Chapter 1

_______________________________________

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction
For

many

years,

various

methods

are

tried

and

tested

for

processing of waste plastic. The plastic materials are recycled

and

low

value

products

are

prepared.

Plastic

materials

which

cannot be recycled are usually dumped into undesirable landfill.

Worldwide almost 20% of the waste stream is plastic, most of
which still ends up in landfill or at worst it is incinerated.
This is a terrible waste of a valuable resource containing a high
level of latent energy, in recent year this practice has become
less and less desirable due to opposition from Government and
environmentally conscious community groups. The value of plastics
going

to

landfill

is

showing

marginal

reduction

despite

extensive community awareness and education programs. Research

Centre for Carbon components Generation (RCFG) has conducted 300
successful pilot trials and commercial trials for conversion of
waste plastic materials into high grade industrial carbonaceous
materials.
catalytic

The

system

breakdown

industrial

uses

of

liquefaction,

plastic

carbonaseous

materials

materials.

The

pyrolysis
and

system

and

the

conversion
can

into

handle

the

majority of plastic materials that are currently being sent to

landfill or which have a low recycle value. Catalytic conversion
of waste plastic into high value product is a superior method of
reusing

this

consumption

valuable
and

resource.

production

Economic

patterns

growth

are

and

resulting

changing

into

rapid

increase in generation of waste plastics in the world. In Asia

and

the

plastic

Pacific,

as

consumption

well
has

as

many

increased

other
much

developing

more

than

regions,

the

world

average due to rapid urbanization and economic development, this

implies that on one hand more resources are being used to meet
the increased demand of plastic, and on the other hand, more
plastic

waste

is

being

generated
1

due

to

the

increase

in

generation, waste plastics are becoming a major stream in solid

waste. After food waste and paper waste, plastic waste is the
major constitute of municipal and industrial waste in cities.
Even the cities with low economic growth have started producing
more plastic waste due to plastic packaging, plastic shopping
bags, PET bottles and other goods/appliances using plastic as the
major component. This increase has turned into a major challenge
for local authorities, responsible for solid waste management and
sanitation. Due to lack of integrated solid waste management,
most

of

the

plastic

waste

is

neither

collected

properly

nor

disposed of in appropriate manner to avoid its negative impacts

on environment and public health and waste plastics are causing
littering and chocking of

sewage systems. On the other hand,

plastic waste recycling can provide an opportunity to collect and

dispose of plastic waste in the most environmental friendly way
and

it

can

be

converted

into

resource.

In

most

of

the

situations, plastic waste recycling could also be economically

viable, as it generates resources, which are in high demand. To
raise

the

awareness

and

to

build

the

capacity

of

local

stakeholders, UNEP has started to promote Integrated Solid Waste

Management (ISWM) system based on 3R (reduce, reuse and recycle)
principle. This covers all the waste streams and all the stages
of waste management chain, viz.: source segregation, collection
and transportation, treatment and material/energy recovery and
final

disposal.

It

has

been

shown

that

with

appropriate

segregation and recycling system significant quantity of waste

can be diverted from landfills and converted into resource. As
plastics
discarded

are

mass

thereby

produced

and

creating

inexpensive,

vast

solid

they

waste

are

and

readily

pollution

issue, contaminating land and coastal waters. Recycling efforts

in past years have attempted to alleviate this problem, but as
recycled plastics are generally devalued products the economics
of this practice do not always work out. Although the recycling
rate

in

the

U.S.

went

from

approximately
2

6%

to

33%

of

all

municipal solid waste (MSW) over the past 50 years, a further

increase of recycling is not only desirable but, rather essential
due to continuously decreasing landfill space available. However,
it has been limited by a dramatic slump of the recycling market
with the recent global economic downturn. For instance, prices of
used

plastic

cent/lb

bottles

over

recycling

the

last

markets,

eventually,

the

creation

of

have

the

falling

years.

This

associated

publics

new

been

for

25

threatens

cent/lb
to

infrastructure

mindset

market

from

for

erode

and,

recycling.

recycled

plastics,

to

the

perhaps

Therefore,
particularly

leading to high value products, would be beneficial. Generating

high-end

value

nanofibers

products,

(CGCF),

such

as

specifically,

combustion-generated-carboncarbon

nanotubes

(CNT)

and

carbon nanofibers (CNF), from recycled waste plastics may reverse

this trend and restore, even enhance, the motives for recycling.
The major barrier to the industrial application of either CNT or
CNF, on the other hand, lies on the cost of their carbonaceous
precursors.

