College of Engineering Unit:
The objective of the Plastics to Fuel project is to use pyrolysis to mitigate the burden of plastics pollution in rural and island areas. In 2018, only 8-10% of post-consumer plastic waste was recycled. By utilizing pyrolysis, a variety of commodity plastics can be converted into a usable diesel like fuel. Before plastics can be put into the reactor, the plastics are characterized for plastic types and any potential fillers using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Modifications of catalysts and the reactor bed have recently resulted in product yields of 80-90%. The quality of product is verified using Gas chromatography and compared to commercial and farming diesel standards. Plastics that have been run include PE, PP& PS pellets alone and in mixtures to simulate a mixed plastic waste stream; recycled agricultural PE pots; ocean recovered PE fishing nets; and red bag waste intact needles and syringes. All produced useable diesel product.
Project Communication Piece(s):
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
 PTF Applications and Analysis | 1.59 MB |