Thermogravimetric analyses of co-combustion of plastic, rubber, leather in N2/O2 and CO2/O2 atmospheres

• Study on plastic, rubber and leather co-combustion in CO2/O2 is novel.
• Comparison of combustion between individual material and blend was investigated.
• Oxygen-enriched combustion alleviated inhibitory effects of CO2/O2 combustion.
• Addition of TR hindered the burnout and addition of PVC hindered char-CO2 reaction.
• This work help understand MSW oxygen-enriched combustion and oxy-fuel combustion.

The combustion of plastic (PVC), rubber (TR) and leather (L) in different atmospheres (80N2/20O2, 80CO2/20O2, 70CO2/30O2, 60CO2/40O2, 50CO2/50O2) was analyzed thermogravimetrically. Regardless of individual material or blend, the replacement of N2 only by CO2 resulted in smaller weight loss rates, a change in reactions occurring above 600 °C and a worse burnout, and the oxygen-enriched combustion technology could alleviated the inhibitory effects to some extent. Above 600 °C, the effect of O2 concentration on the weight loss rate in CO2/O2 atmosphere depended on the given operating conditions, but still postponed the location of the peaks. The characteristics of blends could be predicted roughly by the individual fuels and blending ratio. The addition of TR to L or PVC (polyvinyl chloride) hindered the burnout, and the addition of PVC to L or TR hindered the char-CO2 reaction. For the same individual material or blend, the apparent activation energies for the first two reactions in 70CO2/30O2 approximately equal to those in 80N2/20O2, while that the value for the third reactions in two atmospheres differed greatly. This work contributes to the understanding of MSW (municipal solid waste) oxygen-enriched combustion and development of MSW oxy-fuel combustion.