Even

those

facilities

with

large-scale

production

ability, two decades after the discovery of CNT, still have to

rely on large volume, high-purity light hydrocarbons as carbon
source, such as methane, ethane, ethylene, etc. However, such
chemicals are of high demand by many diverse industries and are,
thus costly. Considering their high carbon and hydrogen content,
as well as their high energy content, waste plastics present a
distinct alternative to the aforementioned carbon sources. The
use of such relatively inexpensive feedstock for the manufacture
of

well-defined

CGCF,

could

lower

prices

of

nanostructured

carbonaceous materials and accelerate their large scale use in an

increasing number of commercial products, such as batteries or
composites.

This

work

utilized

waste

polyethylene

(PE)

feedstock. Other waste plastics are currently being examined.

----****---3

as

Chapter 2
__________________________PRODUCTS TO BE MANUFACTURED
2.1 Products generated
Following products shall be manufactured from waste plastic
1) Crude oil
2) Petroleum Gases
3) Activated carbon
4) Carbon nano tubes

2.2 Market Potential

There is great market potential for these carbon componentss,
as these can be sold at about 25% less prices. The potential
buyers shall be as under:
1) Industries having Boilers.
2) Industries having electric generators.
3) Hotels
stoves.

and

Resorts

having

electric

generators

4) Construction companies having heavy machinery.

5) Farmers using diesel pumps.
6) Indian Oil Corporation
7) Bharat Petroleum
8) Hindustan Petroleum
9) Indian Railways
10) Shops having electric generators
11) Domestic people having electric generators
12) Establishments having electric generators
4

and

diesel

13) State transport corporations

14) Local / City transports corporations
15) Logistics companies.

----****----

Chapter 3
__________________

RAW MATERIALS

3.1 Raw Materials to be used

The raw materials include the following:

1) Polyethylene: Buckets, drums, Chapels, sandal, bottles,
plastic parts, carry bags etc.
2) Polypropylene: Pipe fitting, filter cloths etc.
3) Polyamide: Nylon ropes
4) Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC): PVC pipes and fittings
5) Polystyrene: Cloths and fibers
6) Rubber: Tires, automobile parts
7) Polyurethane (PUR)
8) Phenol resin (PF)
9) Polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC)

3.2 Target Waste Plastics

Waste plastics are one of the most promising resources for
cabon

components

production

because

of

its

high

heat

of

combustion and due to the increasing availability in local

communities. Unlike paper and wood, plastics do not absorb
much moisture and the water content of plastics is far lower
than the water content of biomass such as crops and kitchen
wastes. The conversion methods of waste plastics into cabon
components depends on the types of plastics to be targeted and
the properties of

other wastes that might be used in the

process.

Additionally

the

effective

conversion

requires

appropriate technologies to be selected according to local

economic, environmental, social and technical characteristics.
In

general,

components

the

requires

combustible.
conversion

conversion

In

feedstocks

particular

method

of

has

waste
which

each

its

own

plastic
are

type

into

carbon

non-hazardous
of

suitable

waste

and

plastic

feedstock.

The

composition of the plastics used as feedstock may be very

different and some plastic articles might contain undesirable
substances (e.g. additives such as flame-retardants containing
bromine

and

antimony

compounds

or

plastics

containing

nitrogen, halogens, sulfur or any other hazardous substances)

which pose potential risks to humans and to the environment.
The types of plastics and their composition will condition the
conversion

process

and

will

determine

the

pretreatment

requirements, the combustion temperature for the conversion

and

therefore

components

the

quality

energy

consumption

output,

the

flue

required,
gas

the

composition

carbon
(e.g.

formation of hazardous flue gases such as NOx and HCl), the

fly

ash

and

bottom

ash

composition,

chemical corrosion of the equipment

----****---7

and

the

potential

of

Chapter 4
_____

TECHNOLOGY AND MANUFACTURING PROCESS

4.1 Technology and manufacturing process

Research
developed

Centre

for

innovative

inventing

efficiently

new
in

Carbon

technology

catalyst

short

components
for

which

duration

Generation

cracking
cracks

and

the

of

the

(RCFG)

has

plastics
plastic

conversion

by

more

of

1000

kilograms Of mixed plastic gives about 700 liters crude oil or

industrial

carbon

hydrocarbon

gas

components.

and

about

In

80

addition

kilograms

we

Carbon

get

about

black

and

15%
80

kilograms Carbon black can be converted to 50 kilograms Activated

carbon. The technology developed is tested over the period of one
year and is economically viable. Scope of solid carbon components
in this compendium solid carbon components, as referred in this
compendium, is prepared from both municipal and industrial nonhazardous

waste.

