Thermal behavior and pyrolytic characteristics of freshwater Scenedesmus sp. biomass

Abstract

Thermal behavior and pyrolytic characteristics of Scenedesmus sp. biomass was investigated under five different heating rates of 5, 10, 20, 30, and 40°C/min by using thermogravimetric analysis. The calorific value and carbon content of the tested biomass sample was 17.65 kJ g−1 and 46.60%, respectively. The data generated for thermogravimetric analysis showed that three stages of thermal decompositions occurred for selected biomass materials for all of the tested heating rates. The maximum volatile matter was evolved in the second stage of thermal decomposition, with temperatures between 273 and 399°C. The maximum thermal decomposition temperature increased from 294 to 330°C as the heating rates increased from 5 to 40°C/min. The average apparent activation energy of selected biomass determined by Flynn–Wall–Ozawa (FWO) and Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose (KAS) methods were found to be closer values 203 kJ mol−1.