Conversion of carbonaceous fuels into carbon free energy carriers

A system for converting fuel comprising:

• a first reactor comprising a moving bed having a first stage and a second stage, a plurality of ceramic composite particles comprising said moving bed, said ceramic composite particles comprising at least one metal oxide disposed on a support;
• an inlet for providing fuel and a gas containing CO2 and O2 to said second stage;
• said first stage having a restricted flow outlet communicating with said second stage, and wherein the first reactor is configured to reduce the at least one metal oxide on said particles with said fuel to produce a reduced metal or a reduced metal oxide and to provide at least a portion of said reduced metal oxide particles to a second reactor and the remaining portion of said reduced metal oxide particles to a third reactor;
• said second reactor communicating with said first reactor and configured to oxidize at least a portion of the reduced metal or reduced metal oxide particles from said first reactor to produce a metal oxide intermediate and a hydrogen and/or a CO rich gas stream;
• a source of air;
• and said third reactor communicating with said source of air and configured to regenerate the at least one metal oxide from the portion of the particles discharged from the said first reactor and the portion of the particles discharged from said second reactor, by oxidizing the metal oxide intermediate and reduced metal and metal oxide particles.