Simple microwave pyrolysis kinetics of lignocellulosic biomass (oil palm shell) with activated carbon and palm oil fuel ash catalysts

The important parameters characterizing microwave pyrolysis kinetics, namely the activation energy (Ea) and the rate constant pre-exponential factor (A), were investigated for oil palm shell mixed with activated carbon and palm oil fuel ash as microwave absorbers, using simple lab-scale equipment. These parameters were estimated for the Kissinger model. The estimates for Ea ranged within 31.55-58.04 kJ mol-1 and for A within 6.40E0-6.84E+1 s-1, in good agreement with prior studies that employed standard techniques: Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). The Ea and A were used with the Arrhenius reaction rate equation, solved by the 4th order Runge-Kutta method. The statistical parameters coefficient of determination (R2) and root mean square error (RMSE) were used to verify the good fit of simulation to the experimental results. The best fit had R2 = 0.900 and RMSE = 4.438, respectively, for MW pyrolysis at power 440 W for OPS with AC as MW absorber.