Thermal Degradation of Pinus pinaster Needles by DSC. Part 1: Dehydration Kinetics

Fire behaviour prediction models, required for controlling wild-land fires, can be calculated from a mathematical approach, taking the thermal and chemical properties of forest fuels into account. To improve and extend applications ofthe model, we need a better understanding ofthe different phenomena involved in the thermal decomposition of forest fuels. Three steps have been observed during thermal degradation of Pinus pinaster needles: dehydration, oxidization of evolved gases and char combustion. Kinetic parameters of the first step were determined from DSC curves using various known methods which enable the determination of activation energy, pre-exponential Arrhenius factor and order of reaction.