Thermo gravimetric analysis of peach pits under inert and air atmosphere

Abstract

The aim of this work was to study the peach pits behavior during thermal treatment processes. The immediate and elemental analysis, and the determination of trace elements contents are realized. Trace elements remain in the char/ash fraction of the different pyrolysis products, during thermal treatment under inert atmosphere. The different metals presence promote the char combustion under oxidative atmosphere. To determine the kinetic of reactions under inert and oxidative atmospheres, TGA experiments were realized. Under inert atmosphere, the maximum weight loss took place during the active pyrolysis step, the activation energy and reaction order were equal to 60.33kJ/mol and 0.64, respectively. Under oxidative atmosphere, the second stage, called devolatilization, ranging from 205 to 360ºC, with activation energy and order reaction equal to 97.44kJ/mol and 0.94 correspondingly. The third stage, called char combustion is produced at 40 -540.1ºC. The obtained activation energy and order reaction were 59.54kJ/mol and 0.44, respectively.