Thermal characterization and model-free kinetics of biodiesel sample

In this study, combustion and pyrolysis behaviours of methanol route biodiesel were investigated using thermal analysis techniques known as simultaneous thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) at different heating rates. Reaction regions, peak temperatures, mass loss and heat flow rates of the biodiesel sample are determined using TG-DTG and DSC data. It was found that as the heating rate of the reactions increased, peak temperatures of the reactions shifted higher temperatures, implying that as the heating rate of the reactions increased, reaction lost their sensitivity. Two different model-free kinetic methods, known as Ozawa-Flynn-Wall and Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose, as proposed by ICTAC kinetics committee, were applied to determine the pyrolysis and combustion reaction parameters of biodiesel sample, and the results are discussed.