Comparative Thermogravimetric Assessment on the Combustion of Coal, Microalgae Biomass and Their Blend

Ricardo N. Coimbra, Carla Escapa and Marta Otero
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Ricardo N. Coimbra: Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
Carla Escapa: Department of Applied Chemistry and Physics, Institute of Environment, Natural Resources and Biodiversity (IMARENABIO), Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
Marta Otero: Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal

Energies, 2019, vol. 12, issue 15, 1-22

Abstract: In this work, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential thermogravimetry (DTG), and differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) were used to assess the combustion of microalgae biomass, a bituminous coal, and their blend. Furthermore, different correlations were tested for estimating the high heating value of microalgae biomass and coal, with both materials possessing similar values. TGA evidenced differences between the combustion of the studied fuels, but no relevant interaction occurred during their co-combustion, as shown by the DTG and DSC curves. These curves also indicated that the combustion of the blend mostly resembled that of coal in terms of weight loss and heat release. Moreover, non-isothermal kinetic analysis revealed that the apparent activation energies corresponding to the combustion of the blend and coal were quite close. Overall, the obtained results indicated that co-combustion with coal might be a feasible waste to energy management option for the valorization of microalgae biomass resulting from wastewater treatment.

Keywords: sustainable energy; thermal valorization; kinetic modelling; iso-conversional methods; zero-waste water treatment; Chlorella sorokiniana (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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