Study on the Kinetics of Plant Oil Asphalt Pyrolysis Using Thermogravimetry and the Distributed Activation Energy Model

Abstract

Plant oil asphalt (POA) is a new concerned lipid-based residue biomass generated from the oleochemical industry. In this work, the pyrolysis kinetics of POA was studied by thermogravimetric analysis at heating rates of 7, 10, 20, and 30 K min–1 under a nitrogen atmosphere using the distributed activation energy model (DAEM). The kinetic parameters, including the activation energy E, distribution function of activation energy f(E), and pre-exponential factor k0, were obtained. The activation energy E ranged from 75 to 300 kJ mol–1, and the f(E) curve showed a broad peak around 155–200 kJ mol–1. The linear relationship between ln k0 and activation energy E indicated that there existed a kinetic compensation effect in pyrolysis of POA. A double-Gaussian DAEM was employed for simulation of POA pyrolysis by assuming POA as a mixture of two pseudo-components. In comparison to the single-Gaussian DAEM, the double-Gaussian DAEM was better to predict the pyrolysis behavior of POA. This work validated the applicability of the double-Gaussian DAEM to the lipid-based material POA.