Influence of atmospheric conditions on the spontaneous ignition behaviour of activated carbon

The influence of the atmospheric conditions such as the oxygen concentration and its pressure on the spontaneous ignition behaviour of activated carbon was investigated with high pressure DSC (HP-DSC), TG-DTA and SIT (spontaneous ignition test). The onset temperature with HP-DSC lowered with the increase of the oxygen concentration and the onset temperature could be predicted with the oxygen concentration. From the adiabatic self-heating profiles observed by SIT the onset temperature lowered with the increase of the oxygen concentration and the activation energy of induction period of exothermic reaction was determined as 28~39 kJ mol-1.