Insights into pyrolysis of ginger via TG-FTIR and Py-GC/MS analyses: Thermochemical behaviors, kinetics, evolved gas, and products

One of the key leverages for lessening the heavy reliance on fossil fuels is the conversion of non-food biomass into bioenergy and high value-added products. This study aimed to quantify the bioenergetic, emission, and biochar performances of ginger (Zb) pyrolysis. The main pyrolysis stage of Zb occurred in the range of 127–540 °C, releasing gaseous products, primarily CO2, in significant quantities between 200–600 °C. The dominant pyrolysis products were C=O functional groups, accounting for 52.18–62.68% of the total. As the temperature rose, the primary pyrolysis products transitioned from ketones to benzene and its derivatives. Through the application of three model-free and three model-fitting methods, the most suitable mechanism identified for the main pyrolysis stage (0.2 < conversion degree < 0.7) was the three-dimensional diffusion (spherically symmetric) function, serving as an internal diffusion mechanism. Results of this study provide impactful and actionable insights into control over the generation of bioenergy potential, gas emissions, and value-added products via the Zb pyrolysis.