Investigation into the combustion kinetics and spontaneous ignition of sweet sorghum as energy resource

This study investigated the combustion kinetics and spontaneous ignition of sweet sorghum using thermogravimetric analysis and the Frank-Kamenetskii theory. The aim was to determine the proper operating conditions for a direct combustion reactor and predict the safe ambient temperature limits for given silo designs. Oxidative heating rates of 2, 5, and 10 degrees C/min were set up. Graphical observation shows that combustion was composed of two different stages representing the overlapping processes of pyrolysis and char oxidation, at 131-336 degrees C and 336-475 degrees C, respectively. Samples were found to ignite at 215 degrees C and were extinguished at 433 degrees C. Different heating rates shifted combustion characteristics to higher temperatures and increased reactivity for ignition and combustion indices up to 12 and 10 times higher. The Friedman method determined the apparent activation energies representing the combustion reaction by 132.91 kJ/mol. Regarding spontaneous ignition, the temperature safe limits were predicted to be 83-84 degrees C and 84-87 degrees C for cylindrical and box silos with diameter and height of 15 and 10 m, respectively. Calculations of silos were designed within the limits of certain dimension ratios.

Automated summary

This study investigates the combustion kinetics and spontaneous ignition of sweet sorghum using thermogravimetric analysis and the Frank-Kamenetskii theory. It aims to determine the proper operating conditions for a direct combustion reactor and predict the safe ambient temperature limits for given silo designs.