Plastic to Fuel Machine

Plastic To Fuel Machine ProjectReport2014

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A PROJECT REPORT ON

PLASTIC TO FUEL MACHINE

2014

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of

Bachelor of Technology in

Polymer Engineering of Mahatma Gandhi University

BY

AJMAL ROSHAN T. J, SWATHI E& SANJAY R.

Department of Polymer Engineering

Mahatma Gandhi University College of Engineering

Muttom P. O, Thodupuzha, Kerala – 685 587


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MAHATMA GANDHI UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

Muttom P.O, Thodupuzha, Kerala – 685 587

DEPARTMENT OF POLYMER ENGINEERING

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the report entitled “PLASTIC TO FUEL MACHINE”,

submitted by AJMAL ROSHAN T. J.(Reg.No.10018674), SWATHI E.(Reg.No.10018699)

& SANJAY R. (Reg.No.10018692) to the Department of Polymer Engineering, Mahatma

Gandhi University College of Engineering, Thodupuzha, in partial fulfilment of the

requirements for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Technology in Polymer Engineering

from Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, is an authentic report of the project

presented by them during the academic year 2013-2014.

Dr. Josephine George

Head of the Department

Polymer Engineering


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The successful completion of any task is incomplete if we do not mention

the people who made it possible. It is a Great pleasure to express our sincere

gratitude to Prof. K.T. SUBRAMANIAN, Principal, MGUCE, for his

guidance, advice and encouragement.

We are greatly indebted to Dr. Josephine George, Head of the

Department of Polymer Engineering, for her valuable help and guidance at

different stages of this work.

We thank all the faculty and staff of Polymer Engineering department,

faculties of fuel testing lab at National Institute of Technology- Calicut, our

friends and family for their support and constant encouragement throughout this

work.

Above all we thank GOD almighty without whom this task would not

have been a success.

AJMAL ROSHAN T. J, SWATHI E& SANJAY R.


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About the Team

1. Dr. Josephine George

H.O.D.

Polymer Engineering,

Mahatma Gandhi University College of Engineering, Thodupuzha.

2. AJMAL ROSHAN T. J.

THAMARATH HOUSE

PALAYOOR CHURCH ROAD

CHACVAKKAD P.O.

THRISSUR-680506

E- mail: [email protected]

Mob: 9961161870

3. SANJAY R.

MENASSERIL HOUSE

C.M.C-1,

CHER THALA P.O.

ALAPUZHA-688524

E- mail: [email protected]

Mob:- 9995069478

4. Swathi E.

E-mail: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


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CONTENTS

1. Abstract…………………………………………………………………..7

2. Introduction

2.1. Plastics…………………………………….………...……………….8

2.2. Common Plastic Uses…….………………………………………….9

2.3. Special-Purpose Plastics……….…………………………………...10

2.4. Advantages of Plastic………………………..……………………...11

2.5. Disadvantages of Plastic……………………….……………………11

2.6. Plastic Production, Consumption and Growth……….……….......12

2.7. Plastics in Procurement………….…….…………………..………13

2.8. Manufacture………………………….…………...…………...…....13

2.9. Health Impacts of Manufacture…..……………...…...…….…......14

2.10. Sources and Types of Plastic Wastes…………….………….…...15

2.11. Plastic Waste Recycling………………………...…………….…..16

2.12. Some Attempts for Plastic Recycling……..……………………...18

2.13. Alternative Methods…………………..……………………….....20

3. Objective…………………………………..…………..………………...22

4. Experimental details

4.1. Principles of the Machine………………………………...…..…22


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4.2. Process Carried Out in the Machine

4.2.1. Pyrolysis………………………………………...…………23

4.2.2. Process…………………………………………………..…23

4.3. Parts of the Machine

4.3.1 Reactor………………...……………….…………….…….24

4.3.2. Catalytic cracker………………………..………….……..26

4.3.3. Condenser…………….…………………………….……..27

4.3.4. Nitrogen Cylinder….……………………………………..28

4.4.Materials used…….…………………...……………….…………28

4.5. Laboratory Set Up……………………………………………….30

4.6. Process to be carried out………………...……….……..……….31

4.7. Inferences Drawn From Experiment…..………….……….…...32

5. Test for Characterizing Output

5.1. Calorific Value……………..……………………………….……33

5.1.1 Principle………………………………….……..………….33

5.1.2. Procedure……………..…..………………...……………..34

5.1.3. Calculations……………………...………...…………...….35

5.2. Viscosity………………………………………………...…………36

5.3. Acidity (Acid value)

5.3.1. Definition…….…………………………....………..…..….37


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5.3.2. Procedure……….…...……………………...........….…….38

5.4. Density and Specific Gravity.……………………..…..….……..38

6. Results and Discussions

6.1. Test Results

6.1.1. Calorific Value………………………..………..…..……40

6.1.2. Viscosity…………….………………………….…………42

6.1.3. Acidity (Acid value)..........................................................44

6.1.4. Density and Specific Gravity……………..……..…..….46

6.2. Role of Catalyst in the process……..…....….…..…………….50

6.3. Molecular Structure of the Catalyst….……….…………….51

6.4 Process taking place in a Catalytic Reactor ……...………….51

6.5. Features of Catalyst to be used…………..……….…….…….52

6.6. Cracking of Molecules in Reactor in Presence of Catalyst....53

6.7. Regeneration of catalyst………………………...…………….53

6.8. Need of Catalytic Cracking………...……….………………...54

7. Conclusion…………………………………………………..………..….55

8. References…………………………………………………….…............56

9. Certifications,……………………………………………………………58


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1. ABSTRACT

Polymers are finding extensive application in our day to day life. The

low density, high strength to weight ratio, ease of processing etc. make them attractive over

other conventional materials. The various fields of applications of polymers includes different

sectors such as structural and non-structural, automobile, medical, aerospace etc. Extensive

use results in accumulation of waste plastics. The safe disposal of waste plastics is a major

problem faced by the polymer industry. The combustion of polymers can release so many

toxic gases to the atmosphere and can lead to major environmental hazards. Since crude oil is

the starting material for the production of plastic, the reverse processing of plastic back to

crude oil is an innovative method for better disposal of plastics. Waste plastics are heated in a

reactor at a temperature of about 350- 450℃provided with an inert atmosphere. The waste

plastics used include, Polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP), and Polystyrene (PS). The long

chain molecules of these plastics is first broken into shorter chain molecules in the reactor

and then broken into small molecules in the catalytic cracker. The final product is mixed oil

that consists of gasoline, diesel oil, kerosene and the like. The machine and process for

making oil are totally based on environment-friendly concept. Plastics suitable for converting

into oil are PP (Garbage bag, cookie bag, CD case, etc.), PE (Vinyl bag, medical product, cap

of PET bottle etc.) and PS (Cup Noodle Bowl, lunch box, Styrofoam etc.).


