Pyrolysis Kinetics Study of Three Biomass Solid Wastes for Thermochemical Conversion into Liquid Fuels

Pyrolysis has been considered as the most efficient way of producing liquid fuel from biomass and its wastes. In this study the thermal degradation characteristics and pyrolysis kinetics of three selected biomass samples of Jute stick (Corchorus capsularis), Japanese cedar wood (Cryptomeria japonica) and Tamarind seed (Tamarindus indica) have been investigated in a nitrogen atmosphere at heating rates of 10 degrees C/min and 60 degrees C/min over a temperature range of 30 degrees C to 800 degrees C. The weight loss region for the three biomass solid wastes has shifted to a higher temperature range and the weight loss rate has increased with increasing heating rate. In this case, the three biomass samples have represented the similar behavior. The initial reaction temperature has decreased with increasing heating rate but the reaction range and reaction rate have increased. The percentage of total weight loss is higher for cedar wood than jute stick and tamarind seed. For the three biomass wastes, the overall rate equation has been modeled properly by one simplified equation and from here it is possible to determine kinetic parameters of unreacted materials based on Arrhenious form. The calculated rate equation compares thoroughly well with the measured TG and DTG data.