Distributed Activation Energy Modelling Using a Parabolic Heating Profile

Abstract

This work investigates the thermal decomposition of forest waste for a non-linear temperature distribution inside the pyrolysis reactor. Quantitative analysis of the distributed activation energy model is explained graphically. It has been assumed that thermal profile varies according to the general parabolic equation with the initial condition (0, T0). The approximated solution of the non-analytical integral is determined by the Laplace integral method. The integral limit for the distributed activation energy model (DAEM) is found to vary from 211 to 810 kJ·mol−1; whereas the frequency factor (the first-order reactions) for the corresponding range of the activation energy lies in the domain of 400–2000 min−1. The acceleration in the char formation has been found for the reactions other than that of the first order.

Keywords

• biomass
• pyrolysis
• distributed activation energy model
• thermal history
• kinetic parameters