Thermokinetics of Catalytic Pyrolysis of Biomass for Production of Sustainable Energy

Abstract

Pyrolysis can be described as the thermal decomposition of the organic matrix in the absence of oxygen.Currently, the pyrolysis of biomass is paid much attention for the production of sustainable energy. In this study, the catalytic effect on kinetic behavior of biomass pyrolysis has been examined thermogravimetrically. The biomass used here is the sugarcane bagasse, a readily available agricultural waste in Perlis region of Malaysia. The sugarcane bagasse was characterized in terms of its composition and heating value. The thermogravimetric analyses were conducted during heating the bagasse from room temperature to 800 oC. The kinetic parameters for the pyrolysis were determined by analyzing the weight loss curves at three different heating rates ( 5oC/min, 15oC/min and 20 oC/min). Dolomite as a catalyst and/or promoter for the bagasse pyrolysis was also studied and the kinetics with and without using the dolomite were compared. Results showed that the rate of pyrolysis in the presence of dolomite is higher than that without it. Thus it is obvious that the catalytic effect plays an important role in the pyrolysis of biomass.