Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7), Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12)
Characterizing the pyrolysis of waste cooking oil: an exploratory investigation of mechanism and activation energy Timaima Waqainabete, Roselyn Lata, Tejesvi Patel, David Rohindra * School of Agriculture, Geography, Environment, Oceans and Natural Sciences, The University of the South Pacific, Private Mail Bag, Suva, Fiji. E-mail: david.rohinda@usp.ac.fj Waste cooking oil (WCO) is a significant bioresource that can be transformed into second-generation biofuels via pyrolysis, presenting a cost-effective alternative for sustainable energy production [1] . As these triglyceride wastes do not compete with food supplies or human consumption, their repurposing helps alleviate environmental issues associated with disposal. Pyrolysis is a thermochemical process that decomposes organic materials at high temperatures in an inert atmosphere, yielding bio-oil, gases, and char [2] . These triglycerides, which are the primary components of vegetable oils end products are converted into valuable fuels. The thermal degradation characteristics and kinetics of waste cooking oil were examined using thermogravimetric analysis combined with Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry under nitrogen conditions. The Coats-Redfern method was employed to establish the pyrolysis mechanism function f(α) and derive kinetic parameters from the TG curves. Results indicated that weight loss occurred in two stages, with the second stage being dominant between 300 and 500 °C. This stage primarily generated CO2 and other compounds with C=O, C-H, or C-O bonds linked to aldehydes. The Jander equation’s three-dimensional diffusion model confirmed the pyrolysis process, showing the mechanism function g(α) = [1-(1-α) 1/3]2. The activation energy for the second pyrolysis stage was found to be 10.56 kJ/mol. Key words: Waste cooking oil, Renewable energy, Pyrolysis, Kinetics References 1. Zhang, F., Yi, J., Pan, W. et al. A new process for the production of second-generation biodiesel from waste oils and fats. Biomass Conv. Bioref. 14, 9013–9022, (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-022-03149-x 2. Raza, M., Abu-Jdayil, B., Al-Marzouqi, A. H., Inayat, A. Kinetic and thermodynamic analyses of date palm surface fibers pyrolysis using Coats-Redfern method. Renew. Energy.183, 67-77, (2022).https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2021.10.065
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