Production of Fuel from Polymer Waste.
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Date
2012-05
Authors
Hamad, o Afnan
Jamous, o Marah
Manasra, o Mohammad
Rasheed, o Rahal
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Abstract
This century can be called “Plastic age”, plastics play a major role in our modern life, plastic was alternative for most industrial materials due to its fabulous properties, there is an increase in the production and consumption of plastics day by day, the quantum of solid waste is increasing due to increasing in population, developmental activities, and changes in life style.
All plastics need to be disposed after their usage, as waste. The need to manage this waste from plastic becomes more essential for the environmental concern.
This project aims to participate in minimizing the impact of plastic waste on environment by converting it into beneficial fuel, to achieve this objective a device was designed and constructed to crack the plastic waste using two methods: thermal, and catalytic cracking, the device was a fixed bed reactor provided with condenser, receiver, and a safety bubbler.
A sample of 1 kg of LDPE was examined using the two methods, thermal cracking was heated to 540°C, the reaction time was about 70 minutes, it produced a dark black liquid fuel with yield of 55.1% and a conversion of 67.04%. Whereas the catalytic cracking was heated up to 500°C, the reaction time was about 50 minutes, it produced a clear yellow liquid fuel with yield of 61.24% and conversion of 77.41%.
The resulted products from LDPE catalytic and thermal cracking were mostly similar to the specifications of diesel and gasoline respectively.
Other types of plastics were experimented only using catalytic cracking, HDPE, PP, and PS has given yields of 62.78%, 44.10%, and 42.30% respectively. And conversions of 78.98%, 72.10%, and 70.00% respectively.
Due to its fabulous properties, plastic plays an important role in almost every aspect of human’s lives. Most products or tools used involve plastic or were manufactured from plastic such as bags, covers, toys, etc. The widespread use of plastics demands proper end of life management.
The quantum of solid waste is ever increasing due to increase in population,developmental activities, changes in life style, and socio-economicconditions, Plastics waste is a significant portion of the total municipalsolid waste (MSW). The environmental hazards due tomismanagement of plastics waste include the following aspects:
o Littered plastics spoils beauty of the city and choke drains and make
Important public places filthy;
o Garbage containing plastics, when burnt may cause air pollution by
emitting polluting gases;