{"title":"Thermal decomposition behaviour and kinetics of food waste and low density polyethylene during microwave copyrolysis","authors":"Shukla Neha, Neelancherry Remya","doi":"10.1007/s10668-024-05413-8","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>Microwave (MW) pyrolysis showed a promising and efficient mean of deriving energy from food waste (FW). This study evaluated the thermal decomposition characteristics of FW and commingled FW (FW mixed with low density polyethylene; LDPE (87:13)) using the thermogravimetric analyzer and the MW copyrolysis reactor. Thermograms of commingled FW (up to 892 K) using different MW susceptors (Granular Activated Carbon (GAC), Cement, Silica gel, Flyash, and Biochar) demonstrated complete devolatilization within 700–1100 s of heating time. A maximum weight reduction of 89.3 wt% was achieved for the commingle FW at 753 ± 1 K within 700 s using GAC as the MW susceptor. The MW absorptive capacity of different MW susceptors strongly influenced the thermal decomposition characteristics of FW and LDPE, and the activation energy of the MW copyrolysis; accordingly, the activation energy varied 7.01–12.03 kJ/mol with different MW susceptors. Thermal decomposition of commingled FW in MW copyrolysis could be best represented with the Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose (KAS) method (<i>R</i><sup>2</sup> = 0.85–0.95). Gibbs free energy (104.60–148.15 kJ/mol), free entropy (600.520–601.662 J/mol/K), free enthalpy (1.055–6.412 kJ/mol) showed non-spontaneity, low randomness and endothermic behaviour of the process. Overall, the low activation energy of the MW copyrolysis process (7.01 kJ/mol) achieved with the biochar as the MW susceptor showed a promising future for MW copyrolysis in developing efficient, environmental-friendly and sustainable conversion technology for commingled FW processing.</p>","PeriodicalId":540,"journal":{"name":"Environment, Development and Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.7000,"publicationDate":"2024-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Environment, Development and Sustainability","FirstCategoryId":"93","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-024-05413-8","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Microwave (MW) pyrolysis showed a promising and efficient mean of deriving energy from food waste (FW). This study evaluated the thermal decomposition characteristics of FW and commingled FW (FW mixed with low density polyethylene; LDPE (87:13)) using the thermogravimetric analyzer and the MW copyrolysis reactor. Thermograms of commingled FW (up to 892 K) using different MW susceptors (Granular Activated Carbon (GAC), Cement, Silica gel, Flyash, and Biochar) demonstrated complete devolatilization within 700–1100 s of heating time. A maximum weight reduction of 89.3 wt% was achieved for the commingle FW at 753 ± 1 K within 700 s using GAC as the MW susceptor. The MW absorptive capacity of different MW susceptors strongly influenced the thermal decomposition characteristics of FW and LDPE, and the activation energy of the MW copyrolysis; accordingly, the activation energy varied 7.01–12.03 kJ/mol with different MW susceptors. Thermal decomposition of commingled FW in MW copyrolysis could be best represented with the Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose (KAS) method (R2 = 0.85–0.95). Gibbs free energy (104.60–148.15 kJ/mol), free entropy (600.520–601.662 J/mol/K), free enthalpy (1.055–6.412 kJ/mol) showed non-spontaneity, low randomness and endothermic behaviour of the process. Overall, the low activation energy of the MW copyrolysis process (7.01 kJ/mol) achieved with the biochar as the MW susceptor showed a promising future for MW copyrolysis in developing efficient, environmental-friendly and sustainable conversion technology for commingled FW processing.
期刊介绍:
Environment, Development and Sustainability is an international and multidisciplinary journal covering all aspects of the environmental impacts of socio-economic development. It is also concerned with the complex interactions which occur between development and environment, and its purpose is to seek ways and means for achieving sustainability in all human activities aimed at such development. The subject matter of the journal includes the following and related issues:
-mutual interactions among society, development and environment, and their implications for sustainable development
-technical, economic, ethical and philosophical aspects of sustainable development
-global sustainability - the obstacles and ways in which they could be overcome
-local and regional sustainability initiatives, their practical implementation, and relevance for use in a wider context
-development and application of indicators of sustainability
-development, verification, implementation and monitoring of policies for sustainable development
-sustainable use of land, water, energy and biological resources in development
-impacts of agriculture and forestry activities on soil and aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity
-effects of energy use and global climate change on development and sustainability
-impacts of population growth and human activities on food and other essential resources for development
-role of national and international agencies, and of international aid and trade arrangements in sustainable development
-social and cultural contexts of sustainable development
-role of education and public awareness in sustainable development
-role of political and economic instruments in sustainable development
-shortcomings of sustainable development and its alternatives.