System for drying a high-moisture solid fuel

Abstract

A process for combusting a high-moisture fuel to generate steam, the process comprising heating a high-moisture solid fuel while contacting the high-moisture solid fuel with an oxygen-depleted gas stream to produce a dried solid fuel and a moist oxygen-depleted gas stream; combusting the dried solid fuel with a combustion air stream to produce a combustion products stream; transferring heat to generate steam by indirect heat exchange with the combustion products stream; dividing the combustion products stream into a first portion and a second portion; transferring heat to the recirculating thermal fluid by indirect heat exchange with the first portion of the combustion products stream; and transferring heat to preheat the combustion air stream by indirect heat exchange with the second portion of the combustion products stream; and recombining the first portion of combustion products stream and the second portion of the combustion products stream.