Systems and methods for chemical looping pyrolysis of carbonaceous solid fuels

A reactor system, comprising:

• a moving bed reducer reactor comprising:
• a pyrolyzing region in an upper portion of the moving bed reducer reactor;
• a gasifying region in a lower portion of the moving bed reducer reactor, the gasifying region occupying between 40 volume percent (vol %) and 60 vol % of an inner volume of the moving bed reducer reactor and comprising:
• oxygen carrier particles or inert particles,
• a steam (H2O) stream input,
• a particle outlet configured to provide a particle output stream;
• and
• a barrier stream input adjacent to an interfacial region of the pyrolyzing region and the gasifying region, the barrier stream input in fluid communication with an inert gas source;
• a solid carbonaceous fuel stream inlet positioned in the pyrolyzing region and configured to receive a solid carbonaceous fuel from a solid carbonaceous fuel stream input source;
• a barrier stream inlet configured to receive the barrier stream input from a barrier stream input source;
• a steam (H2O) inlet configured to receive steam (H2O) from a steam (H2O) stream input source;
• a particle inlet positioned in the gasifying region and configured to receive oxygen carrier particles or inert particles from an oxygen carrier particle or inert particle input source;
• a pyrolyzing region outlet configured to provide a pyrolyzing region output stream comprising carbonaceous volatiles;
• and
• a fluidized bed combustor reactor comprising:
• oxygen carrier particles or inert particles;
• a combustor oxidation stream inlet in fluid communication with a combustor oxidation stream input source configured to receive a combustor oxidation stream input;
• and
• a combustor reactor outlet configured to provide a combustor reactor output stream.

A method for operating a reactor system comprising a reducer reactor and a combustor reactor, the method comprising:

• providing a fuel stream to a pyrolyzing region of the reducer reactor,
• the fuel stream comprising solid carbonaceous fuel,
• wherein the gasifying region is in a lower portion of the reducer reactor and the pyrolyzing region is in an upper portion of the reducer reactor;
• providing a barrier stream adjacent to an interface of the pyrolyzing region and the gasifying region of the reducer reactor, the barrier stream comprising an inert gas;
• providing inert particles to the gasifying region of the reducer reactor;
• providing a steam (H2O) stream to the gasifying region of the reducer reactor, such that the steam (H2O) stream contacts the carbonaceous material on the inert particles and the carbonaceous material is oxidized;
• collecting a pyrolyzing region output stream generated in the reducer reactor from a pyrolyzing region outlet, the pyrolyzing region output stream comprising carbonaceous volatiles;
• providing the pyrolyzing region output stream to a condenser;
• providing inert particles to the combustor reactor;
• providing an oxidation stream to the combustor reactor, such that the oxidation stream contacts carbonaceous material on the inert particles and the carbonaceous material is oxidized, and fluidizing the inert particles;
• collecting a combustor reactor output stream from a combustor reactor outlet;
• and
• providing the inert particles from the combustor reactor to the reducer reactor, wherein heat generated in a combustor reactor provides heat to the pyrolyzing region via the inert particles.