Experimental Study on Edible Mushroom Bran Pyrolysis

Abstract

Pyrolysis characteristics of edible mushroom bran with different heating rates were investigated applying a thermogravimetric analyzer (TG) coupled with a Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer. The pyrolysis experiments were performed up to 1073 K at heating rates of 10, 20, 30 K/min in a dynamic nitrogen flow of 20 ml/min. The results show that important differences on the pyrolytic behavior and product distributions are observed when heating rate is changed. At the lower heating rates, the starting temperature, final temperature of pyrolysis and the maximum rates of mass losses were relatively low. When the heating rate was increased, the starting temperature, final temperature of pyrolysis and the maximum rates of mass losses also increased. There have three stages: the first-stage was from the temperature of 20 to110°C with a weight loss of 12.33~14.36%; the second-stage was from 220°C to 400°C with a weight loss of 45.09~49.59%; the third stage was from 400 to 800°Cwith a weight loss of 15.11%~ 15.34%. The main pyrolysis vapour was CO2, phenol , and significant amounts of H2O, hydrocarbon, carbonyl compounds and acids.