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Thermogravimetric analysis of lignocellulosic and microalgae biomasses and their blends during combustion

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Abstract

Thermogravimetric analysis was used to study and compare the combustion of different blends of corn bioresidues with sunflower, rape and algae bioresidues. Non-isothermal thermogravimetric data were used to obtain the combustion kinetics of these bioresidues. This paper reports on the application of the Vyazovkin and Ozawa–Flynn–Wall isoconversional methods for the evaluation of kinetic parameters (energy activation, pre-exponential factor and order of reaction) for the combustion of the biomasses studied. Differences were found in the TG curves in accordance with the proximate analysis results for the cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin content of biomasses. The activation energy obtained from combustion (E ~ 151.6 kJ mol−1) was lower than that from the blends (similar values were obtained for corn–sunflower, E ~ 160.5 kJ mol−1 and corn–rape, E ~ 156.9 kJ mol−1) whereas the activation energy obtained from the microalgae was higher (E ~ 171.5 kJ mol−1). Both the Vyazovkin and Ozawa–Flynn–Wall methods yielded similar results.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Natural Resources Institute of University of León, which provided human and material assistance.

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  1. Chemical Engineering Area, Institute of Natural Resources (IRENA), University of León, Avenida de Portugal, 41, 24071, León, Spain

    R. López, C. Fernández, X. Gómez, O. Martínez & M. E. Sánchez

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  1. R. López
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  2. C. Fernández
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  3. X. Gómez
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Correspondence to M. E. Sánchez.

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López, R., Fernández, C., Gómez, X. et al. Thermogravimetric analysis of lignocellulosic and microalgae biomasses and their blends during combustion. J Therm Anal Calorim 114, 295–305 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-012-2843-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-012-2843-z

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