Kinetic analysis of thermal decomposition of date palm residues using Coats–Redfern method

ABSTRACT

Thermal degradation of different date palm residues (three fibrous materials and an agro-industrial by-product) under inert and oxidative atmospheres was investigated in order to identify the degradation mechanisms and kinetics of the main thermal decomposition stages using Coats–Redfern method. The corresponding kinetic parameters of the main degradation stages were also determined. The obtained results have shown that diffusion and reaction order models are the best mechanisms describing effectively thermal degradation of the different palm date residues under both atmospheres. The obtained kinetics parameters may help predicting the pyrolysis and combustion behavior of date palm residues as well as designing the suitable reactor.

KEYWORDS:

• Date palm residues
• kinetics
• non-isothermal thermogravimetry
• oxidation
• pyrolysis