Analysis of volatile species kinetics during typical medical waste materials pyrolysis using a distributed activation energy model

The complex reactions of typical medical waste materials pyrolysis and the evolution of different volatile species can be well represented by a Distributed Activation Energy Model (DAEM). In this study, A thermogravimetric analyser (TGA), coupled with Fourier transform infrared analysis of evolving products (TG-FTIR), were used to perform kinetic analysis of typical medical waste materials pyrolysis. A simple direct search method was used for the determination of DAEM kinetic parameters and the yield of individual pyrolysis products under any given heating condition. The agreement between the model prediction and the experimental data was generally good. The results can be used as inputs to a pyrolysis model based on first-order kinetic expression with a Gaussian Distribution of Activation Energies as a sub-model to CFD code. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.