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2. INTRODUCTION

2.1. Plastics

As a brief introduction to plastics, it can be said that plastics are

synthetic organic materials produced by polymerization. They are typically of high molecular

mass, and may contain other substances besides polymers to improve performance and/or

reduce costs. These polymers can be moulded or extruded into desired shapes. Plastic is the

general common term for a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic amorphous

solid materials used in the manufacture of industrial products. Plastics are typically polymers

of high molecular mass, and may contain other substances to improve performance and/or

reduce costs. Monomers of Plastic are either natural or synthetic organic compounds. The

word is derived from the Greek past (plastikos) meaning fit for moulding, and past (plastos)

meaning moulded. It refers to their malleability or plasticity during manufacture that allows

them to be cast, pressed, or extruded into a variety of shapes such as films, fibres, plates,

tubes, bottles, boxes, and much more. The common word plastic should not be confused with

the technical adjective plastic, which is applied to any material which undergoes a permanent

change of shape (plastic deformation) when strained beyond a certain point. Aluminium, for

instance, is plastic in this sense, but not a plastic in the common sense; in contrast, in their

finished forms, some plastics will break before deforming and therefore are not plastic in the

technical sense. There are two main types of plastics: thermoplastics and thermosetting

polymers.

Thermoplastics can repeatedly soften and melt if enough heat is applied and hardened

on cooling, so that they can be made into new plastics products. Examples are

polyethylene, polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride, among others.

Thermosets or thermosettings can melt and take shape only once. They are not

suitable for repeated heat treatments; therefore after they have solidified, they stay

solid. Examples are phenol formaldehyde and urea formaldehyde


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2.2. Common Plastic Uses

Polypropylene(PP) - Food containers, appliances, car fenders (bumpers), plastic

pressure pipe systems.

Polystyrene(PS) - Packaging foam, food containers, disposable cups, plates, cutlery,

CD and cassette boxes.

High impact polystyrene (HIPS) - Fridge liners, food packaging, vending cups.

Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)

Electronic equipment cases (e.g., computer monitors, printers, keyboards), drainage

pipe

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)

Carbonated drinks bottles, jars, plastic film, microwavable packaging.

Polyester (PES)

Fibers,textiles.

Polyamides (PA) (Nylons)

Fibers, toothbrush bristles, fishing line, under-the-hood car engine mouldings.

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)

Plumbing pipes and guttering, shower curtains, window frames, flooring.

Polyurethanes (PU)

Cushioning foams, thermal insulation foams, surface coatings, printing rollers.

(Currently 6th or 7th most commonly used plastic material, for instance the most

commonly used plastic found in cars).

Polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) (Saran)

Food packaging.

Polyethylene (PE)

Wide range of inexpensive uses including supermarket bags, plastic bottles.

Polycarbonate/Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (PC/ABS)

A blend of PC and ABS that creates a stronger plastic. Used in car interior and

exterior parts,and mobile phone bodies.


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2.3. Special-Purpose Plastics:

Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)

Contact lenses, glazing (best known in this form by its various trade names around the

world; e.g., Perspex, Oroglas, Plexiglas), aglets, fluorescent light diffusers, rear light

covers for vehicles.

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)

Heat-resistant, low-friction coatings, used in things like non-stick surfaces for frying

pans, plumber's tape and water slides. It is more commonly known as Teflon.

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) (Polyetherketone)

Strong, chemical- and heat-resistant thermoplastic, biocompatibility allows for use in

medical implant applications, aerospace mouldings. One of the most expensive

commercial polymers.

Polyetherimide (PEI) (Ultem)

A high temperature, chemically stable polymer that does not crystallize.

Phenolics (PF) or (phenol formaldehydes)

High modulus, relatively heat resistant, and excellent fire resistant polymer. Used for

insulating parts in electrical fixtures, paper laminated products (e.g., Formica),

thermally insulation foams. It is a thermosetting plastic, with the familiar trade name

Bakelite, that can be moulded by heat and pressure when mixed with a filler-like

wood flour or can be cast in its unfilled liquid form or cast as foam (e.g., Oasis).

Problems include the probability of mouldings naturally being dark colours (red,

green, brown), and as thermoset difficult to recycle.

Urea-formaldehyde (UF)

One of the aminoplasts and used as a multi-colorable alternative to phenolics. Used as

a wood adhesive (for plywood, chipboard, hardboard) and electrical switch housings.

Melamine formaldehyde (MF)

One of the aminoplasts, and used as a multi-colorable alternative to phenolics, for

instance in mouldings (e.g., break-resistance alternatives to ceramic cups, plates and

bowls for children) and the decorated top surface layer of the paper laminates (e.g.,

Formica).


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Polylactic acid (PLA)

A biodegradable, thermoplastic found converted into a variety of aliphatic polyesters

derived from lactic acid which in turn can be made by fermentation of various

agricultural products such as corn starch, once made from dairy products

2.4. Advantages of Plastic:

1) They are light in weight.

2) They are strong, good and cheap to produce.

3) They are unbreakable

4) Used to make - Water bottles, pens, plastic bags, cups etc.

5) They are good water resistant and have good adhesive properties.

6) They can be easily moulded and have excellent finishing

7) They are corrosion resistant.

8) They are chemical resistant

9) Plastic is used for building, construction, electronics, packaging and transportation

industries.

10) They are odourless.

2.5. Disadvantages of Plastic:

1) They are non renewable resources.

2) They produce toxic fumes when burnt.

3) They are low heat resistant and poor ductility.

4) They are non biodegradable.

5) They harm the environment by choking the drains.

6) The poisonous gaseous product produced by the decomposition plastic can causes

CANCER

7) They are embrittlement at low temperature and deformation at high pressure.

8) The recycling of plastic is not cost effective process and even more expensive

compare to its manufacturing.


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9) Plastic materials like plastic bags are mostly end up as harmful waste in landfill which

may pollute the environment and threatening our health.

10) The biodegradation of plastic takes 500 to 1,000 years Japan

2.6. Plastic Production, Consumption and Growth

Economic growth and changing consumption and production patterns are

resulting into rapid increase in generation of waste plastics in the world. In Asia and the

Pacific, as well as many other developing regions, plastic consumption has increased much

more than the world average due to rapid urbanization and economic development. The

world‟s annual consumption of plastic materials has increased from around 5 million tonnes

in the 1950s to nearly 100 million tonnes; thus, 20 times more plastic is produced today than

50 years ago. This implies that on the one hand, more resources are being used to meet the

increased demand of plastic, and on the other hand, more plastic waste is being generated.

Due to the increase in generation, waste plastics are becoming a major stream in solid waste.

