Co-Combustion Characteristics and Kinetic Analyses of Biomass Briquette and Municipal Solid Waste in N2/O2 and CO2/O2 Atmospheres

The thermal behavior of cotton straw briquette ( CSB), municipal solid waste ( MSW), and their blends was investigated using a thermogravimetric analyzer under N-2/O-2 and CO2/O-2 atmospheres at 20 degrees C/min from an ambient temperature to 1000 degrees C. The kinetics and synergistic interaction between MSW and CSB in the co-combustion process were evaluated. The results indicated that MSW blended with CSB improved the ignition and burnout characteristics of the blends, while decreasing the comprehensive combustion characteristics index. The suitable proportions of CSB were less than 60% and 40% separately under 80N(2)/20O(2) and 80CO(2)/20O(2) atmospheres, respectively. The inhibitory effect of CO2 induced burnout temperature and residual mass increased, and the high-temperature stage reaction varied. Kinetic analysis of the blends indicated that blending with CSB could promote MSW combustion in the first reaction stage, while the second and third decomposition stages were complicated because of the synergistic interaction between MSW and CSB in the co-combustion process. The nth order reaction model fit the mass loss of theca-combustion process for the blends very well.