Production of an Alternative Fuel by Pyrolysis of Plastic Wastes Mixtures

Abstract

This paper tries to obtain an alternative liquid fuel from plastic waste from the fraction not collected selectively, through a pyrolysis process. The fuels obtained from three plastic wastes, polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS), and from binary mixtures (PE−PP and PE−PS) and a tertiary mixture (PE−PP−PS) were characterized. These plastic wastes are the most abundant in the fraction not collected selectively. Concretely, the polyethylene film comprises 43% of total plastic of this fraction. The plastic mixtures have been chosen according to the composition of the plastic in this fraction. Liquid fuel from the polyethylene film had very similar characteristics to commercial fuels, in particular, diesel, but had a very high viscosity and a waxy appearance. Liquid fuel from polystyrene had a very fluid appearance, but possessed a large number of aromatic compounds, being useful for the synthesis of basic chemical products. The liquid obtained from polypropylene has a semiwaxy appearance and a large number of olefins. Finally, the mixtures of these wastes produced intermediate characteristics. The viscosity and waxy aspect increases when the quantity of polyethylene increases, while fluidity and the quantity of aromatic compounds also increase when the quantity of polystyrene increases.

Review of the valorization options for the proper disposal of face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Unlike the mechanical valorization of plastic materials involving waste sorting, pyrolysis does not require prior separation of different types of plastics. In pyrolysis, different plastic types are mixed and then converted into liquid fuel to generate energy for various industrial applications ( Quesada et al, 2020 ). During the thermochemical decomposition, plastic materials are treated at high temperatures between 300 °C and 700 °C in the absence of oxygen.…”

Detailed Group-Type Characterization of Plastic-Waste Pyrolysis Oils: By Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography Including Linear, Branched, and Di-Olefins

“…Disposal and upgrading of plastic waste is one of the main challenges of the 21st century [1,2]. Chemical recycling as an alternative to landfill through (catalytic) pyrolysis [3][4][5] is a very promising conversion technology to produce liquid energy carriers, waxes, and chemicals while minimizing negative impacts on the environment [6][7][8].…”

Recent Progress in the Chemical Upcycling of Plastic Wastes

“…Quesada et al reported the pyrolysis of diverse plastic species and the mixtures in a fixed-bed reactor at about 500°C under N 2 , in which the liquid oils were the dominant products ( � 60-75 wt %). [62] PE film pyrolysis led to liquid oils with the most similar characteristics with the commercial diesel fuel, but with a higher viscosity and waxy appearance.…”