After food waste and paper waste, plastic waste is the major constitute of municipal and

industrial waste in cities. Even the cities with low economic growth have started producing

more plastic waste due to plastic packaging, plastic shopping bags, PET bottles and other

goods/appliances using plastic as the major component. This increase has turned into a major

challenge for local authorities, responsible for solid waste management and sanitation. Due to

lack of integrated solid waste management, most of the plastic waste is neither collected

properly nor disposed of in appropriate manner to avoid its negative impacts on environment

and public health and waste plastics are causing littering and chocking of sewerage system.

The World's annual consumption of plastic materials has increased from around 5 to nearly

100 million tonnes in the last 50 years, with plastic being the material of choice in nearly half

of all packaged goods. The poverty-related impacts arising from plastics are complex and lie

in the areas of health and disposal and they mainly occur in parts of the developing world. In

addition, plastic production use and disposal also has a range of environmental impacts which

has been the focus of much concern from NGOs, scientists and policy makers. There are also

crosscutting poverty, health and social issues related to plastics.


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2.7. Plastics in Procurement

Plastic is a miracle material that has supported and driven innovation in the

supply and delivery of products, but also a problematic substance that uses non-renewable

resources, creates pollution in manufacture and use and presents a global issue for disposal.

Plastics are found in a vast range of products, either as a primary material or as a component.

Plastics have also, due to reasons of weight, flexibility, usability and cost, become a primary

material used for packaging, containers, furniture and construction materials. As a result of

this diverse range of uses it is likely that many procurement activities will involve the

purchase of plastics either directly or indirectly.

2.8. Manufacture

The vast majority of plastics are produced from the processing of

petrochemicals (derived from crude oil). In the US, plastic manufacture (as a feedstock and

energy source) is estimated to consume approximately 4.6% of total oil consumption (US

Energy Information Association, 2009). Petrochemical based plastics are manufactured

through the “cracking” of oil and natural gas in order to produce different hydrocarbons.

These are chemically processed to produce monomers (small chemical molecules that can

bond with others) which then undergo a polymerisation process (bonding with other

monomers into long chain chemicals) to produce polymers. These undergo further

processing, normally using additives to change their “feel”, colour or performance, to

produce feedstock. Usually in the form of pellets, this can be transported and further

processed through heat and moulding to make finished products. As with any heavy industrial

process, plastics manufacture can give rise to a range of environmental and social impacts,

some of which can give rise to poverty considerations. Pollution of water courses and local

air quality impacts in parts of the developing world can directly affect the quality of life and

opportunities of local people, as they often depend upon fishing and hunting for their

livelihoods.


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2.9. Health Impacts of Manufacture

Historically many plastics have been considered to be generally inert. There has

been extensive study and discussion in recent years over pollution and health impacts arising

from plastics. Concern has focused upon plastic additives (such as plasticizers - used to

enhance the feel of plastics, and flame retardants) which can directly affect human health or

which are chemically similar to human hormones and therefore act to disrupt biochemical

processes. These chemicals are “bio-accumulative”, meaning that they build up in the body

over time and can cause or contribute to a range of health problems. PVC (Polyvinyl

Chloride) has given rise to the most concern, partly as its uses are so widespread, and partly

because it is treated with many plasticizers that enhance its feel which are thought to be bio-

accumulative. There is still much debate over the validity and extent of such concerns, in

general NGOs and some health organizations have raised concerns, whilst plastics

manufacturers have sought to demonstrate the safety of their products. As petrochemically

derived plastics do not degrade, the accumulation of waste, in areas of the developing world

has become a key environmental and social issue. While the environmental issues related to

this are perhaps clear, the social and poverty issues are more complex. Significant amounts of

plastic waste from the UK and other countries are shipped to the developing world. This

waste is either recycled to make new plastic feedstock or ends up in dumps or waste sites. In

addition, plastic waste can also find its way into the world's oceans where it can have a

significant impact upon marine habitats and wildlife, and an associated impact upon those

communities that depend upon fishing for their livelihoods. Once example is known as the

“Great Pacific Garbage Patch” which is estimated to be twice the size of Texas and contains

over 3 million tonnes of plastic waste. Plastic waste in the developing world is considered to

be both a contributor and possible solution to poverty issues. A number of studies have

focussed upon the economic opportunities afforded to the poor through recycling plastics

which are disposed of in their local environment. As with many poverty and environmental

issues, whether such disposal is considered to be ultimately positive or negative is perhaps a

moot point. However, plastic waste and its safe disposal is the responsibility of all

organizations using this commodity.


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Figure 1: Plastic waste are used for land filling.

2.10. Sources and Types of Plastic Wastes

Plastic wastes arise from different sources, commercial, industrial, household, construction,

demolition, radioactive and hospital wastes. Plastic in commercial wastes, such as from retail

stores and offices, are managed alone with other wastes from their sources and usually

combined with household wastes. Special source of plastic waste is discarded agriculture

mulch (film).

Table 1: Plastics and their products

Sl. No. Types of plastics Industries

1 High Density Polyethylene

(HDPE)

Plastic containers

2 Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) Milk bags and other packaging

materials

3 Polypropylene (PP) Plastic ropes and cups


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Apart from these, we do use polymers as coating material in paint industries and adhesive

industries but these do not come as a plastic waste. The various source of plastics wastes are

given below:

Table 2: Waste generation from plastics

2.11. Plastic Waste Recycling

On the other hand, plastic waste recycling can provide an opportunity to

collect and dispose of plastic waste in the most environmental friendly way and it can be

converted into a resource. Thermoplastic wastes can be recycled. Recycling of thermosetting

materials is more difficult because of the properties of these materials, but they are recycled

as fuel and are used sometimes, by grinding, as fillers in the new thermosetting materials. For

example, large volumes of tyres from cars, bicycles and tricycles, find application as

materials for calorific utilization .In contrast to siting of new landfills or incinerators

facilities, recycling tends to be a politically popular alternatives for the most part. At

industrial scrap level, recycling of plastics grew rapidly after the increase in oil prices of the

mid 1970‟s and it now occupies a common place.

Plastic recycling requires information in following three areas:

Collection and Separation of plastic wastes

Reprocessing technology

Economic viability of the recycled products

In terms of world technology, Europe is the most advanced in recycling and

separation of different plastics. Despite practicing recycling within a manufacturing system,

Sl. No. Types of Wastes Mode of Generation

1 Post-Consumer Plastics By the consumers

2 Industrial Plastics Various industrial Sectors

3 Scrap Plastics and fabricator By the plastic compounder

4 Nuisance Plastics Plastic wastes that find

difficult in recycling


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Japan seems to be devoted to incineration and the use of ash in end products. In the North

America the current incentive for research in these areas is driven by the rapid reduction of

environmentally safe landfill and expensive systems required for incineration.

