A simulation study of liquid fuel production from the plastic waste mixture by pyrolysis and distillation process

• Published in: Advances in Energy from Waste: Transformation Methods, Applications and Limitations under Sustainability
• Main Author: Su Reply M.S.; Shamsuddin A.S.; Othman N.M.I.; Abdul Mutalib M.
• Format: Book chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2024
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85205390560&doi=10.1016%2fB978-0-443-13847-8.00009-9&partnerID=40&md5=9bf1a9db3a9e1c77deac680cb99a3ee1

One method used to reduce plastic waste's environmental accumulation is pyrolysis. The techniques of pyrolysis and reactive distillation utilized in this study to simulate the potential for producing liquid fuels coming from plastic waste are considered. This study aims to assess the effect of operating parameters, specifically its temperature and pressure on liquid fuel production. As feedstock, a combination of polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and polyethylene (PE) from plastic waste is selected and modeled using the element of 85% carbon and 15% hydrogen. This model produced over 85% liquid fuel: product 1 (13.7%) and product 2 (86.2%). The concentration of n-C30 in products 1 and 2 decreased along with temperature increment from 400°C to 500°C. In contrast, as column distillation pressure increases from 1 to 5 bars, component yield in products 1 and 2 decreases. The findings of this study provide an understanding for future research to consider integrating pyrolysis and reactive distillation techniques in enhancing liquid fuel production. © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.