The
thermodynamics of possible reactions, including gasification
and reduction reactions, in carbon–carbon dioxide–sodium
or potassium carbonate systems was analyzed first. And then, the gasification
reactions of graphite and coke with CO2 in this system
were studied kinetically by temperature programmed thermogravimetry.
The results showed that the carbon conversion curve shifted to a lower
temperature zone after Na2CO3 or K2CO3 was added, and graphite was more susceptible than
coke to be catalyzed by Na2CO3 or K2CO3. Ten kinetic equations were adopted to simulate the
reaction process using the method of Coats–Redfern. The Avrami–Erofeev
equation was found to be the most probable kinetic equation, with
which the values of activation energy and frequency factor were calculated.
The kinetic simulation indicated that the activation energy of coke
carbon had been activated to the lowest level by its inner factors,
thus it was difficult to be reduced by adding Na2CO3 or K2CO3. The kinetic compensation
effect was confirmed to exist in both graphite gasification and coke
gasification. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectra were used to characterize
the inner difference between graphite and coke, which showed that
coke carbon structure was greatly different from graphite structure
because of its highly disordered and heterogeneous carbon structure.