Evaluation of Activation Energy for Agricultural Residues with Ignition Temperature

The objective of this study is to evaluate the activation energy of agricultural residues with their ignition characteristics. The ignition temperature of agricultural residues (peanut shell, rice hull, and rice straw) is determined by measuring particle temperature, particle luminosity, and gas temperature for samples weighing 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0 grams. The maximal slope of the particle temperature versus furnace temperature is used to determine the occurrence of ignition. Values of activation energy are analyzed by the Semenov model with the measured ignition temperature. Results show that the particle ignition temperature is 317, 324, and 330°C for rice straw, peanut shell, and rice hull, respectively. The results also indicate that the particle ignition temperature reduces as the volatile content increases and the sample amount decreases. The value of activation energy is 157.2, 170.3, and 192.8 kJ/mole for rice straw, peanut shell, and rice hull, respectively.