Pyrolysis of Waste

Plastics

1st International Conference on Emerging Technologies for Waste Water and Alternative
Energy Processes, University of Gujrat, 1st 2nd June,2016

M. Abdullah Alam Hashmi

Arslan Ali
Khuram Riaz
M. Shahrukh
Mahmood Saleem
INSTITUTE OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING AND
TECHNOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF THE PUNJAB,
LAHORE

Table of Content
Motivation
Introduction
Materials
Results

and Methods

and Discussion

Summary

and Conclusion

Acknowledgement

Motivati
on

Introductio
n

Materials &
Methods

Results &
discussion

Motivation
Enormous
Ease

Plastic production

of availability

Energy
Finite

crisis

petrochemical reserves

Summary and
Conclusion

Acknowledgeme
nt

Motivati
on

Introductio
n

Materials &
Methods

Results &
discussion

Motivation
Problems associated with:
Landfilling
Ocean

and recycling

contamination

Effecting

marine life

Environmental

concern

Summary and
Conclusion

Acknowledgeme
nt

Motivati
on

Introductio
n

Materials &
Methods

Results &
discussion

Summary and
Conclusion

Introduction
Annual

production - 6,24,200 tonnes

Growth

rate - 15% per annum

Industry

attracted investment US$ 260 billion

Contribution

to GDP 1.69%

Acknowledgeme
nt

Motivati
on

Introductio
n

Materials &
Methods

Results &
discussion

Summary and
Conclusion

Acknowledgeme
nt

Annual Plastic Production In

Pakistan
Annual700000
production (Tonnes)
600000
500000
400000
300000
200000
100000
0

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

Years

2013

2014

2015

2016

Motivati
on

Introductio
n

Materials &
Methods

Results &
discussion

Summary and
Conclusion

Introduction
Completely

self-financed and growing

industrial sector

Manufacturers
People

of plastic products 6000

involved 6,00,000

Consumption

3.1 Kg per capita

Acknowledgeme
nt

Motivati
on

Introductio
n

Materials &
Methods

Results &
discussion

Pyrolysis

Summary and
Conclusion

Acknowledgeme
nt

Motivati
on

Introductio
n

Materials &
Methods

Results &
discussion

Summary and
Conclusion

Modes of Pyrolysis
Pyrolysis is classified into 3 types, depending
upon the rates of heating:
Slow

pyrolysis

Heating
Slow

rates 0.1 to 2C per second

de-volatilization, high residence time

Acknowledgeme
nt

Motivati
on

Introductio
n

Materials &
Methods

Results &
discussion

Summary and
Conclusion

Modes of Pyrolysis
Fast

pyrolysis

Heating

rates 105 to 200C per second

Less

residence time, less char and tar

production

Flash

pyrolysis

Heating
Less

rates >2C per second

residence time, max. tar and oil

Acknowledgeme
nt

Motivati
on

Introductio
n

Materials &
Methods

Results &
discussion

Summary and
Conclusion

Variables Affecting Pyrolysis

Composition
Heating

of the plastic

rate

Bed

temperature

Bed

pressure

Ambient

atmosphere conditions

Existence

of catalysts

Acknowledgeme
nt

Motivati
on

Introductio
n

Materials &
Methods

Results &
discussion

Summary and
Conclusion

Materials and Methods

Raw

materials Low Density Polyethylene

(LDPE) and Polystyrene (PS)

