TEMPERATURE PROFILES AND WEIGHT-LOSS IN THE THERMAL-DECOMPOSITION OF LARGE SPHERICAL WOOD PARTICLES

The thermal decomposition of relatively large particles of pine wood h as been studied. By use of spherical particles of different sizes (2-5 .6 cm in diameter), the experimental solid conversion values and the t emperature at different points of the solid are analyzed for different heating rates of the system. The experimental results have been compa red with those calculated with a simple model, which involves the solu tion of the heat and mass balances and the kinetic equations, using ex perimental values as boundary conditions. A good agreement has been ob tained for particles up to 4 cm in diameter. For larger particles the mass transfer resistance inside the solid and the existence of seconda ry reactions may acquire an appreciable importance.