Evaluation of combustion characteristics of different size elbistan lignite by using TG/DTG and DTA

In this research, the relationship between particle size and combustion kinetics and combustion properties of lignite samples was examined by utilizing the thermogravimetric (TG/DTG) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) techniques. The lignite samples separated into different size fractions were subjected to non-isothermal thermogravimetric analysis between ambient and 900°C in the presence of 50 mL min⁻¹ air flow rate. Activation energy (E) and Arrhenius constant (A _r) of combustion reaction of each size was evaluated by applying Arrhenius kinetic model to the resulting data. Combustion properties of the samples were interpreted by careful examination of the curves. The apparent activation energies in major combustion region were calculated as 41.03 and 53.11 kJ mol⁻¹ for the largest size (−2360+2000 μm) and the finest size (−38 μm), respectively.