The recycling concept of plastics, in effect made its beginning in India in late

sixties. Though earlier on cottage scale, scrap cellulose acetate film and acrylic scrap

continued to find their place in the bangle industry as also for recovery of monomer. For a

long time, no attempt seem to have been made to record and quantify the plastic wastes,

collected from various sources and get converted into a range of plastics finished goods; Nor

have there been any attempts to regulate or standardize the quality of recycled materials used.

The recycling metals, papers and glasses are quite advanced in India, but the recycling of

plastics is not viable due to the following reasons:

Less quantity of plastic wastes

Limited technology available for recycling of plastic.

In addition, in other countries, the composition and constituent of the plastic is

explicitly written on the products while in India manufacturers hide these information due to

trade secret. This poses problems in the recycling of plastics. The management of plastics

waste could be a major problem, and whether this would be environmentally friendly, is

required to be assessed carefully. With the size of our country and the requirement of plastics

as useful materials for various domestic and industrial applications, it would not be

appropriate to classify “plastics” as environmental hazards, as these certainly do not become

a “hazard” even if these go into garbage as wastes or in fact discarded items. Their collection,

sorting and recycling and reuse and judiciously for identified critical and non-critical

applications with a view to recover the raw materials, are important issues that need to be

regulated and coordinated.

2.12. Some Attempts for Plastic Recycling

In most of the situations, plastic waste recycling could also be economically

viable, as it generates resources, which are in high demand. Plastic waste recycling also has a

great potential for resource conservation and GHG emissions reduction, such as producing

diesel fuel from plastic waste. This resource conservation goal is very important for most of

the national and local governments, where rapid industrialization and economic development

is putting a lot of pressure on natural resources. Some of the developed countries have


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already established commercial level resource recovery from waste plastics. Therefore,

having a “latecomer‟s advantage,” developing countries can learn from these experiences and

technologies available to them.

To raise the awareness and to build the capacity of local stakeholders, UNEP has

started to promote Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) system based on 3R

(reduce, reuse and recycle) principle. This covers all the waste streams and all the stages of

waste management chain, viz.: source segregation, collection and transportation, treatment

and material/energy recovery and final disposal. It has been shown that with appropriate

segregation and recycling system significant quantity of waste can be diverted from landfills

and converted into resource. Developing and implementing ISWM requires comprehensive

data on present and anticipated waste situations, supportive policy frameworks, knowledge

and capacity to develop plans/systems, proper use of environmentally sound technologies,

and appropriate financial instruments to support its implementation. Many national

governments, therefore, have approached UNEP, [as reflected in the decision taken by the

UNEP Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum during its 25th

Session in

February 2009 (UNEP/GC.25/CW/L.3)] to get further support for their national and local

efforts in implementation of the Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) programme.

Plastics are durable and degrade very slowly; the molecular

bonds that make plastic so durable make it equally resistant to natural processes of

degradation. Since the 1950s, one billion tons of plastic has been discarded and may persist

for hundreds or even thousands of years. In some cases, burning plastic can release toxic

fumes. Burning the plastic polyvinyl chloride (PVC) may create dioxin. Also, the

manufacturing of plastics often creates large quantities of chemical pollutants. By 1995,

plastic recycling programs were common in the United States and elsewhere. Thermoplastics

can be remelted and reused, and thermoset plastics can be ground up and used as filler,

though the purity of the material tends to degrade with each reuse cycle. There are methods

by which plastics can be broken back down to a feedstock state.

To assist recycling of disposable items, the Plastic Bottle Institute of the Society of the

Plastics Industry devised a now-familiar scheme to mark plastic bottles by plastic type. A

plastic container using this scheme is marked with a triangle of three cyclic arrows, which

encloses a number giving the plastic type:


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Table 3: Plastic identification code

2.13. Alternative Methods

Unfortunately, recycling plastics has proven difficult. The biggest problem

with plastic recycling is that it is difficult to automate the sorting of plastic waste, and so it is

labour intensive. Typically, workers sort the plastic by looking at the resin identification

code, though common containers like soda bottles can be sorted from memory. Other

recyclable materials, such as metals, are easier to process mechanically. However, new

mechanical sorting processes are being utilized to increase plastic recycling capacity and

efficiency.

While containers are usually made from a single type and colour of plastic, making them

relatively easy to sort out, a consumer product like a cellular phone may have many small

parts consisting of over a dozen different types and colours of plastics. In a case like this, the

resources it would take to separate the plastics far exceed their value and the item is

discarded. However, developments are taking place in the field of Active Disassembly, which

may result in more consumer product components being re-used or recycled. Recycling


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certain types of plastics can be unprofitable, as well. For example, polystyrene is rarely

recycled because it is usually not cost effective. These un-recycled wastes are typically

disposed of in landfills, incinerated or used to produce electricity at waste-to-energy plants.

The biggest threat to the conventional plastics industry is most likely to be

environmental concerns, including the release of toxic pollutants, greenhouse gas, non-

biodegradable landfill impact as a result of the production and disposal of plastics. Of

particular concern has been the recent accumulation of enormous quantities of plastic trash in

ocean gyres.

Hence we should find a suitable solution for the existence of these waste plastics in

our environment. The plastic to fuel machine deals with the recycling of plastics into suitable

form of fuel. For many years, various methods are tried and tested for processing of waste

plastic. The plastic materials are recycled and low value products are prepared. Plastic

materials which cannot be recycled are usually dumped into undesirable landfill. Worldwide

almost 20% of the waste stream is plastic, most of which still ends up in landfill or at worst it

is incinerated. This is a terrible waste of a valuable resource containing a high level of latent

energy. In recent year this practice has become less and less desirable due to opposition from

Government and environmentally conscious community groups. The value of plastics going

to landfill is showing a marginal reduction despite extensive community awareness and

education programs. Research Centre for Fuel Generation (RCFG) has conducted successful

300 successful pilot trials and commercial trials for conversion of waste plastic materials into

high grade industrial fuel. The system uses liquefaction, pyrolysis and the catalytic

breakdown of plastic materials and conversion into industrial fuel and gases. The system can

handle the majority of plastic materials that are currently being sent to landfill or which have

a low recycle value. Catalytic conversion of waste plastic into high value product is a

superior method of reusing this valuable resource.

The distillate fuel is an excellent fuel and can be used for

1) Diesel electrical generators

2) Diesel burners / stoves

3) Boilers

4) Hot air generators


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5) Hot water generators

6) Diesel pumps

The distillate can be further fractionated into fuels as under and can be used in automobiles.

