Interactions of three municipal solid waste components during co-pyrolysis

• TG curve overlap ratio was applied to evaluate the interaction of co-pyrolysis.
• Interaction of orange peel and PVC inhibited production of alkyls and alkenes.
• HCl from PVC participated in the pyrolysis of tissue paper.
• Interaction of PVC and tissue paper increased char yields during pyrolysis.

The interactions of three MSW components (orange peel, tissue paper and PVC) during co-pyrolysis were investigated using thermogravimetric analyzer coupled with Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (TGA–FTIR). The overlap ratio of TG curves was introduced to evaluate the interaction quantitatively. The interaction of orange peel and tissue paper was slight, with the overlap ratio of 0.9936. The interaction of orange peel and PVC inhibited the production of alkyls and alkenes, and weakened the peaks of HCl and C6H6. The interaction of tissue paper and PVC was significant with the overlap ratio 0.9296. The interaction of tissue paper and PVC promoted pyrolysis at low temperature (below 300 °C) and suppressed the pyrolysis at high temperature. Meanwhile, the residue was increased. The generation of CO2, alkyls, alkenes, and carboxyls was intensively influenced by interaction of tissue paper and PVC. The second and third peak of HCl disappeared, because of the reaction of HCl with other organic compounds.