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Assessing Hassawi Rice Straw as a Solid Biofuel: High Heating Rate Combustion Behaviour, Kinetics, and Thermodynamic
Mohamed Anwar Ismail1, Ibrahim Dubdub2, Suleiman Mousa2
1Mechanical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, King Faisal University, P.O. Box 380, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia.
Polymers
|July 15, 2026
Summary
Hassawi rice straw (HRS) shows potential as a sustainable biofuel, with high volatile matter and low emissions. Kinetic and thermodynamic analysis provides key parameters for designing efficient combustion systems.
Area of Science:
- Biomass energy research
- Thermochemical conversion
- Sustainable biofuels
Background:
- Rice straw is an abundant agricultural residue, particularly in arid regions.
- Efficient utilization of rice straw as a biofuel is crucial for waste management and renewable energy production.
- Understanding the combustion behavior of Hassawi rice straw (HRS) is essential for its effective application.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the combustion characteristics of Hassawi rice straw (HRS) under high heating rates.
- To determine the physicochemical properties and thermal decomposition behavior of HRS.
- To evaluate the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters governing HRS combustion.
Main Methods:
- Physicochemical characterization (proximate, ultimate analysis, lignocellulosic fractions, FTIR).
- Non-isothermal thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) at heating rates of 20-80 K min⁻¹ under oxidative conditions.
- Kinetic analysis using six model-free methods and Coats-Redfern model-fitting; thermodynamic analysis.
Main Results:
- HRS exhibits favorable biofuel properties: high volatile matter (72.48 wt%), moderate ash (10.27 wt%), and high heating value (16.04 MJ kg⁻¹).
- Low nitrogen (0.67 wt%) and sulfur (0.31 wt%) content suggest reduced NOx and SOx emissions.
- Thermal decomposition occurs in three stages, with peak devolatilization between 515-680 K; average activation energy is 139 kJ mol⁻¹, with D3 model as the best fit.
- Combustion is endothermic and non-spontaneous, characterized by positive ΔH, positive ΔG, and negative ΔS.
Conclusions:
- Hassawi rice straw is a promising sustainable biofuel with desirable combustion properties for arid regions.
- Detailed kinetic and thermodynamic data are provided for optimizing combustion system design.
- This research supports the use of agricultural waste like HRS for renewable energy generation.
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