To study the relationship between the structure of oil shale and its pyrolysis

a series of experiments for Gansu oil shale was performed at heating rates of 5

20

50℃·min-1 using a TG-FTIR (Thermogravimetric Analysis-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) analyzer. The CH4

CO

CO2

H2O and tar produced by pyrolysis were quantitatively analyzed. The kinetic parameters were calculated with a nonlinear least-squares curve-fitting method. The FG-DVC (Functional Group-Depolymerization Vaporization Crosslinking) model

which was established based on the structure of fuel

was employed to quantitatively predict the product yields of pyrolysis. The results showed that devolatilization reaction taken mainly place at temperature rangeof 200-600℃. Aliphatic hydrocarbon was predominant organic functionalgroup in shale oil. The initial temperature for release of gaseous products had different order due to various activities of functional groups. The calculated activation energy (E) was basicly between 188-239 kJ·mol-1

and the pre-exponential factor (A) was between 109-1013 s-1. Good agreement was observed between the model prediction and TG-FTIR experimental results for the oil shale studied

indicating that the pyrolysis process of Gansu oil shale could be well described by the FG-DVC model.