Isothermal Kinetic Analysis of the Thermal Decomposition of Wood Chips from an Apple Tree

Ivan Vitázek,Martin Šotnar,Stella Hrehová,Jan Mareček,Kristína Darnadyová

doi:10.3390/pr9020195

Abstract

The thermal decomposition of wood chips from an apple tree is studied in a static air atmosphere under isothermal conditions. Based on the thermogravimetric analysis, the values of the apparent activation energy and pre-exponential factor are 34 ± 3 kJ mol−1 and 391 ± 2 min−1, respectively. These results have also shown that this process can be described by the rate of the first-order chemical reaction. This reaction model is valid only for a temperature range of 250–290 °C, mainly due to the lignin decomposition. The obtained results are used for kinetic prediction, which is compared with the measurement. The results show that the reaction is slower at higher values of degree of conversion, which is caused by the influence of the experimental condition. Nevertheless, the obtained kinetic parameters could be used for the optimization of the combustion process of wood chips in small-scale biomass boilers.

Highlights

Nowadays, all kinds of human activity are directly or indirectly related to the use of different types of energy
This study focuses on the kinetic analysis of the thermal decomposition of woody biomass from an apple tree
A thermogravimetric analysis under a static air atmosphere was used to study the thermal decomposition of wood chips from an apple tree

Summary

Introduction

All kinds of human activity are directly or indirectly related to the use of different types of energy. Global environmental issues and the extraction of fossil fuels pose serious problems for energy consumption. Friendly energy technologies and the transition to non-fossil resources of energy, such as renewable energy sources, are expected, and seem to be very promising. Apple trees are important crops, accounting for the production of more than 80 million tons worldwide [1,2]. They are commonly grown in various regions where the climate is favourable for fruit quality [2]. The infected trees can be used as a renewable energy source, for example in small-scale biomass boilers. There are still some problems in current biomass combustion furnaces, but where a kinetic analysis is a suitable tool to solve them [7,8]

Methods

Results

Conclusion