Kinetic parameter estimation for pyrolysis of empty fruit bunch using model-fitting and model-free methods

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate and compare kinetic parameters pertaining to empty fruit bunch (EFB) by using model-free and model-fitting methods. The decomposition rate of EFB was examined using data from thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Coats-Redfern, a model-fitting method, was used in this study, while the Friedman and Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO) are the model-free methods. Both methods predicted the activation energy, E, and pre-exponential factor, A as kinetic parameters at 10, 20, and 50 K min−1. Results showed that the Coats-Redfern’s regression coefficient (R2) was 0.9911, with E and A of 76.53 kJ mol−1 and 16269.44 min−1, respectively. For the Friedman method, the highest R2 was 0.9987, with a conversion factor of 0.6, E = 230.22 kJ mol−1, and A = 7.53 × 1019 min−1. Meanwhile, the R2 for the FWO was 0.9988 when the conversion factor was 0.7 (E = 473.37 kJ mol−1, A = 2.60 × 1019 min−1). To conclude, this study demonstrated that the Friedman and FWO methods are more relevant in representing the pyrolysis process.