The pyrolysis of sewage sludge was examined by thermogravimetric analysis using different heating rates, particle sizes and final temperatures. A semi‐empirical model was developed with four global consecutive/competitive reactions to volatile and solid products including also a heat balance. This model was extrapolated to isothermal reactor conditions and compared to experimental data on fluidized bed pyrolysis. Depending on the particle size and reactor temperature, about 90% of the maximum conversion in a fluidized bed takes place under external heat transfer control, the rest under kinetic control. Incomplete conversion occurs at short particle residence times, which were calculated approximately by the model.
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