Thermal degradation of α-pinene and β-pinene: An experimental study

Thermal degradation plays a very important role in the understanding of pyrolysis and oxidation. Parameters of ignition, flammability and flame propagation depend on it. In this context, the aim of this study is to study experimentally thermal degradation of two terpene-derived biofuels: α-pinene and β-pinene. Thermogravimetric analyses are performed for four heating rates (3, 5, 10, 20 K/min) under two atmospheres: air and nitrogen. Kinetic parameters are extracted using three different methods. Activation energies for these two biodiesels are given for the first time. In addition, GC–MS analyses are performed to study gaseous emissions of these two compounds. Results show that α-pinene is slightly more reactive than β-pinene. Comparisons with literature show that activation energies of these two biofuels are close to diesel and sunflower biofuel ones. Obtained results will be useful for numerical simulations of biodiesel combustion, as an alternative to fossil fuels.