Effect of Heat Loss on the Combustion of Rice Husk in a Fluidised Bed Combustor

The most significant controlling factors in a combustion process are temperature, turbulence and retention time being rendered more significant only at higher temperatures whereby the reaction is diffusion-controlled. The temperature in a combustor is largely governed by heat loss, which can be minimised through the application of insulation materials. Therefore, the combustion characteristics in non-insulated and insulated combustors are largely different due to the temperature difference along the combustors. This difference is reflected prominently in the combustion products, especially the ash/chars. Hence, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the use of insulation in a fluidised bed on the combustor temperatures and ash quality during the combustion of rice husk. Thereafter, the degree of heat loss in both combustors was compared relative to each other. The presence of insulation elevated the combustor temperatures and subsequently resulted in lower residual carbon content in the ash