Effects of Heating Rate and Temperature on the Yield of Thermal Pyrolysis of a Random Waste Plastic Mixture

José Manuel Riesco-Avila, James R. Vera-Rozo, David A. Rodríguez-Valderrama, Diana M. Pardo-Cely and Bladimir Ramón-Valencia
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José Manuel Riesco-Avila: Mechanical Engineering Department, Engineering Division, Campus Irapuato-Salamanca, University of Guanajuato, Guanajuato 37320, Mexico
James R. Vera-Rozo: Mechanical Engineering Department, Engineering Division, Campus Irapuato-Salamanca, University of Guanajuato, Guanajuato 37320, Mexico
David A. Rodríguez-Valderrama: Mechanical Engineering Department, Engineering Division, Campus Irapuato-Salamanca, University of Guanajuato, Guanajuato 37320, Mexico
Diana M. Pardo-Cely: Mechanical Engineering Department, Engineering Division, Campus Irapuato-Salamanca, University of Guanajuato, Guanajuato 37320, Mexico
Bladimir Ramón-Valencia: Mechanical Engineering Program, University of Pamplona, Pamplona 543050, Colombia

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 15, 1-12

Abstract: Effects of heating rate and temperature on thermal-pyrolytic yield of a plastic-waste mixture were studied in a semi-batch reactor. The temperature in the range of 380–460 °C and heating rates of 10, 19, and 28 °C/min were evaluated through an experimental multi-level design. The results show that higher temperatures or lower residence time reduce the yield of pyrolytic oil at the expense of increasing the yield of gaseous products. The maximum liquid yield was 69%, obtained at 410 °C and a heating rate of 10 °C/min. The composition of pyrolytic oil covers a wide range of hydrocarbons; thus, a fractionation is necessary before using it as fuel in internal combustion engines. The fractionation process yielded 21.12 wt% of light fraction (gasoline-like), 56.52 wt% of medium fraction (diesel-like), and 22.36 wt% of heavy fraction (heavy diesel-like). The light fraction has an octane index and caloric value within the range of the typical gasoline values. On the other hand, the cetane index and caloric value of the medium fraction meet the requirements of the standards for diesel.

Keywords: waste plastics; pyrolysis; fuels (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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