Transportation fuel from plastic wastes: Production, purification and SI engine tests

Zsolt Dobó, Zsófia Jakab, Gábor Nagy, Tamás Koós, Katalin Szemmelveisz and Gábor Muránszky

Energy, 2019, vol. 189, issue C

Abstract: Thermal pyrolysis of HDPE, LDPE, PP, PS, PET and PUR plastic wastes were performed in a batch reactor equipped with a temperature controlled reflux and the yields of pyrolysis oils and liquid fuels suitable for transportation were determined. The gasoline fractions were investigated by GC-MS and tested in a traditional spark-ignition engine without any modifications or fuel blending. Fuel consumption and exhaust gas emission (NOx, CO) were measured and compared to a commercial fuel (gasoline, RON = 95). PS generated 70.5% gasoline range hydrocarbons from the solid waste, followed by PP with 42.1%, LDPE with 40.8% and HDPE with 37.3%. Liquid product was not observed during PET pyrolysis. The engine was easily running with neat gasoline fractions obtained from HDPE, LDPE, PP and PS distillation; however, it was not able to start the engine with the neat dehydrated PUR distillate. The volumetric fuel consumption was reduced by 9.1–9.4% in case of PS compared to commercial gasoline (RON = 95) but the NOx emission was increased by 82–147%. Fuel consumption reduction was noticeable at HDPE, LDPE and PP as well. PS gasoline decreased by 91–96%, while HDPE, LDPE and PP more likely increased the CO emission of the engine compared to commercial gasoline.

Keywords: Plastic; Waste; Pyrolysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:189:y:2019:i:c:s0360544219320481

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2019.116353

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