Activation energy of rape residue

Abstract

Thermal analysis describes the changes of physical and chemical properties of materials depending on increasing temperature. Thermogravimetric analysis of rape residue sample has been carried in inert atmosphere. The samples were heated over a range of temperatures that includes the entire range of pyrolysis with three different heating rates of 5, 10 and 15 degrees C min(-1). Thermogravimetric (TG) curves were obtained from experimental data. The results obtained from thermal decomposition process indicate that there are main stages such as dehydration, active and passive pyrolysis. The first region from 50 degrees C is related to the extraction of moisture and adsorbed water in samples. The main pyrolysis process proceeds in a range from approximately 250 to 450 degrees C. The activation energy values as a function of the extent of conversion for the pyrolysis process of rape residue have been calculated by means of the FlynnWall-Ozawa method. The activation energy for the pyrolysis of rape residue was 99-189 kJ. mol-1 in the conversion range of 0.2-0.8. The average activation energy calculated by this method was 142 kJ. mol(-1).