Kinetic analysis of pyrolysis and combustion of the olive tree pruning by chemical fractionation.

This paper presents a kinetic analysis of thermal decomposition of olive tree pruning from its basic compounds in pyrolysis and combustion reactions. Experiments were performed by TGA under inert and oxidant conditions and results indicated that the decomposition of the olive tree pruning was related to the material composition. Pseudo-mechanistic models were proposed estimating the yield of pyrolysis on its basic compounds (hemicelluloses, cellulose and lignin). Validity and reliability of the proposed kinetic models were verified by the good fitting between the simulated and experimental curves (with values of R2 higher than 0.99 in most cases). Moreover, during the fractionation process, an acid fraction was obtained with great fuel properties, a high calorific value and a low residue after its combustion.