THERMOGRAVIMETRIC STUDY OF THE PYROLYSIS OF BEECH WOOD AND WEIGHT-LOSS KINETICS BASED ON FIRST-ORDER SINGLE REACTION MODEL

The kinetics of weight loss in the thermal decomposition of Beech Wood , in helium gas atmosphere, has been studied by thermogravimetry with particles having 53-63 microns average size and applying a heating rat e of 50-100 degrees C/min to final temperature of 1000 degrees C. A fi rst order pathway reaction was assumed and based on linear heating, th e parameters of the model (Arrhenius pre-exponential factor apparent a ctivation energy and ultimate value of weight loss at high temperature and long residence time) were found to be 9.693-10(3-1) s, 16500 cal/ gmol and 86.797% respectively. A good agreement was observed between t he experimental results and those predicted from the model.