Comparisons of two kinetic models for the simulation of the pyrolysis and the combustion of biomass under low temperature ramps

When trying to simulate pyrolysis or combustion processes under low temperature ramps, different methods or models may be considered. When especially trying to simulate the experimental mass and mass loss rate curves associated with these thermal degradation processes, the extended independent parallel reaction and kinetic lumped models already proved their efficiency, although they require a software dedicated to the resolution of the involved differential equations. In the present study, these two models are used to simulate the pyrolysis and combustion processes of three biomass: cotton, oak, and palm nut fibers. These three biomass were chosen because they present differences in their characterizations and thermogravimetric profiles. The equations of the two models are analyzed and the quality of the simulations performed with these two models is evaluated through different tools, among which R-2 determination coefficients concerning the experimental and simulated conversion and conversion rate curves. The optimization of the kinetic parameters performed with both models led to efficient simulations of the thermal degradation of the three biomass under nitrogen or air and under the temperature ramp of 5 degrees C/min with values of the determination coefficient R-2 always greater than 0.960 and relative errors lower than 18.4% for both models. Both models depicted a quite similar performance for the pyrolysis or combustion processes.