Additionally,

the

solid

carbon

components

outlined here excludes coal and coal-derived carbon componentss

as well as solid biocarbon componentss such as firewood and dried
manure but it may contain biocarbon componentss as a component.
This

compendium

differentiates

two

types

of

solid

carbon

components: refuse derived carbon components (RDF), also called

solid recovered carbon components (SRF) and refuse-derived paper
and

plastic

densified

carbon

components

(RPF).

RDF

is

mainly

produced from municipal kitchen waste, used paper, waste wood and
waste plastics. Due to the presence of kitchen waste, prior to
the

conversion

to

carbon

components,

drying

process

is

required to remove the moisture from such waste to allow the

solidification of the waste in suitable shapes and densities.
This process is seen as a disadvantage due to the large amount of
energy

that

components

the

(SRF)

process
is

requires.

defined

in
8

the

Solid

recovered

European

carbon

Committee

for

Standardization

technical

specification

(CEN/TS

15359:2006).On

the other hand RPF is prepared from used paper, waste plastics
and

other

dry

thermoplastics

feed

play

stocks.
key

Within

role

as

the

plastics,

binder

for

the

the
other

components such as thermosetting plastics and other combustible

wastes, which cannot form pellets or briquettes without a binding
component. Approximately 15wt% of thermoplastics is the minimum
required to be used as a binder to solidify the other components;
however

excessive

amounts,

higher

than

50wt%,

would

cause

failure in the pellet preparation. The components of RPFs are

mainly

sorted

from

industrial

wastes

and

are

sometimes

also

obtained from well-separated municipal waste. This type of solid

carbon

components

is

set

to

be

standardized

in

the

Japanese

Industrial Standards (JIS). In both cases, the plastic contents

can

be

varied

(within

range)

to

meet

the

needs

of

carbon

components users. The shape of the carbon components will vary

according to the production equipment (e.g. a screw extruder is
often used to create cylindrical-shaped carbon components with a
variable diameter and length). In the production of solid carbon
components, the contamination of the targeted plastics with other
plastics containing nitrogen, halogens (Cl, Br, F), sulphur and
other hazardous substances may cause air and soil pollution by
the flu gas emission and the incineration ash disposal (e.g.
inorganic components such as aluminium in multilayer film of food
packages produces fly ash and bottom ash). Other contaminants
such

as

hydrogen

chloride

might

cause

serious

damage

to

the

boiler by corrosion.

4.2 Production method

The solid carbon components production process usually involves
two steps, pre treatment and pellet production:
Pre treatment includes coarse shredding and removal of noncombustible materials.

Pellet

production

comprises

secondary

shredding

and

pelletization (<200C).
However,

pre

treatment

is

not

required

if

the

solid

carbon

components producer can collect waste with suitable properties.

Two

types

of

commercial

production

systems

are

described

as

follows. One is a large-scale model with pre treatment for the

separation

of

undesirable

contamination

such

as

metals

and

plastics containing chlorine. The other is a small-scale model

without pre treatment equipment.

4.2.1 Large-scale model (3 ton/hour)

Industrial

waste

plastics,

which

have

been

separated

and

collected in factories, are ideal to be used for solid carbon

components
consists

production.

of

equipment,

waste

pelletizing

A carbon components production facility

unloading
equipment

area,
and

stockyard,
solid

pretreatment

carbon

components

storage. The pretreatment process includes crushing and sorting

for the removal of unsuitable materials from incoming wastes. A
schematic diagram of the pretreatment process is shown in Figure
4.2.1 and Figure 4.2.2 presents a photograph of a pretreatment
process.

10

Figure 4.2.1: Schematic diagram of pretreatment process

Source: Japan RPF Association

11

Figure 4.2.2: Example of pre treatment process (3 ton/h

capacity)
Source: Japan RPF Association

12

After pre treatment, a suitable mixture of paper and plastics

are

further

process

processed

(conveyor

and

in

secondary

magnetic

crusher

separator)

and

and
the

sorting
resulting

mixture is pelletized to produce solid carbon components. The

resulting solid carbon components is cooled in an air-cooling
system to prevent natural ignition during storage and it is
further

stored

for

shipping.

