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Fuel From Plastic Waste
Fuel From Plastic Waste
Department of mechanical engineering, laqshya Institute of technology & sciences, thanikella, telangana,
Email id: saikumar.pusuluri999@gmail.com,
Name : p.saikumar
R.no : 14RC1A0342
Abstract
Economic growth and changing consumption and production patterns are resulting into rapid increase in
generation of waste plastics in the world. 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 a resource.
In most of the situations, plastic waste recycling could also be economically viable, as it generates resources,
which are in high demand. This paper is an effort for the conversion of plastics into fuel which is in commercial
use, under pilot implementation and under laboratory testing, aimed to raise awareness on available options. The
results of hydrolysis of plastic has compared without catalyst and with catalyst. Catalyst used here were Calcium
Antonito and Zealot. Calcium Antonito has proved better for the conversion of LDPE to liquid fuel. The kinetic
study has also carried out by different models and reaction follows Maple’s first order reaction.
Overview:
Bakelite:
Nylon:
The real star of the plastics industry in the
1930s was polyamide (PA), far better known by its
trade name nylon. Nylon was the first purely
synthetic fiber, introduced by DuPont Corporation
at the 1939 World's Fair in New York City.
Toxicity:
General condensation polymerization reaction for
nylon. It took DuPont twelve years and US$27
Due to their insolubility in water and
million to refine nylon, and to synthesize and
relative chemical inertness, pure plastics generally
develop the industrial processes for bulk
have low toxicity in their finished state, and will
manufacture. With such a major investment, it was
pass through the digestive system with no ill effect
no surprise that Du Pont spared little expense to
(other than mechanical damage or obstruction).
promote nylon after its introduction, creating a
public sensation, or "nylon mania".
However, plastics often contain a variety
of toxic additives. For example, plasticizers like
Nylon mania came to an abrupt stop at the end of
adipates and phthalates are often added to brittle
1941 when the USA entered World War II. The
plastics like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) to make them
production capacity that had been built up to
pliable enough for use in food packaging, children's
produce nylon stockings, or just nylons, for
toys and teethers, tubing, shower curtains and other
American women was taken over to manufacture
items. Traces of these chemicals can leach out of the
vast numbers of parachutes for fliers and
plastic when it comes into contact with food. Out of
paratroopers. After the war ended, DuPont went
these concerns, the European Union has banned the
back to selling nylon to the public, engaging in
use of DEHP (di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate), the most
another promotional campaign in 1946 that resulted
widely used plasticizer in PVC. Some compounds
in an even bigger craze, triggering the so called
leaching from polystyrene food containers have
nylon riots.
been found to interfere with hormone functions and
are suspected human carcinogens.
Subsequently polyamides 6, 10, 11, and 12 have
been developed based on monomers which are ring
Moreover, while the finished plastic may
compounds; e.g. caprolactam.nylon 66 is a material
be non-toxic, the monomers used in its manufacture
manufactured by condensation polymerization.
may be toxic; and small amounts of those chemical
may remain trapped in the product. The World
Nylons still remain important plastics, and not just Health Organization's International Agency for
for use in fabrics. In its bulk form it is very wear Research on Cancer (IARC) has recognized the
resistant, particularly if oil-impregnated, and so is chemical used to make PVC, vinyl chloride, as a
used to build gears, plain bearings, and because of known human carcinogen. Some polymers may also
good heat-resistance, increasingly for under-the- decompose into the monomers or other toxic
hood applications in cars, and other mechanical substances when heated.
parts.
The primary building block of
Rubber: polycarbonates, bisphenol A (BPA), is an estrogen-
like endocrine disruptor that may leach into food.
Research in Environmental Health Perspectives
Natural rubber is an elastomer (an elastic
finds that BPA leached from the lining of tin cans,
hydrocarbon polymer) that was originally derived
dental sealants and polycarbonate bottles can
from latex, a milky colloidal suspension found in
increase body weight of lab animals' offspring. A
the sap of some plants. It is useful directly in this
more recent animal study suggests that even low-
form (indeed, the first appearance of rubber in
level exposure to BPA results in insulin resistance,
Europe is cloth waterproofed with unvulcanized
which can lead to inflammation and heart disease.
latex from Brazil) but, later, in 1839, Charles
Goodyear invented vulcanized rubber; this a form of
natural rubber heated with, mostly, sulfur forming As of January 2010, the LA Times
cross-links between polymer chains (vulcanization), newspaper reports that the United States FDA is
improving elasticity and durability. spending $30 million to investigate suspicious
indications of BPA being linked to cancer. Bis(2-
ethylhexyl) adipate, present in plastic wrap based on
Synthetic rubber: PVC, is also of concern, as are the volatile organic
compounds present in new car smell.
