Combustion Decomposition of Particulate Carbons by Microwave

Abstract

Exhaust dust from diesel engine car included particulate carbon with an average diameter of 7.2 μm consisted of organic carbon such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and inorganic carbon such as graphite, whereas exhaust dust from heavy oil boiler included particulate carbon with an average diameter of 37.2 μm mainly consisted of inorganic carbon. These dusts are found to undergo combustion decomposition from the in-situ CO₂ detection using a crucible inside-coated with SiC by 2.45 GHz microwave irradiation. Diesel dust showed a CO₂ release spectrum with double peak associated with combustion of organic and inorganic carbons. The first peak corresponds to exothermic peaks at 300°C and 362°C in the DTA curve, and the second peak corresponds to an exothermic peak at 492°C. Boiler dust showed a CO₂ release spectrum with single peak associated with combustion of inorganic carbon, corresponding to an exothermic peak at 515°C.