.M., 2020. "Aluminum and its role as a recyclable, sustainable carrier of renewable energy," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 275(C).
    3. Debiagi, P. & Rocha, R.C. & Scholtissek, A. & Janicka, J. & Hasse, C., 2022. "Iron as a sustainable chemical carrier of renewable energy: Analysis of opportunities and challenges for retrofitting coal-fired power plants," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    4. Janicka, J. & Debiagi, P. & Scholtissek, A. & Dreizler, A. & Epple, B. & Pawellek, R. & Maltsev, A. & Hasse, C., 2023. "The potential of retrofitting existing coal power plants: A case study for operation with green iron," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 339(C).
    5. Bergthorson, J.M. & Goroshin, S. & Soo, M.J. & Julien, P. & Palecka, J. & Frost, D.L. & Jarvis, D.J., 2015. "Direct combustion of recyclable metal fuels for zero-carbon heat and power," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 368-382.
    6. Schiemann, Martin & Bergthorson, Jeffrey & Fischer, Peter & Scherer, Viktor & Taroata, Dan & Schmid, Günther, 2016. "A review on lithium combustion," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 948-965.
    7. Huang, Jintao & Lyu, Sha & Han, He & Wang, Yanjiang & Sun, Haoyang & Su, Jingtao & Liu, Yidong & Min, Yonggang & Sun, Dazhi, 2022. "Enhanced looping biomass/vapour gasification utilizing waste heat from molten copper slags," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 252(C).
    8. Wu, Junjun & Tan, Yu & Li, Peng & Wang, Hong & Zhu, Xun & Liao, Qiang, 2022. "Centrifugal-Granulation-Assisted thermal energy recovery towards low-carbon blast furnace slag treatment: State of the art and future challenges," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 325(C).
    9. Wang, Hongqi & Wang, Zhi & Shi, Zhihao & Gong, Xuzhong & Cao, Jianwei & Wang, Mingyong, 2017. "Facile hydrogen production from Al-water reaction promoted by choline hydroxide," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 98-105.
    10. Jamey Davies & Stephanus P. Du Preez & Dmitri G. Bessarabov, 2022. "The Hydrolysis of Ball-Milled Aluminum–Bismuth–Nickel Composites for On-Demand Hydrogen Generation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-22, March.
    11. Yang, Weijuan & Zhang, Tianyou & Liu, Jianzhong & Wang, Zhihua & Zhou, Junhu & Cen, Kefa, 2015. "Experimental researches on hydrogen generation by aluminum with adding lithium at high temperature," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 93(P1), pages 451-457.
    12. Gai, Wei-Zhuo & Deng, Zhen-Yan, 2024. "Enhanced hydrogen production from Al-water reaction: Strategies, performances, mechanisms and applications," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    13. Haller, Michel Y. & Amstad, Dominik & Dudita, Mihaela & Englert, Alexander & Häberle, Andreas, 2021. "Combined heat and power production based on renewable aluminium-water reaction," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 174(C), pages 879-893.
    14. Yang, Weijuan & Zhang, Tianyou & Zhou, Junhu & Shi, Wei & Liu, Jianzhong & Cen, Kefa, 2015. "Experimental study on the effect of low melting point metal additives on hydrogen production in the aluminum–water reaction," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 537-543.
    15. Bozorg, Mehdi Vahabzadeh & Doranehgard, Mohammad Hossein & Hong, Kun & Xiong, Qingang & Li, Larry K.B., 2020. "A numerical study on discrete combustion of polydisperse magnesium aero-suspensions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 194(C).
    16. Sun, Yongqi & Seetharaman, Seshadri & Liu, Qianyi & Zhang, Zuotai & Liu, Lili & Wang, Xidong, 2016. "Integrated biomass gasification using the waste heat from hot slags: Control of syngas and polluting gas releases," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 165-176.
    17. Fan, Xiaoyu & Guo, Luna & Ji, Wei & Chen, Liubiao & Wang, Junjie, 2023. "Liquid air energy storage system based on fluidized bed heat transfer," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 215(C).
    18. Duan, Wenjun & Yu, Qingbo & Xie, Huaqing & Qin, Qin, 2017. "Pyrolysis of coal by solid heat carrier-experimental study and kinetic modeling," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 317-326.
    19. Cárdenas, Bruno & Swinfen-Styles, Lawrie & Rouse, James & Hoskin, Adam & Xu, Weiqing & Garvey, S.D., 2021. "Energy storage capacity vs. renewable penetration: A study for the UK," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 849-867.
    20. O'Callaghan, O. & Donnellan, P., 2021. "Liquid air energy storage systems: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:227:y:2018:i:c:p:506-515. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/405891/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.