On the pyrolysis kinetics of scrap automotive tires

Pyrolysis kinetics of scrap tires of passenger car and truck have been investigated thermogravimetrically under heating rates of 5, 10, 20 and 30 K/min and temperature range 373-1273 K in nitrogen. The results show that the initial reaction temperatures are 482-521 K for the tire of passenger car and 458-511 K for truck tire. Both tires exhibit similar behaviors that the initial reaction temperature decreases, but reaction range and reaction rate increase when heating rate is increased. The overall rate equation for each tire can be modeled satisfactorily by a simple one equation from which the kinetic parameters such as the activation energy (E), the pre-exponential factor (A), and the reaction order (n) of unreacted material based on Arrhenius form are determined using Friedman' a method. The results show that two tires behave similarly and the average kinetic parameters of two tires are E = 147.95 +/- 0.21 kJ/mol, A = (6.295 +/- 1.275) x 10(10) min(-1), and n = 1.81 +/- 0.18. The predicted rate equations compare fairly well with the measured data. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.