1) Petrol

2) Kerosene

3) Diesel

3. OBJECTIVE

Use of plastics are increasing day by day. One of the major problem following it is

the disposal of the waste generated from plastics. Since plastics are made from crude oil why

can‟t it be reverse processed. i.e., plastics back to crude oil. This is the basic idea behind our

project. Besides helping to remove a lot of the plastic waste generated thus creating a neat

and tidy environment it also helps to generate fuel which when converted to convenient form

can be used as a source of energy. This combined advantage has inspired us to design and

develop a machine which can efficiently convert plastic to suitable form of fuel. Petroleum

based fuels are becoming exhausted by the increased consumption of fuel by the ever

expanding automobile sector. It is very important to find an alternative to meet the increased

demand of fuels. In the present project, a method is suggested to convert waste plastics to

useful fuel. The objective of the work is to develop a machine which converts plastics to

some useful form of fuel. A new and innovative technology for this process is by catalytic

conversion method. It is an efficient way for recycling of plastics. Cleaned and dried plastic

waste is melted at high temperature in an inert nitrogen atmosphere. Vaporization takes place

and the vapours are passed through catalytic cracker and then condensed. Purpose of the

catalytic cracker is to act as a molecular sieve which will permit only the passage of small

hydrocarbon chains less than C₈ (octanes). The condensates thus obtained have composition

of gasoline, diesel and kerosene. Hence this can be used as a source of energy.


23

4. Experimental Details

4.1. Principles of the Machine

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

monomers, which combine together and form large molecules, called polymers.

When this long chain of polymers breaks at certain points, or when lower molecular weight

fractions are formed, this is termed as degradation of polymers. This is reverse of

polymerization or de-polymerization.

If such breaking of long polymeric chain or scission of bonds occurs randomly, it is

called Random depolymerization. Here the polymer degrades to lower molecular fragments.

In the process of conversion of waste plastics into fuels, random depolymerization is carried

out in a specially designed reactor in the absence of oxygen and in the presence of coal and

certain catalytic additives. The maximum reaction temperature is 350°C. There is total

conversion of waste plastics into value-added fuel products.

4.2. ProcessCarried out in the Machine

4.2.1. Pyrolysis

Pyrolysis is a process of thermal degradation in the absence of oxygen. Plastic

& Rubber waste is continuously treated in a cylindrical chamber and the pyrolytic gases are

condensed in a specially-designed condenser system. This yields a hydrocarbon distillate

comprising straight and branched chain aliphatic, cyclic aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons.

The resulting mixture is essentially the equivalent to petroleum distillate. The plastic / Rubber

is pyrolised at 350-450⁰C and the pyrolysis gases are condensed in a series of condensers to

give a low sulphur content distillate. Pyrolysis is a very promising and reliable technology for

the chemical recycling of plastic wastes. Countries like UK, USA, and Germany etc have


24

successfully implemented this technology and commercial production of monomers using

pyrolysis has already begun there.

Pyrolysis offers a great hope in generating fuel oils, which are heavily priced

now. This reduces the economical burden on developing countries. The capital cost required

to invest on pyrolysis plant is low compared to other technologies. So, this technology may

be an initiative to solve fuel crisis and the problems due to disposal of plastics.

4.2.2. Process

Under controlled reaction conditions, plastics materials undergo random de-

polymerization and are converted into three products:

a) Solid Fuel i.e., Coke

b) Liquid Fuel i.e., Combination of Gasoline, Kerosene, Diesel and Lube Oil

c) Gaseous Fuel i.e., LPG range gas

The process consists of two steps:

i) Random de-polymerization

- Loading of waste plastics into the reactor along with the Catalyst system.

- Random de-polymerization of the waste plastics.

ii) Fractional Distillation

- Separation of various liquid fuels by virtue of the difference in their boiling points.

One important factor of the quality of the liquid fuel is that the sulphur content is less than

0.002ppm which is much lower than the level found in regular fuel.

4.3. Parts of the Machine

4.3.1 REACTOR

Reactor is the major component of this machine. There are certain critical factors and

they are

Type of feed

Reactor atmosphere


25

Temperature

Pressure

Typical Feedfor the Machine

Table 4: Typical Feed for Machine

Sl.

No.

POLYMER DESCRIPTION As a feed stock

for liquid fuel

1 PE, PP, PS Typical feed stock for

fuel production due to

high heat value and

clean exhaust gas

Allowed


26

2 PET, Phenolic resin ,PVA,

polyoxymethylene

Lower heat value than

above plastics

Not allowed

3 Polyamide,

Polyurethane,Polysulphide

Fuel from this type of

plastics is a hazardous

component such as NOx

and Sox in flue gas.

Not allowed

4 PVC, Poly vinylidene

chloride and fluro carbon

polymers.

Source of hazardous and

corrosive flue gas up on

thermal treatment and

combustion

Not allowed

From the table it is very clear that the typical feed in the machine are PE,PP and PS

4.3.2. CATALYTIC CRACKER

Catalytic cracking is the breaking of large hydrocarbon molecules into smaller and

more useful bits. Catalytic cracker is provided with catalyst inside. The cracker must be

designed in such a way that the vapour from the reactor must have maximum surface contact

with the catalyst. The catalyst will act as a molecular sieve which permits the passage of

small molecules. There is no single unique reaction happening in the cracker. The

hydrocarbon molecules are broken up in a fairly random way to produce mixtures of smaller

hydrocarbons, some of which have carbon-carbon double bonds.


27

4.3.3. CONDENSER

It‟s the part of machine which condenses the vapours coming out from the catalytic

cracker.

The condenser must condense the very hot vapors in an efficient manner to give the

condensate

Clogging in the condenser must be prevented. This can be achieved by increasing the

diameter of the pipe

In this machine, we are using a spiral condenser to increase the efficiency of

condensation


28

4.3.4. NITROGEN CYLINDER

Inert atmosphere in the reactor is provided by pumping nitrogen from a nitrogen

cylinder attached to the reactor.

Purpose: plastic feed should not burn instead it should melt at high temperature inside the reactor.

4.4. Materials Used

Polymers used

Polyethylene (PE)

Polypropylene (PP)

Polystyrene (PS)


29

Catalyst Used

ZSM-5, Zeolite Socony Mobil–5, is an aluminosilicatezeolite belonging to the

pentasil family of zeolites. Its chemical formula is NanAlnSi96–nO192·16H2O (0<n<27).

Patented by Mobil Oil Company in 1975, it is widely used in the petroleum industry as a

heterogeneous catalyst for hydrocarbonisomerization reactions.

Structure

ZSM-5 is composed of several pentasil units linked together by oxygen bridges to

form pentasil chains. A pentasil unit consists of eight five-membered rings. In these rings, the

vertices are Al or Si and an O is assumed to be bonded between the vertices. The pentasil

chains are interconnected by oxygen bridges to form corrugated sheets with 10-ring holes.

