Study of Co-pyrolysis Characteristics of Lignite and Rice Husk in a TGA and a Fixed-Bed Reactor

Abstract

Abstract Co-pyrolysis characteristics of lignite and rice husk blend were determined in TGA and a fixed-bed reactor. From TGA results, the weight loss rate of lignite and rice husk blend increases at 250–400°C. In a fixed bed at programmed temperature condition, the synergistic effect to produce more volatiles is appeared at 500–700°C, and the maximum synergistic effect exhibits with a rice husk blending ratio of 0.8. The gas yield of co-pyrolysis of lignite and rice husk blend was higher than that of the sum of lignite and rice husk individually. The kinetic studies were performed according to Coats–Redfern method for first-order reaction. It was found that the pyrolysis process of lignite and rice husk could be described by one first-order reaction and two consecutive first-order reactions, respectively. However, for lignite and rice blends, this process can be described by three consecutive first-order reactions. The estimated kinetic parameters, viz., activation energies and pre-exponential factors for lignite, rice husk and their blends, were found to be in the range of 63.5–477.8 kJ/mol and 1.4 × 103–6.5 × 1047 min−1, respectively.