Fast Pyrolysis of Fibre Waste Contaminated with Plastic for use as Fuel Products

Publication date: Available online 9 January 2019Source: Journal of Analytical and Applied PyrolysisAuthor(s): Logan Jeremy Brown, François-Xavier Collard, Johann GörgensAbstractPyrolysis is finding increasing application as a tool for the effective management of industrial waste, as it can process a wide variety of heterogeneous feedstock into energy dense products. Inductively heated fast pyrolysis with heating rate of 250 °C min-1 was applied for conversion of three industrial waste streams from a fibre recycling mill, contaminated with plastic wastes, into energy products. Experiments were carried out at three different temperatures (350, 450 and 550 °C) and the yields and energy contents of the char, oil, wax and gas products were determined. For all three waste streams, conversion at 350 °C, mostly concentrated the energy in the char, resulting in calorific values between 20.9 MJ kg-1 and 35.1 MJ kg-1 which are comparable to common bituminous coal used for power generation. Pyrolysis at 450 or 550 °C promoted the formation of condensable volatiles (wax/liquid) with total yields of up to 59 wt.% being obtained at 550 °C, with the calorific value up to 41.7 MJ kg-1 comparable to heavy fuel oil. The estimated net energy yield for the three waste streams ranged from 10 to 25 MJ (kg dry feedstock)-1 with the largest energy yield being obtained for the stream containing the largest fraction of hydrocarbon plastics.

Source: Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis - January 10, 2019 Category: Chemistry Source Type: research