Abstract
In this study, 12 organic waste materials were subjected to TG/DTG thermogravimetric analysis and DSC calorimetric analysis. These analyses provided basic information about thermochemical transformations and degradation rates during organic waste pyrolysis. Organic waste materials were divided into six basic groups as follows: paper, cardboard, textiles, plastics, hygiene waste, and biodegradable waste. For each group, two waste materials were selected to be studied. Research materials were (i) paper (receipts, cotton wool); (ii) cardboard (cardboard, egg carton); (iii) textiles (cotton, leather); (iv) plastics (polyethylene (PET), polyurethane (PU)); (v) hygiene waste (diapers, leno); and (vi) biodegradable waste (chicken meat, potato peel). Waste materials were chosen to represent the most abundant waste that can be found in the municipal solid waste stream. Based on TG results, kinetic parameters according to the Coats–Redfern method were determined. The pyrolysis activation energy was the highest for cotton, 134.5 kJ × (mol∙K)−1, and the lowest for leather, 25.2 kJ × (mol∙K)−1. The DSC analysis showed that a number of transformations occurred during pyrolysis for each material. For each transformation, the normalized energy required for transformation, or released during transformation, was determined, and then summarized to present the energy balance. The study found that the energy balance was negative for only three waste materials—PET (−220.1 J × g−1), leather (−66.8 J × g−1), and chicken meat (−130.3 J × g−1)—whereas the highest positive balance value was found for potato peelings (367.8 J × g−1). The obtained results may be applied for the modelling of energy and mass balance of municipal solid waste pyrolysis.
Highlights
The selection of substrates for the process of low-temperature pyrolysis relates to thermal characteristics of waste, combustion heat, or basic technical analysis determining the content of ash, volatile matter, and fixed carbon [3]
The data indicate that the moisture content (MC) for almost all materials is less than 10%, which is important for pyrolysis because a waste with low MC is considered to be a good substrate for the process [34]
The highest MC was found for biodegradable waste: the potato peel and the chicken meat had moisture greater than 50%
Summary
Effective waste management methods focus on minimizing the volume of waste or eliminating sanitary hazards. Thermal processes, including low-temperature pyrolysis, are associated with the supply of energy to the process and its recovery in the form of heat or products such as gas, oil, or biochar. The selection of substrates for the process of low-temperature pyrolysis relates to thermal characteristics of waste, combustion heat, or basic technical analysis determining the content of ash, volatile matter, and fixed carbon [3]. Compared to other thermal methods, such as combustion or gasification, pyrolysis requires energy input but is a significantly more environmentally safe process. MSW may contain hazardous organic substances, pathogens, or parasites. It is a source of odor with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations
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