Experimental and Mathematical Investigation of Thermochemical Conversion for Horse Manure

Abstract

Horse manure is one of the highest potential biowastes for heat and power generation. This article investigates the experimental and mathematical modeling of thermochemical conversion for horse manure. As one type of thermochemical conversions, the pyrolysis process was carried out at eight different heating rates on horse manure using three parameters: the extent of reaction, the rate change of the extent of reaction, and differential thermal analysis (DTA), all used to determine kinetic data that will be validated with a mathematical model. Slow pyrolysis: below 15 °C/min showed optimistic results of obtaining exothermic reaction over a wide range of temperature which makes it self-sustainable with steady heat generation. Also, low heating rates allowed a quasi-equilibrium state through slow heating with a minimum delay in response for any transient error that could be generated from differential thermal gravimetry (DTG) device.