Pyrolytic Behavior and Kinetic Analysis of Wheat Straw and Lignocellulosic Biomass Model Compound

Abstract

From a carbon cycle perspective, the thermochemical conversion of lignocellulosic biomass is inherently carbon neutral. Pyrolysis of biomass for energy supplying, such as bio-oil and bio-char, has been attracted much attention worldwide. Successful understanding the fundamental issues about the pyrolysis, including pyrolytic behavior and kinetic analysis of lignocellulosic biomass model compounds and real biomass, is essential for the further understanding and optimizing the pyrolysis process. In this paper, pyrolytic behavior of a typical lignocellulosic agricultural residue (wheat straw) and model compounds (cellulose) were measured through thermogravimetric analysis with various heating rates (10, 20, 40 °C·min-1) under nitrogen atmosphere. The results indicated that the interval of the weight loss for both wheat straw and cellulose moved upwards with the increment of heating rates. The maximum decomposition rates of cellulose were higher than those of wheat straw, and the temperature of maximum decomposition rates increased with the heating rates. Values of activation energy were solved through iso-conversional method. And the average values of activation energy for wheat straw and cellulose were 146.89 kJ·mol-1 and 134.56 kJ·mol-1 calculated from Flynn-Wall-Ozawa method, 144.05 kJ·mol-1 and 130.91 kJ·mol-1 calculated from Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose method, respectively.