The

output

of

the

process

is

usually solid carbon components pellets of dimensions between 6

to 60 mm in diameter and 10 to 100 mm in length. The heating
value of the pellets will change depending on the content of
the plastics. A mixture of paper and plastics of a 1:1 weight
ratio gives a heating value of approximately 7,000 kcal/kg or
higher. Figure 4.2.3 shows a pelletizing process and Figure
4.2.4 shows a typical pelletizing process facility with a 1
ton/h capacity.

13

Figure 4.2.3: Schematic diagram of a pelletizing process

Source: Japan RPF Association

14

Figure 4.2.4: Typical pelletizing process facility (1

ton/h line)
Source: Japan RPF Association

15

4.2.2 Small-scale model (150 kg/hour)

This small-scale model is a system for solid carbon components
production with a 150-kg/h capacity. In this case the facility
does not have a pre

treatment process, (as aforementioned, a

sorting process is not required if properly segregated waste can

be collected) so the combustible wood, paper and plastic waste is
directly fed into the crusher of the facility. This is carried
out by using a handling machine as shown in Figure 4.2.2.2 where
the operator must control and feed into the crusher a suitable
ratio of

each type of waste in order to maintain the carbon

components qualities such as the heating value. After crushing

the materials, they are transported through a pipe conveyor and
are introduced into a twin-screw pelletizer. Figure 4.2.2.1 shows
the

entire

process

(the

crusher,

pelletizer).

16

the

pipe

conveyor

and

the

Figure 4.2.2.1: Smaller RPF production facility

Source: Japan RPF Association

17

Figure 4.2.2.2: Heavy duty machine to feed wastes

(150 kg/h capacity)

Figure 4.2.2.2: Heavy duty machine to feed wastes

Source: Japan RPF Association

18

4.3 Product and by product

Heating value is an important characteristic of solid carbon
components. Some examples of heating values of several types of
waste and solid carbon components are listed in Table 4.3.

Table 4.3: Heating values of various carbon components

and wastes
Carbon components or waste Typical heating value
(kcal/kg
RDF

4000 5000

RPF

6000 8000

Coal

6000 8000

Heavy oil

9500

Wood/paper

4300

Plastics (polyethylene)

11000

Typical municipal wastes

1000 1500

The heating values of solid RDFs and RPFs may vary depending on
the composition of the materials they contain. Especially in RDF,
fluctuations in the heating values are often observed due

to

changes

is

in

the

composition

of

the

municipal

waste

(which

difficult to control) and according to the degree of drying of

the municipal waste used in the production process. RPF heating
values can usually be controlled easily due to the use of dry and
sorted plastics, paper and other combustible waste, which have
been collected from companies. Other important features of the
solid carbon componentss are its content of ash, moisture and the
content

of

potential

hazardous

substances

like

nitrogen,

chlorine, sulfur and heavy metals. Carbon components suppliers

should have an agreement with carbon components users regarding
the

solid

carbon

components

qualities.
19

Special

attention

is

required in order to avoid self-ignition and methane evolution

during the RDF storage.

4.3.1 Carbon Nanotube Properties and Applications

Carbon
(SWNT)

nanotubes
are

(CNT)

including

category

of

single-wall

fullerenic

carbon

materials

nanotubes
and

their

increasing use in commercial products is part of the beginning

nano-technological

revolution.

The

ability

to

produce

CNT

of

specified characteristics in large quantities and low prices is

therefore

of

major

importance

for

continuous

growth

and

competivity of the national economy. The appealing properties of

CNT fall essentially in three categories:
4.3.1.1 Electrical: semiconducting or metallic behaviour.
4.3.1.2 Mechanical: very high tensile strength (100 steel), high
thermal stability and thermal conductivity
4.3.1.3 Chemical:

extremely

high

surface

area,

biological

interface affinity. Properties of nanotubes depend in many

cases on their detailed structure. For instance, chirality
of single-wall nanotubes determines their metallic orsemimetallic properties. In recent years literature describing
potential

applications

overwhelmingly

large,

of

major

nanotubes
fields

of

has

interest

become
can

be

divided as follows:
a)

Actuators:

mechanical

Conversion

energy

and

of

vice

electrical

versa.

energy

Potential

use

to
in

robotics, optical fiber switches and displays, prosthetic

devices etc., has been explored.
b) Sensors: Correlations between adsorption of gases such
as oxygen and conductance and thermoelectric power have
been observed.
c) Composites: Employing nanotubes as additive to polymer
composites

can

give

improved

20

strength

performance.

