Thermogravimetric Analysis of Biomass-Plastic Co-Pyrolysis: Characterization and Evaluation

Renewable biomass has emerged as a paramount energy source capable of undergoing multifaceted transformations into various forms of fuel, encompassing liquid, solid, and gaseous states, facilitated by an array of processes. The extraction of high-value materials from biomass necessitates meticulous equipment design and the implementation of diverse methodologies, with pyrolysis emerging as a prominent avenue in this regard. The engineering of apparatuses pertinent to this process mandates a comprehensive understanding of reaction kinetics. In this study, an investigation into agricultural residues generated in Iran was conducted, identifying bagasse as the preferred biomass material, while LDPE and PET polymers were chosen to represent plastic waste. The kinetics of pyrolysis reactions involving LDPE, PET, and their amalgamation with bagasse were scrutinized. Through the execution of heat-weighted experiments, combined with the exploration of kinetic models for the pyrolysis reactions of LDPE, PET, and their blends with bagasse, a novel kinetic model was introduced, drawing from both single and multiple independent reaction frameworks. Comparative analysis of the outcomes derived from the proposed model for LDPE, PET, bagasse blends, as well as LDPE and PET, against laboratory results yielded coefficients of determination of 0.9937, 0.9875, 0.9883, and 0.9909, respectively. This finding underscores a robust concurrence between the prognosticated model outcomes and empirical laboratory data, affirming the efficacy of the developed kinetic model.