Like the pentasil units, each 10-ring hole has Al or Si as vertices with an O assumed to be

bonded between each vertex. Each corrugated sheet is connected by oxygen bridges to form a

structure with “straight 10-ring channels running parallel to the corrugations and sinusoidal

10-ring channels perpendicular to the sheets.” Adjacent layers of the sheets are related by an

inversion point. The estimated pore size of the channel running parallel with the corrugations

is 5.4–5.6 Å. The crystallographic unit cell of ZSM-5 has 96 T sites (Si or Al), 192 O sites,

and a number of compensating cations depending on the Si/Al ratio, which ranges from 12 to

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminosilicate



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrocarbon



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pentasil.png


30

infinity. The structure is orthorhombic (space group Pnma) at high temperatures, but a phase

transition to

the monoclinic space group P21/n.1.13 occurs on cooling below a transition temperature,

located between 300 and 350 K.

ZSM-5 catalyst was first synthesized by Argauer and Landolt in 1972. It is a medium

pore zeolite with channels defined by ten-membered rings. The synthesis involves three

different solutions. The first solution is the source of alumina, sodium ions, and hydroxide

ions; in the presence of excess base the alumina will form soluble Al(OH)4– ions. The second

solution has the tetrapropylammoniumcation that acts as a templating agent. The third

solution is the source of silica, one of the basic building blocks for the framework structure of

a zeolite. Mixing the three solutions produces supersaturated tetrapropylammonium ZSM-5,

which can be heated to recrystallize and produce a solid.

4.5.Laboratory Set Up

30g of weighed plastic granules are fed into the round bottom flask. The round bottom flask

is provided with a continuous supply of inert nitrogen gas using a nitrogen gas cylinder. Heat

is provided by using Bunsen burner which may be between 350-450⁰C. It is the temperature

at which plastic begins to melt and vaporise. The vapours are passed through the catalyst

which is kept at a certain temperature. The vapours are then condensed using a condenser

attached to round bottom flask. At the end of condenser, the distillate is collected. The

amount of distillate obtained is measured. The colour of the distillate is noted. The time and

temperature at which the distillate is obtained is also noted. 1ml of distillate is taken in a

china dish and it is ignited. It burns and the time taken for ignition is noted. The experiment is

repeated with different plastics such as LDPE, HDPE, PP, PS, plastic wastes (mainly plastic

carry bags, CD case etc.)


31

4.6. Process to be carried out:

Pretreatment of plastics. i.e. removal of water and impurities

Loading of treated plastic into fluidized bed reactor provided with refractory bricks.

Heating the materials to 350-450 degree Celsius in an inert atmosphere.

Inert atmosphere is provided by a nitrogen cylinder connected to the reactor.

Carrying the vapours to a catalytic chamber provided with suitable catalyst

Purpose of catalyst is to crack long chain hydrocarbons into small chain

molecules. it is also involved the isomerisation of the molecules.ie, linear

hydrocarbon chain changed into branched because the branched ones have higher

octane number which is the major component of the fuel.


32

Designing of the catalytic cracker in such a way that it should provide maximum

surface contact of the vapours with the catalyst.

Plastics that has been cut into coarse granules is fed into a trough. It then moves through

various tubes and chambers. Through the process, the plastic is heated into a liquid and then

into a gas, and then cooled. At the end, a light coloured oil drips from a spigot into a

receptable (The machine can process about 10kg of plastic and produce about 10 litres of oil

every hour and can run continuously around the clock). The only other by-products include a

tiny bit of carbon residue, CO2 and water vapour.

Just about any plastic can be fed into the machine. Paper labels and a little dirt won‟t

hurt it, but the material should be relatively dry. The oil that comes out is a blend of gasoline,

diesel, kerosene and some heavy oils. It can be fed directly into an oil furnace or could be

processed further into something that could go straight into a diesel car.

4.7.Inferences Drawn From Experiment

Polystyrene (PS) is a solvent for rubber ( It dissolved the rubber tube used for the

experiment)

Mainly polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS) only gives such

distillate

Plastic waste gives only less amount of distillate than pure polymer granules (since it

contains other additives in it)

In case of polystyrene (PS), more smoky fumes are produced due to its structural

properties arising due to its aromatic structure

Because the entire process takes place inside vacuum and the plastic is melted and not

burned, minimal to no toxins are released in to the air

Burning pure hydrocarbons such as PE and PP will produce a fuel that burns fairly

clean

While burning PVC large amounts of chlorine will corrode the reactor and pollute the

environment


33

Different tests have been carried out to study and compare the fuel characteristics of different

samples and those of petrol and diesel which are used as the standard reference. The

characteristics which are studied are:

5. Test for Characterizing Output

5.1. Calorific Value

It is the amount of heat produced by the complete combustion of fuel. It is measured in

units of energy per amount of material.eg: kJ /kg

Instrument used : Bomb Calorimeter

5.1.1 Principle:


34

A weighed sample of the fuel is burned in oxygen in a bomb calorimeter under

controlled conditions. The calorific value is calculated from the weight of the sample and the

rise in temperature of the water.

1. Stand with illuminators and magnifiers

2. Thermometer

3. Motor

4. Stirrer

5. Lid

6. Outer jacket

7. Calorimeter vessel

8. Bomb assembly

9. Electrical connecting leads

10. Schrader valve

11. Ignition wire

12. Crucible

13. Water

14. Firing unit

5.1.2. Procedure

Weigh a suitable quantity of sample of fuel whose calorific value is to be found out,

in a stainless steel oil cup to the nearest 0.1 mg. For solid fuels make a pellet of the fuel and

weigh it to the nearest 0.1 mg. Place the pellet in the crucible inside the bomb.

Place the oil cup in the circular ring attached to the terminals of the bomb for liquid fuels.

Attach a length of nichrome wire across the bomb terminals. Weigh a suitable length of dry

cotton or a strip of filter paper, and tie or support it as the case requires, at the centre of

nichrome wire, so that its free end dips into the contents of the oil cup

Admit oxygen from the cylinder slowly, so that the oil is not blown from the cup until the

appropriate pressure is reached. For aviation and motor fuels, this pressure must lie between

25 and 30atm and for kerosene and heavier fuels between 25 and 27 atm.


35

The calorimeter vessel is filled with water such that the cover of the bomb will be submerged

within it when placed in position.

Place the prepared bomb with electrical leads, in the water in the calorimeter. Check that

there is no leakage of oxygen. Confirm that the firing leads are dead, and make the

appropriate connections. Put the cover in position, arrange the thermometer and stirrer in

position so that they do not touch the bomb or the vessel, and start the stirrer (driven by a

small induction motor).

The temperature of water is noted. Fire the charge by closing the firing circuit for two

seconds. Find out the maximum temperature attained by the water in the calorimeter.

Make sure that all the oil has burned.