The

challenge of anchoring nanotubes to polymeric structures

has been addressed by functionalizing nanotube walls.
d) Biological: Due to their physicaldimensions similar to
that

of

biologically

active

macromolecules

such

as

proteins, and DNA, carbon nanotubes are finding increasing

utility in biology related applications including sensors,
drug delivery, enzyme immobilization and DNA transfection.
For instance, single-wall nanotubes (SWNT) have been shown
to be ideal probe tips for atomic-force microscopy (AFM)
imaging of bio macromolecules.
e)

Electronics:

Significant

investigated

numerous

electronic

properties.

characteristics,

research

applications

taking

Depending

carbon

efforts

nanotubes

advantage

on
are

have
of

structural
metallic

or

semiconducting. Sizes of transistors and logic devices can

be reduced significantly, e.g., a logic devices made of a
single nanotube with a transition between chiralities along
its length has been reported. The potential use of highlyordered carbon nanotube arrays for a variety of electronics
application

ranging

from

data

storage,

displays,

and

sensors to smaller computing devices has been described.

Commercial application of carbon nanotubes in the area of
flat panel displays (FPD) is expected in the near future.
Vertically

grown

arrays

of

nanotubes

serve

as

field

emitters that project electrons onto phosphorescent pixels.

Prototypes of nanotube-based field emission displays (FED)
have

been

billion

presented

dollars

in

and,

taking

sales

of

FPD

into
in

account
1999,

the

the

18.5

market

potential is significant.
f) Hydrogen storage: Single wall nanotubes are potentially
suitable

for

hydrogen

storage

systems

necessary

in

hydrogen-powered vehicles allowing for a reduction of the

nations dependence on foreign oil, lower greenhouse gas
emissions

and

the

improvement
21

of

regional

air

quality.

Significant hydrogen storage capacities have been observed,

but

depend

strongly

on

sample

characteristics

and

preparation. Other applications for CNT are in catalyst

supports, and optical limiters.

4.4 Advantages of the manufacturing process

1) Problem of disposal of waste plastic is solved.

2) Waste plastic is converted into high value carbon components.
3) Environmental pollution is controlled.
4) Industrial and automobile carbon components requirement shall
be fulfilled to some extent at lower price.
5) No pollutants are created during cracking of plastics.
6) Any type of plastic or rubber can be proceed and converted
into carbon components.
7) The crude oil and the gas can be used for generation of
electricity.

Table 4.5: Production cost per kilograms of activated

carbon
Raw material: 80 kilograms

NIL

(carbon black as by-product)

Chemicals cost

80

Processing cost (electrical)

NIL

Carbon components cost

NIL

Total Production cost for 50

80

kilograms activated
Carbon
Production cost per kilograms

01.60
22

of Activated
Carbon

Flow Chart 4.1: Conversion

Industrial Carbon components

of

Waste

Tyre

Collection of waste Plastic

Transportation of waste Plastic to factory

Shredding of Plastic

Material Loading

Plastic Melting

Plastic pyrolysis

Separation of vapour phase

Condensation of condensable fraction

Liquid and gas saperation

23

into

Liquid and gas saperation

Storage of pyrolysis oil

outside building
Storage Of Hydrocarbon Gas

Firing of hydrocarbon gas to

heat reactors, scrubbing of
flue gases and exhaust

Separation of
solid phase

Carbon Black removal and

collection System

----****----

Chapter 5
_____

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

24

5.1 SUMMARY
Based

on

the

knowledge

gained

by

the

study

the

following

summary and conclusion are drawn.

Plastic wastes generated in the surroundings are used to
produce carbonaceous materials.
Plastic

waste

collect

and

recycling
dispose

can

of

provide

plastic

an

opportunity

waste

in

the

to
most

environmental friendly way and it can be converted into a

resource
Carbon nanotube is very useful compound that is commercially
used by the industries.
This demonstration provides a sustainable solution to both
plastic waste utilization, and carbon nano materials mass
production.

5.2 CONCLUSION
This Seminar report presents all the information about
process methodology of the plant according to the equipments
individually

their

process

condition,

temperature,

pressure

and operating condition all the necessary guidance for the

preparation of the report is taken from the website of the
Japan RPF association.
Although

this

engineering

report
details

does
like

not

give

all

optimization,

the

technical

simulation

and
and

designing yet it is enough for us as we are beginner in the

industry.

25

BIBLIOGRAPHY
1) http://www.jfe-steel.co.jp
2) http://www.nsc.co.jp

----****----

26