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Hom e | Prof. Alka Zadgaonkar |

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The Invention: Zadgaonkars Process

Introduction Principals involved All plastics are polymers mostly containing carbon and hydrogen and few other elements like chlorine, nitrogen etc. polymers are made up of small molecules called as monomers w hich combine and form single large molecule called polymer. When this long chain of monomers breaks at certain points or w hen low er molecular w eight fractions are formed this is termed as degradation of polymer. This is reverse of polymerization. If such scission of bonds occurs randomly it is called as Random De-Polymerization. In the process of conversion of w aste plastic into fuels random De-Polymerization is carried out in a specially designed Reactor in absence of oxygen & in the presence of coal and certain catalytic additive. The maximum reaction temperature is 350C. There is Total conversion of w aste plastic into value added fuel products. Laboratory Scale/Bench Scale Inventor Prof. Mrs. Alka Zadgaonkar started the basic research w ork for elimination of polymer w aste in the year 1995. After five years of rigorous research, in the year 2000, 300 gm of plastic w aste w as successfully converted into liquid hydrocarbons. The reaction parameters viz. temperature, pressure and time for a batch w ere extremely high in initial stages. Subsequently these parameters w ere brought dow n to feasible level by formulating improved catalytic additives. Inventor w as quite aw are of the fact that many laboratory scale inventions miserably failed after scaling up. Considering this important fact, inventor decided to scale up the lab-scale unit by 100 times and thus 30 Kg bench scale apparatus w as designed. The Bench Scale Batch Process set-up : The equipment w as upgraded and designed w ith the controls, feed back and data generation devices for 30 kg of mixed w aste plastic as batch feed, w hich could be conveniently operated in a laboratory setup. A number of experiments w ere carried out on this set up and the data generated w as analyzed for further development. Assorted plastics and coal along w ith catalyst is heated to about 400 0C and distilled products are collected. The brief description of the equipment is as follow s-

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SN Particulars Description 01 Reactor This is an insulated stainless steel cylindrical reactor heated by electrical heating coils to achieve a maximum heating temperature of 500 0C. The necessary provision is made on the reactor for mounting the gadgets for measuring pressure, temperature and collection of hydrocarbons from the reactor.

02 Condenser The gaseous output from the reactor is passed through a double w alled condenser w ith inlets and outlets for cooling w ater. The gaseous hydrocarbons at a temperature of around 350 0C are condensed to around 30-35 0C.

03 Receiver

The condensed hydrocarbon in the liquid form is collected in the receiver. The provision is made for collecting the uncondensed gases in to gas collector. The arrangement to measure the volume & rate of flow of distillate continuously or intermittently at any point of time is made in this section.

04 Control Panel

The complete process is controlled from the control panel. Optionally the process can also be controlled from a Computer. The continuous feed back of the process parameters is available on the Control Panel and the Computer. The data generated is stored in the computer.

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Output Yield Data The major process parameters and product yields are given in Table below . The evolved vapors are condensed to collect gas and liquid products.

Feed

Assorted w aste plastic

Catalyst

1 w t% on feed

Coal

10 w t% on feed

Temperature

300-400 0C

Pressure

Atmospheric

Batch cycle time

3-4 hrs

The product yields Gas

Quantity (w t%) 10-20

Liquid hydrocarbons

60-80

Residue

7-10

Typical analysis of the gaseous product is given in the follow ing table-

S.N. 1

Com ponent Methane

Quantity 6.6 % w t

Ethane + ethylene

10.6

Propane

7.4

Propylene

29.1

Iso-butane

1.9

n-Butane

0.9

C4 (unsaturated)

25.6

Iso C5-n-C5

0.1

C5+higher

15.3

10

Hydrogen

2.5

11

CO/CO2

< 400 ppm

NB : The gas analysis w as done after removal of chlorine as HCl Typical analysis of the liquid product is given in the follow ing table

Sr.No

Carbon num ber

Quantity (w t%)

Upto C10

61.0

C10 to C13

2.4

C13 to C16

8.5

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8.5

C16 to C20

4.1

C20 to C23

7.6

C23 to C30

16.4

Certified Observations and Conclusions from Indian Oil Corporation (R&D Centre) Follow ing are the major observations and conclusions from the experiments by INDIAN OIL CORPORATION LIMITIED (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CENTRE)-

All the types of plastic w aste including PVC & PET are converted into gases & liquid hydrocarbons.

The catalyst enhances the conversion of w aste plastic in to hydrocarbons thereby improving quality & quantity of hydrocarbon gas and liquid products. Negligible Conversion w as observed in absence of invented catalytic additives

Increase in the temperature and rate of heating increases the gas yield.

Introduction of feed at higher temperature substantially reduces the process cycle time.

Water from w et gas meter indicates presence of HCl in the gaseous fraction.

Inorganic Chlorine is present in the gas and liquid products.

PET bottles as a feed m aterial Analytical results of experiments using 100% PET bottles show that yield of liquid hydrocarbon is 60 w t%. There w as no formation of carboxylic group. This confirms that it is possible to convert the PET material in to liquid hydrocarbon under the catalytic conditions of the developed process.

PVC as a feed m aterial Effect of catalytic conversion of pure PVC have been studied and the data show s the liquid yield of about 40 w t%. Further experiments w ere conducted for removal of chlorine from these products. Here de-chlorination step w as incorporated prior to reaction step. It w as observed that about 55% w eight reduction after removal of Chlorine from the PVC.

NOTE : 'None of the Zadgaonkar is presently associated with the management of M/s Unique Waste Plastic Management & Research Company Pvt. Ltd.'

Copyright 2006. All rights Reserved Alka Umesh Zadgaonkar Designed & developed by e-Core Solutions
Last amended October 2007

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