5.1.3. Calculations

Mass of the sample burned = m grams

Initial water temperature = Ti oC

Final water temperature = Tf0C

Water equivalent of calorimeter, mw = 2350 gms

Specific heat of water , Cw = 4.187 J/gm/k

Let CV be the calorific value of the fuel burned. Then the heat of burning of fuel=

heat given to the calorimeter and water.

i.e. mCV = mwCw[Tf-Ti]

CV = mwCw[Tf-Ti]/m

Heat due to the burning of cotton strip is not taken into account.


36

5.2. Viscosity

It is defined as measure of the resistance to gradual deformation by shear or tensile

stress.

For liquids, it refers to „thickness‟.

Unit is centipoise (cp)

Instrument used : Cone and Plate Viscometer

Viscosity is the measure of the internal friction of a fluid. This friction becomes apparent

when a layer of fluid is made to move in relation to another layer. The greater the friction, the

greater the amount of force required to cause this movement, which is called shear. Shearing

occurs whenever the fluid is physically moved or distributed as in pouring, spreading,

spraying, mixing etc. Highly viscous fluids therefore require more force to move than less

viscous materials. Sir Isaac Newton postulated that, for straight, parallel, and uniform flow,

the shear stress τ between layers is proportional to the velocity gradient, du/dy, in the

direction perpendicular to the layers.

τ = η du

dy


37

Here the constant η is known as the coefficient of viscosity, the viscosity, the dynamic

viscosity or the Newtonian viscosity. The velocity gradient du/dy is a measure of the change

in speed at which the intermediate layers move with respect to each other and it describes the

shearing of the liquids, often referred as shear rate with unit as sec inverse the force per unit

area required top produce the shearing, is the shear stress (τ) and is expressed as dynes/cm2.

Thus, viscosity can be defined mathematically as

Poise= τ

du

dy

The absolute viscosity of samples under conditions of defined shear rate and shear

stress were determined by a programmable Brookfield DV-II + cone and plate viscometer

thermo stated in the temperature range 25-60+-1C. Its cone and plate spindle geometry

requires a sample volume of only 0.5 to 2ml and generates shear rates in the range of 0.6 to

1500 reciprocal seconds.

The Brookfield DV-II+ cone and plate viscometer is of the rotational variety. It

requires the torque that is needed to rotate an immersed element (the spindle) in a fluid. The

spindle is driven by a synchronous motor through a calibrated spring; the deflection of the

spring is indicated by a digital display. By using a multiple speed transmission and

interchangeable spindles a variety of viscosity ranges can be measured. For a given viscosity,

the viscous drag or resistance to flow is proportional to the spindle‟s speed of rotation and is

related to the spindle‟s size and shape (geometry).the drag will increase as the spindle size

and /or rotational speed increases. It follows that for a given spindle geometry and speed, an

increase in viscosity will be indicated by an increase in the deflection of the spring.

5.3. Acidity (Acid value)

5.3.1. Definition:

It is the mass of potassium hydroxide in milligrams that is required to neutralize 1g of

chemical substance


38

5.3.2. Procedure:

Known amount of sample dissolved in organic solvent is titrated with a solution of

KOH with known concentration and with phenolphthalein as a color indicator

2×0.56 g of KOH is dissolved in 200 ml of distilled water. Take this in a burette (50 ml). 1 g

of oil is added to 50 ml of methanol. Heat it at 400C (put a magnetic stirrer). Add two drops

of phenolphthalein as colour indicator. Titrate against 0.1 M KOH. The end point value is

noted.

Acidity = 2 X 0.56/V

5.4. Density and Specific Gravity

Density is defined as mass per unit volume. Its unit is g/cm³

Specific gravity is defined as the ratio of density of a substance to the

density of a reference standard. Here, water is used as reference standard.

Instrument used : Density bottle

It is made of glass, consists of a closely fitting stopper and a capillary tube inside it.


39

A pycnometer also called specific gravity bottle, is a device used to determine

the density of a liquid. A pycnometer is usually made of glass, with a close-fitting ground

glass stopper with a capillary tube through it, so that air bubbles may escape from the

apparatus. This device enables a liquid's density to be measured accurately by reference to an

appropriate working fluid, such as water or mercury, using an analytical balance.

If the flask is weighed empty, full of water, and full of a liquid whose relative density is

desired, the relative density of the liquid can easily be calculated. The particle density of a

powder, to which the usual method of weighing cannot be applied, can also be determined

with a pycnometer. The powder is added to the pycnometer, which is then weighed, giving

the weight of the powder sample. The pycnometer is then filled with a liquid of known

density, in which the powder is completely insoluble. The weight of the displaced liquid can

then be determined, and hence the relative density or specific gravity of the powder.


40

6. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

6.1. Test Results

6.1.1. Calorific value

SAMPLE CALORIFIC VALUE (kJ/kg)

PE 42829.65

PP 42145.91

PS 37881.08

PE

(catalyst)

43817.97

PP

(catalyst)

33866.58

PS

(catalyst)

38519.28

PE

WASTE

40252.30

PP

WASTE

37166.63

PS

WASTE

37344.74

Petrol 44400

diesel 43200


41

Calorific value vs. Polymer sample

X-axis: polymer sample Y-axis: calorific value

From the table and the graph, it can be concluded that calorific value of the

sample fuel is comparable to that of the reference petrol and diesel. Also, the calorific value

is increased on using the catalyst and the calorific value of the plastic waste is less than the

pure sample since it contains many other additives.

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

45000

50000

PE PP PS

pure sample

pure sample with catalyst

plastic waste with catalyst


42

6.1.2. Viscosity

SAMPLE VISCOSITY (cp)

PE 1.92

PP 1.15

PS 1.31

PE

(catalyst)

1.39

PP

(catalyst)

.82

PS

(catalyst)

0.89

PE

WASTE

.64

PP

WASTE

.41

PS

WASTE

.44

Petrol .33

diesel 3.22


43

Viscosity vs. Polymer sample

X-axis: polymer sample Y-axis: Viscosity

From the table and graph, it can be concluded that the viscosity is reduced on using

the catalyst and it is comparable to that of petrol and diesel. The relevance of the catalyst is

also very much understood from this test. The catalyst acts as a molecular sieve hence only

small hydrocarbon molecules are present in the output therefore their viscosity will be less

compared to samples without catalyst.

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

PE PP PS

pure sample




44

6.1.3. Acidity

ACIDITY (in pH)

PE 2.26

PP 2.51

PS 2.06

PE

(catalyst)

1.13

PP

(catalyst)

1.243

PS

(catalyst)

2.26

PE

WASTE

1.384

PP

WASTE

1.299

PS

WASTE

1.424

Petrol 1.02

diesel 1.01


45

Acidity vs. Polymer sample

X-axis: polymer sample Y-axis: acidity

From the table and graph, it can be concluded that acidity of the samples is

closely approaching to the values of petrol and diesel and the values are reduced on using the

catalyst.

