Thermal depolymerization of plastics - PDU testing. Task 15. Topical report

The process development unit (PDU) test program is part of an ongoing effort at the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) to expand the base of knowledge for the thermal depolymerization of plastics process. This phase of the development effort, initiated after successful completion of a bench-scale program, has concentrated on maximizing liquid yield. The purposes of the PDU program were (1) to demonstrate the process on a commercially scalable unit, (2) to produce quantities of product that could be used to initiate discussions with potential end users, and (3) to gather engineering and yield data. Experimentation consisted of eleven test points on the PDU and seven on the continuous fluid-bed reactor (CFBR) bench-scale unit. Initial PDU tests (PO35-PO39) were carried out using a base blend, which consists of 60% high-density polyethylene (HDPE), 20% polypropylene (PP), and 20% polystyrene (PS) virgin resin pellets. Test PO39 used base blend with 5% polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The base blend decomposed to produce a flowable liquid, with liquid yields ranging from 33% to 45%. The next series of tests, PO40-PO44, used a postconsumer plastics feed. This material did not decompose as readily as the base blend and formed a very waxy, heavy liquid, with {open_quotes}liquid{close_quotes} yields ranging from 18% to 63% (low liquid yields are the result of using excess air in the natural gas burner in some tests in an attempt to increase gas residence time)