Pyrolysis and kinetic behaviour of black gram straw using thermogravimetric analysis

The present study aims to investigating the thermal behavior and pyrolysis kinetics of Black Gram Straw (BGS) degradation using thermogravimetric analyzer at three heating rates (20, 30 and 40°C/min). TGA results showed maximum decomposition took place in the temperature range of 180 to 380°C. Three different iso-conversional models Flynn–Wall–Ozawa (FWO), Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose (KAS), and Starink methods were applied on TGA results to calculate the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters. Average activation energies from FWO, KAS, and Starink methods were 172.96, 172.81, and 172.54 kJ/mol and pre-exponential factors ranged from 1010 to 1017 s−1 respectively. Differences between Eα and ∆H*values (~5 kJ/mol) showed the formation of the activation complex is being favored. The values of ∆G* and ΔS*varied from 166.99 to 167.01kJ/mol and −66.61 to 70.13J/mol, respectively. The above kinetics, thermodynamic data can be of massive benefit to modeling, designing and developing a suitable thermochemical conversion system of black gram stalk to energy carrier.