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

PE PP PS

pure sample




46

6.1.4. Density and Specific Gravity

Density

(g/cm³)

Specific

gravity

PE 1.151 1.151

PP 1.143 1.143

PS 1.359 1.359

PE

(catalyst)

1.023 1.023

PP

(catalyst)

1.118 1.118

PS

(catalyst)

1.179 1.179

PE

WASTE

1.112 1.112

PP

WASTE

1.111 1.111

PS

WASTE

1.321 1.321

Petrol 1.063

Diesel 1.211


47

Density vs. Polymer sample

X-axis: polymer sample Y-axis: density

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

PE PP PS

pure sample




48

Specific gravity vs. Polymer sample

X-axis: Polmer Sample Y-axis: specific gravity

From the table and graph, it can be concluded that both density and specific gravity of

the samples are closely approaching the values of the standard reference petrol and diesel.

Also, the values are increased on using the catalyst.

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

PE PP PS

pure sample




49

6.2. Role of Catalyst in the Process

Here the catalyst used is HZSM-5. The optimization of waste plastic as a function

of temperature in a batch mode reactor gave liquid yields of about 80% at a furnace

temperatures of about 600 degrees centigrade and one hr residence time. Sodium carbonate or

lime addition to the pyrolysis and co-processing reactors results into an effective chlorine

capture and the chlorine content of pyrolysis oil reduces to about 50-200ppm. The volatile

product from this process is scrubbed and condensed yielding about 10-15%gas and 75-80%

of a relatively heavy oil product.

The catalyst is a molecular sieve which will permit only the passage of small

hydrocarbon molecules through them. The relevance of catalyst is that, the desirable final

product is mixed oil that consists of gasoline, diesel oil and kerosene. In the absence of

molecular sieve (catalyst), the final product consists of large hydrocarbon chains which get

polymerized when brought into normal conditions. The presence of small chain hydrocarbons

in the product is achieved by the use of catalyst.

% Conversion Vs Catalyst

Figure: Comparison of HZSM--5 catalyst with other catalysts based on its performance

From figure , it is very clear that the performance of the catalyst HZSM-5 is very high compared to all

other catalysts. This is the reason why we use this particular catalyst in our machine.


50

6.3. Molecular Structure of the Catalyst

Figure: Molecular Structure of the Catalyst

From the figure, it is very clear that the catalyst is a molecular sieve which permits only the

passage of small hydrocarbon molecules through them.

ZSM-5, Zeolite Socony Mobil–5, is an aluminosilicatezeolite belonging to

the pentasil family of zeolites. Its chemical formula is NanAlnSi96–nO192·16H2O (0<n<27).

Patented by Mobil Oil Company in 1975, it is widely used in the petroleum industry as a

heterogeneous catalyst for hydrocarbon isomerization reactions.




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isomerization


51

6.4. Process taking place in a Catalytic Reactor:

Pictorial Representation:

6.5. Features of Catalyst to be used:

Catalyst which is more selective to octanes

The octane is one of the molecule found in petrol. Hydrocarbons used in petrol

(gasoline) are given an octane rating which relates to how effectively they perform in


52

the engine. A hydrocarbon with a high octane rating burns more smoothly than one

with a low octane rating

Catalyst which possess limited deactivation by coke

Coke is deposited on catalyst when vapors passes through them which may cause

catalyst deactivation

Catalyst which possess high thermal stability

Vapors at high temperature is passing through the catalyst which will affect its

stability

6.6. Cracking of Molecules in Reactor in Presence of Catalyst

Table: Cracking of Molecules in Reactor in Presence of Catalyst


53

The figure shows the breaking of different hydrocarbon chains in the reactor in the presence

of the catalyst.

6.7. Regeneration of catalyst:

Coke will be deposited on catalyst during the process. But this catalyst can be regenerated by

burning. Hence, coke deposited is removed.

6.8. Need of Catalytic Cracking:

The final product we get is mixed oil that consists of gasoline, diesel

oil, kerosene. In absence of the molecular sieve(catalyst) , the final product consist of large

hydrocarbon chains which get polymerized when brought into normal conditions hence we

need to break or permit only the presence of small chain hydrocarbons in the product. This is

achieved by the catalytic cracker.


54

7. Conclusion

Cost for the fuel is increasing day by day and also the problem arising

due to the improper waste disposal of plastics are increasing in our country.

This plastic to fuel machine can solve both these problem in the most efficient

manner. This process offer many advantages such as:

1) Problem of disposal of waste plastic is solved.

2) Waste plastic is converted into high value fuels.

3) Environmental pollution is controlled.

4) Industrial and automobile fuel requirement shall be fulfilled to some extent at lower

price.

5) No pollutants are created during cracking of plastics.

6) The crude oil and the gas can be used for generation of electricity.

We have carried out the process with and without catalyst and the test results have improved

by using the catalyst:

Calorific value increased

Acid value decreased

Viscosity decreased

Density and specific gravity decreased

Lastly, further studies are required in future for economic improvementand its

design flexibility.


55

8. References

Converting Waste Plastics into a Resource,

Compendium of Technologies

Compiled by

United Nations Environmental Programme

Division of Technology, Industry and Economics

International Environmental Technology Centre

Osaka/Shiga, Japan

Thermal Decomposition of Polymers

Craig L. Beyler and Marcelo Hirschler

Handbook of Fluidization and Fluid – Particle Systems

Edited by

Wen- Ching Yang (Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. MARCEL.

Sustainable Plastics - website promoting bio plastics:

www.sustainableplastics.org/

US Energy Information Association: Crude Oil facts

FAQs:www.tonto.eia.doe.gov/ask/crudeoil_faqs.asp#plastics

ChemTrust – information on Chemicals and Health: www.chemtrust.org.uk/

Plastics Industry Perspective on the health impacts from PVC:

www.pvc.org/What-is-PVC/How-is-PVC-made/PVCAdditives

Polymer degradation to fuels over micro-porous catalysts as a novel tertiary

plastic recycling method, Polymer Degradation and

Stability

http://www.sustainableplastics.org/

http://www.tonto.eia.doe.gov/ask/crudeoil_faqs.asp#plastics

http://www.chemtrust.org.uk/

http://www.pvc.org/What-is-PVC/How-is-PVC-made/PVCAdditives


56

KarishmaGobin, George Manos

Thermal degradation of municipal plastic waste for production of fuel-like

hydrocarbons, Polymer Degradation and Stability

N. Miskolczia, L. Barthaa, G. Dea´ka, B. Jo´ verb


57

Certifications


58


59


60

Plastic to Fuel Machine

Technology

fuel machine projectreport2014

department polymer engineering

plastic recycling

plastic production

disadvantages of plastic

plastic waste recycling

types of plastic wastes

common plastic uses