Modelling and verifying multi-path product generation pyrolysis of waste cabbage leave

Abstract

This research employs a conventional pyrolysis mechanism model to determine the characteristics and kinetics of waste cabbage leave pyrolysis. Further analysis is conducted using the Multi-path Product Generation model to support the findings. The samples were pyrolyzed from ambient temperature to 1073.15 K at heating rates of 20, 30, 40, and 50 K/min. Average activation energies obtained for waste cabbage leave through the Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose, Flynn-Wall-Ozawa, and Starink methods ranged from 102.44 to 319.71 kJ/mol, 105.43–296.83 kJ/mol, and 115.36–366.19 kJ/mol, respectively. The average values across these methods were 183.97, 181.08, and 207.42 kJ/mol, displaying noticeable variation in activation energies depending on the method employed. Additionally, the model demonstrated: (i) pyrolysis attributes in multi-path reactions, (ii) product-generating regime development, and (iii) valuable insights of pyrolysis product yield and composition. The model comprises three primary devolatilization reactions (iChar, iGas, iTar), two tar cracking reactions (tar to char, tar to gas), and one secondary char reaction. The model parameters accurately align with the thermogravimetric curves at varying heating rates, which demonstrate the progression of multiple product pathways. Thus, this model can be effectively utilized for the simulation of multi-path pyrolysis processes.