Source

wastes

Pre-treatment

of the raw material i.e. removal of

impurities, washing, drying and size reduction
was done

Size

2 mm

Acknowledgeme
nt

Motivati
on

Introductio
n

Materials &
Methods

Results &
discussion

Summary and
Conclusion

Materials and Methods

Well

fabricated, electrically heated furnace

tube reactor with laggings was used

Thermo

couples, water storage tank and

partial condensers were also used

American

Standards for Testing of Materials

(ASTM) procedure was adopted in every
process

Acknowledgeme
nt

Motivati
on

Introductio
n

Materials &
Methods

Results &
discussion

Summary and
Conclusion

Experimental Set-up

Acknowledgeme
nt

Motivati
on

Introductio
n

Materials &
Methods

Results &
discussion

Summary and
Conclusion

Experimental Considerations
Effect

of temperature on yield of pyrolysis

product was studied

Batch

reactor

Temperature

range 325C to 525C

Acknowledgeme
nt

Motivati
on

Introductio
n

Materials &
Methods

Results &
discussion

Summary and
Conclusion

Experimental Considerations
Nitrogen

was used as a carrier gas

Pyrolysis

process was carried out without any

catalyst
Sample

taken 10 g

Acknowledgeme
nt

Motivati
on

Introductio
n

Materials &
Methods

Results &
discussion

Summary and
Conclusion

Acknowledgeme
nt

Temperature Profile at 325C (set

point)
450
400
350
Temperature (C)
300
250
Tube Temperature

200

Top Temperature

150

Middle Temperature

100

Bottom Temperature

50
0
10

20

30
Time (minutes)

40

50

Motivati
on

Introductio
n

Materials &
Methods

Results &
discussion

Summary and
Conclusion

Acknowledgeme
nt

Temperature Profile at 375C (set

point)
450
400
350
Temperature
(C)
300
250
200

Tube temprature

150

Top Temperature
Middle Temperature

100

Bottom Temperature

50
0
15

30

45

60

75

Time (Minutes)

90

105

120

Motivati
on

Introductio
n

Materials &
Methods

Results &
discussion

Summary and
Conclusion

Acknowledgeme
nt

Temperature Profile at 425C (set

point)
500
450
400
Temperature (C)
350
300
250
200

Tube Temperature

150

Top Temperature
Middle Temperature

100

Bottom Temperature

50
0
10

20

30

40
Time (Minutes)

50

60

Motivati
on

Introductio
n

Materials &
Methods

Results &
discussion

Summary and
Conclusion

Acknowledgeme
nt

Temperature Profile at 475C (set

point)
600
500
Temperature (C)
400
300
Tube Temperature
Top Temperature

200

Middle Temperature
Bottom Temperature

100
0
10

20

30

40
Time (Minutes)

50

60

70

Motivati
on

Introductio
n

Materials &
Methods

Results &
discussion

Summary and
Conclusion

Acknowledgeme
nt

Temperature Profile at 525C (set

point)
600
500
Temperature
(C)
400
300
Tube Temperature

200

Top Temperature
Middle Temperature

100
0
10

Bottom Temperature

20

30

40

50

60

Time (Minutes)

70

80

90

100

Motivati
on

Introductio
n

Materials &
Methods

Results &
discussion

Summary and
Conclusion

Products at Different
Temperatures

Acknowledgeme
nt

Test no.

Temperature(C)

Char (%)

Condensables (%)

Noncondensables
(%)

325

20

72

375

26

68

425

30

67

475

28

68

525

23

70

Motivati
on

Introductio
n

Materials &
Methods

Results &
discussion

Summary and
Conclusion

Acknowledgeme
nt

Graphical Interpretation
8
7
6
Char produced

Weight5 (g)

Non-condensable Gases
Condensable Gases

4
3
2
1
0
325

375

425
Temperature (OC)

475

525

Motivati
on

Introductio
n

Materials &
Methods

Results &
discussion

Summary and
Conclusion

Acknowledgeme
nt

Analysis of Condensables
Test No.

Proximate
Analysis

Ash (%)

Fixed Carbon
(%)

G.C.V.
(Cal/g)

Feed

93

Product at 325oC

95

Product at 375oC

96

Product at 425oC

97

20985

Product at 475oC

92

Product at 525oC

92

Moisture (%) Volatiles (%)

Motivati
on

Introductio
n

Materials &
Methods

Results &
discussion

Summary and
Conclusion

Summary and Conclusion

Co-pyrolysis

of LDPE and PS

Temperature

range 325 to 525C

Maximum

yield 425C

Proximate

analysis and Gross Calorific Value

Acknowledgeme
nt

Motivati
on

Introductio
n

Materials &
Methods

Results &
discussion

Summary and
Conclusion

Acknowledgement
University
Higher

of the Punjab

Education Commission

Acknowledgeme
nt