Thermal Characteristics of Ash from Bamboo and Masson Pine Blends: Influence of Mixing Ratio and Heating Rate

[Image: see text] Thermal characteristics and kinetic parameters of ash from bamboo and masson pine blends with different mixing ratios were investigated using a thermogravimetric analyzer at different heating rates. The results showed that bamboo ash had lower fusion temperatures than the ash of masson pine. Mixing ratios and heating rates had a significant impact on the thermal characteristics and activation energy of ash samples. There was a synergistic interaction of chemical compositions in the bamboo and masson pine ashes. The mass loss of ash samples increased with the increase in the bamboo content of the blends. All ash samples had the maximum activation energy at the heating rate of 20 °C/min. The activation energy had a good linear correlation with mixing ratios at high conversion and heating rates. The optimum blend was suggested as 20% bamboo/80% masson pine due to its high activation energy. The results of this study are helpful to design a combustion system of bamboo and masson pine blends.