Pyrolysis Kinetics of Rice Husk in Different Oxygen Concentrations

Abstract

The effects of oxygen on the pyrolysis of rice husk were investigated with a thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) reaction system. Pyrolysis experiments of rice husk were carried out in N2, 10% O2, and air at the heating rates of 2, 5, and 10K∕min. The TGA curves indicated two principal reactions, distinguished by significant and distinct mass changes over the experimental range. Oxygen enhanced the pyrolysis reactions of intermediates, which was produced from the first stage reaction of rice husk. A simple kinetic model was proposed for the pyrolysis of rice husk in different oxygen concentrations. The corresponding activation energies, preexponential factors, and reaction orders were determined. The experimental results were satisfactorily fitted by the proposed kinetic model.