Thermogravimetric characteristics of textile dyeing sludge, coal and their blend in N2/O2 and CO2/O2 atmospheres

The combustion characteristics of textile dyeing sludge (TDS) and coal under an air atmosphere and their mixture under N2/O2 and CO2/O2 atmospheres were analyzed using a thermogravimetric instrument. The results revealed that the TG-DTG of coal had a weight loss peak and TDS had five weight loss peaks, while their blend (80coal + 20TDS) had a distinct peak because coal had a more formidable combustion efficiency than TDS. With an increase in the oxygen concentration, the combustion characteristics of the mixture improved in both N2/O2 and CO2/O2 atmospheres, while certain negative effects existed for the combustion of the mixture in CO2/O2 atmospheres. Increasing O2 concentration up to 30%, the co-combustion of the blend in both N2/O2 and CO2/O2 atmospheres, resulted in combustion profiles similar to or better than that of coal burning in air atmosphere. When O2 concentration reached 60%, the negative effects of the blend burning in CO2/O2 atmospheres declined.