Inductively Heated Plastic Pyrolysis over H-ZSM5 Zeolite and Fluid Catalytic Cracking Catalyst

The shift from a linear to a circular economy is an important step in combating global plastic pollution. Pyrolysis is a vital component of the circular economy, transforming unrecyclable plastic waste into valuable resources. However, plastic pyrolysis is an endothermic process with technical chall...

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Main Authors: Syie Luing Wong, Sabino Armenise, Chia Hau Lee, Keng Yinn Wong, Huiyi Tan, Bemgba Bevan Nyakuma, Marta Muñoz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AIDIC Servizi S.r.l. 2024-11-01
Series:Chemical Engineering Transactions
Online Access:https://www.cetjournal.it/index.php/cet/article/view/14811
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author Syie Luing Wong
Sabino Armenise
Chia Hau Lee
Keng Yinn Wong
Huiyi Tan
Bemgba Bevan Nyakuma
Marta Muñoz
author_facet Syie Luing Wong
Sabino Armenise
Chia Hau Lee
Keng Yinn Wong
Huiyi Tan
Bemgba Bevan Nyakuma
Marta Muñoz
author_sort Syie Luing Wong
collection DOAJ
description The shift from a linear to a circular economy is an important step in combating global plastic pollution. Pyrolysis is a vital component of the circular economy, transforming unrecyclable plastic waste into valuable resources. However, plastic pyrolysis is an endothermic process with technical challenges due to its high energy demand that could potentially reduce its economic viability. To address this challenge, this study investigates the inductively heated thermal and catalytic pyrolysis of virgin plastics like high density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS) pellets and postconsumer plastic waste (PW) in a stainless-steel fixed bed reactor at 400-700°C. HZSM-5 zeolite and fluid catalytic cracking catalysts were employed as catalysts. All virgin plastics underwent complete plastic conversion, with PE and PP producing heavy hydrocarbons and PS generating high styrene yields through thermal pyrolysis. Catalytic pyrolysis over ZSM-5 catalyst notably increased gas yields for PE and PP due to enhanced cracking of pyrolysis intermediates. ZSM-5 significantly altered the liquid composition of PS pyrolysis by hydrogenating and isomerizing aliphatic chains on styrene molecules, despite having a minor impact on liquid yield. Despite the high char yield (25%) from PW, the permanent gases and gasoline exceeded virgin plastics due to the fluffy nature of PW samples, which enhanced transfer phenomena during pyrolysis. This study provides comprehensive mass balances for both thermal and catalytic pyrolysis of virgin and waste plastics, offering further insights into the role of pyrolysis in achieving a net-zero circular plastics economy.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2283-9216
language English
publishDate 2024-11-01
publisher AIDIC Servizi S.r.l.
record_format Article
series Chemical Engineering Transactions
spelling doaj-art-0666e0c832f846b2899d283f317043fc2024-12-01T00:38:25ZengAIDIC Servizi S.r.l.Chemical Engineering Transactions2283-92162024-11-01113Inductively Heated Plastic Pyrolysis over H-ZSM5 Zeolite and Fluid Catalytic Cracking CatalystSyie Luing WongSabino ArmeniseChia Hau LeeKeng Yinn WongHuiyi TanBemgba Bevan NyakumaMarta MuñozThe shift from a linear to a circular economy is an important step in combating global plastic pollution. Pyrolysis is a vital component of the circular economy, transforming unrecyclable plastic waste into valuable resources. However, plastic pyrolysis is an endothermic process with technical challenges due to its high energy demand that could potentially reduce its economic viability. To address this challenge, this study investigates the inductively heated thermal and catalytic pyrolysis of virgin plastics like high density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS) pellets and postconsumer plastic waste (PW) in a stainless-steel fixed bed reactor at 400-700°C. HZSM-5 zeolite and fluid catalytic cracking catalysts were employed as catalysts. All virgin plastics underwent complete plastic conversion, with PE and PP producing heavy hydrocarbons and PS generating high styrene yields through thermal pyrolysis. Catalytic pyrolysis over ZSM-5 catalyst notably increased gas yields for PE and PP due to enhanced cracking of pyrolysis intermediates. ZSM-5 significantly altered the liquid composition of PS pyrolysis by hydrogenating and isomerizing aliphatic chains on styrene molecules, despite having a minor impact on liquid yield. Despite the high char yield (25%) from PW, the permanent gases and gasoline exceeded virgin plastics due to the fluffy nature of PW samples, which enhanced transfer phenomena during pyrolysis. This study provides comprehensive mass balances for both thermal and catalytic pyrolysis of virgin and waste plastics, offering further insights into the role of pyrolysis in achieving a net-zero circular plastics economy.https://www.cetjournal.it/index.php/cet/article/view/14811
spellingShingle Syie Luing Wong
Sabino Armenise
Chia Hau Lee
Keng Yinn Wong
Huiyi Tan
Bemgba Bevan Nyakuma
Marta Muñoz
Inductively Heated Plastic Pyrolysis over H-ZSM5 Zeolite and Fluid Catalytic Cracking Catalyst
Chemical Engineering Transactions
title Inductively Heated Plastic Pyrolysis over H-ZSM5 Zeolite and Fluid Catalytic Cracking Catalyst
title_full Inductively Heated Plastic Pyrolysis over H-ZSM5 Zeolite and Fluid Catalytic Cracking Catalyst
title_fullStr Inductively Heated Plastic Pyrolysis over H-ZSM5 Zeolite and Fluid Catalytic Cracking Catalyst
title_full_unstemmed Inductively Heated Plastic Pyrolysis over H-ZSM5 Zeolite and Fluid Catalytic Cracking Catalyst
title_short Inductively Heated Plastic Pyrolysis over H-ZSM5 Zeolite and Fluid Catalytic Cracking Catalyst
title_sort inductively heated plastic pyrolysis over h zsm5 zeolite and fluid catalytic cracking catalyst
url https://www.cetjournal.it/index.php/cet/article/view/14811
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AT kengyinnwong inductivelyheatedplasticpyrolysisoverhzsm5zeoliteandfluidcatalyticcrackingcatalyst
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