Effects of Oxygen on Pyrolysis Kinetics of Tetra Pack

The effects of oxygen on the pyrolysis of tetra pack, a principal component of municipal solid wastes in Taiwan, were investigated with a thermal gravimetric analysis ~TGA! reaction system. The pyrolysis experiments of tetra pack were carried out in four different oxygen concentrations (CO2 , 5.37, 10.40, 14.82, and 20.95%! at the heating rates of 5.25, 10.36, and 15.06 K/min. The TGA curves indicated two principal reactions, distinguished by significant and distinct mass changes over the experimental range. Oxygen enhanced the pyrolysis reaction of tetra pack. A kinetic model was proposed for the pyrolysis of the tetra pack in an oxygen environment. The corresponding activation energies, preexponential factors, and reaction orders were determined. The experimental results were satisfactorily fitted by the proposed kinetic model. DOI: 10.1061/~ASCE!0733-9372~2003!129:4~382! CE Database subject headings: Pyrolysis; Kinetics; Oxygen; Solid wastes.