Data analysis of kinetics and production of biofuels from pyrolysis of sewage sludge

Thermogravimetric analysis data from a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) was used to investigate the kinetics of sewage sludge pyrolysis. In a TGA, sewage sludge was pyrolyzed, and mass loss data was recorded as a function of temperature and time. The coats-Redfern method was used to compute the activation energy and pre-exponential factor of pyrolysis of sewage sludge, which may be reused in large-scale pyrolysis reactor design. To measure the Arrhenius factors, various models used in Coats-Redfern methods were applied, regression coefficient (R2) was deciding factor to understand the reaction mechanism. Data on sewage sludge pyrolysis products was acquired using a lab-scale reactor at various temperatures. The metal oxide content of biochar formed from the process was determined using X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy, while non-condensable gases were determined using Gas chromatography – Thermal conductivity detector (GC-TCD). The fuel gas produced by the sewage sludge pyrolysis process was quantified using GC-TCD data. The original publication included more biochar characterization.