Agglomeration phenomena during the fluidized bed combustion of olive husk

The fluidized bed combustion of a biomass residue (olive husk) common in the Mediterranean area has been investigated in a bench scale reactor. The focus of the study was the high propensity of this fuel to give rise to bed agglomeration problems during combustion, as a consequence of the high potassium content of the ash. Bed agglomeration times and temperature/pressure gradients were measured at different operating conditions. In addition, a new diagnostic tool based on the measurement of the dynamic pressure signal inside the bed was tested for its capability to predict the bed agglomeration onset.