Pyrolysis kinetics of Melon (Citrullus colocynthis L.) seed husk

This study is aimed at investigating the thermochemical fuel characteristics and kinetic decomposition of melon seed husks (MSH) under inert (pyrolysis) conditions. The calorific value, elemental composition, proximate analyses and thermal kinetics of MSH was examined. The kinetic parameters; activation energy E and frequency factor A for MSH decomposition under pyrolysis conditions were determined using the Kissinger and isoconversional Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO) methods. The values of E for MSH ranged from 146.81 to 296 kJ/mol at degrees of conversion {\alpha} = 0.15 to 0.60 for FWO. The decomposition of MSH process was fastest at {\alpha} = 0.15 and slowest at {\alpha} = 0.60 with average E and A values of 192.96 kJ/mol and 2.86 x 1026 min-1, respectively at correlation values of 0.9847. The kinetic values of MSH using the Kissinger method are E = 161.26 kJ/mol and frequency factor, A = 2.08 x 1010 min-1 with the correlation value, R2 = 0.9958. The results indicate that MSH possesses important characteristics of a potential solid biofuel (SBF) for future thermochemical applications in clean energy and power generation.

Bemgba Bevan Nyakuma · 2015