The first fully synthetic rubber was synthesized by
Leedey in 1910. In World War II, supply blockades The European Union has a permanent ban
of natural rubber from South East Asia caused a on on the use of phthalates in toys. In 2009, the
boom in development of synthetic rubber, notably United States government banned certain types of
Styrene-butadiene rubber (a.k.a. Government phthalates commonly used in plastic.
Rubber-Styrene). In 1941, annual production of
synthetic rubber in the U.S. was only 231 tons
5. PP, polypropylene: Commonly found on bottle
caps, drinking straws, yogurt containers.
Environmental issues:
6. PS, polystyrene: Commonly found on "packing
peanuts", cups, plastic tableware, meat trays, take-
Plastics are durable and degrade very away food clamshell containers
slowly; the molecular bonds that make plastic so
durable make it equally resistant to natural
processes of degradation. Since the 1950s, one 7. OTHER, other: This plastic category, as its name
billion tons of plastic has been discarded and may of "other" implies, is any plastic other than the
persist for hundreds or even thousands of years. In named #1–#6, commonly found on certain kinds of
some cases, burning plastic can release toxic fumes. food containers, Tupperware, and Nalgene bottles.
Burning the plastic polyvinyl chloride (PVC) may
create dioxin. Also, the manufacturing of plastics Unfortunately, recycling plastics has proven
often creates large quantities of chemical pollutants. difficult. The biggest problem with plastic recycling
is that it is difficult to automate the sorting of plastic
Prior to the ban on the use of CFCs in waste, and so it is labor intensive. Typically,
extrusion of polystyrene (and general use, except in workers sort the plastic by looking at the resin
life-critical fire suppression systems; see Montreal identification code, though common containers like
Protocol), the production of polystyrene contributed soda bottles can be sorted from memory. Other
to the depletion of the ozone layer; however, non- recyclable materials, such as metals, are easier to
CFCs are currently used in the extrusion process. process mechanically. However, new mechanical
sorting processes are being utilized to increase
plastic recycling capacity and efficiency.
By 1995, plastic recycling programs were
common in the United States and elsewhere.
Thermoplastics can be remolded and reused, and While containers are usually made from a single
thermoset plastics can be ground up and used as type and color of plastic, making them relatively
filler, though the purity of the material tends to easy to sort out, a consumer product like a cellular
degrade with each reuse cycle. There are methods phone may have many small parts consisting of over
by which plastics can be broken back down to a a dozen different types and colors of plastics. In a
feedstock state. case like this, the resources it would take to separate
the plastics far exceed their value and the item is
discarded. However, developments are taking place
To assist recycling of disposable items, in the field of Active Disassembly, which may
the Plastic Bottle Institute of the Society of the result in more consumer product components being
Plastics Industry devised a now-familiar scheme to re-used or recycled. Recycling certain types of
mark plastic bottles by plastic type. A plastic plastics can be unprofitable, as well. For example,
container using this scheme is marked with a polystyrene is rarely recycled because it is usually
triangle of three cyclic arrows, which encloses a not cost effective. These unrecycled wastes are
number giving the plastic type: typically disposed of in landfills, incinerated or used
to produce electricity at waste-to-energy plants.
Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)
Heat-resistant, low-friction coatings, used in things
like non-stick surfaces for frying pans, plumber's
tape and water slides. It is more commonly known
as Teflon.
4. Dechlorination
Here complex hydrocarbons break into simpler
5. Reactor molecules to increase the quality and quantity of
1. Feed System: lighter, more desirable products.
It is also known as unzipping reaction.
2. Pre-melting/Feeder:
The feeder consists of a driving motor,
electric heater and control panel.
The granular crushed/cut/shredded waste plastic
melts and injected in the melting vessel.
Fig: reactor section
3. Melter: Advantages:
In melter vessel, the feed is heated to Reduces pollution helps in waste
275⁰C -410⁰C. plastic degradation.
The heat required for the melting will be supplied Cheaper and quality fuel.
by the gas generated from the plant. Perfect solution for waste plastic,
rubber, tyre management.
4. Dechlorination: Raw material readily available.
Plant is energy self sufficient.
The molten plastic will be drawn from the
overflow end of melter vessel to Dechlorinate.
Here the waste plastic is heated with catalytic
additive which helps in removal of chlorine.
The hydrocarbons free from HCl shall be used for
heating purpose
The molten plastic is taken out and subjected to
depolymerization
5. Reactor Section:
The molten waste plastic free of chlorine is allowed
to flow over a heated surface at 300 - 350 OC
polymers are highly heat sensitive due to the limited
strength of the covalent bonds
Hence The breaking of chemical bonds under the
influence of heat occurs
Conclusion:
This study shows without doubt that one-way PET
bottles are as ‘ecologically favourable’ as refillable
glass under non-deposit circumstances. A plausible
alternative could be to revise the Packaging
Ordinance, such that ecologically favourable
packaging systems would be included in a deposit
without being discriminated when compared to
refillable packaging. It cannot be explained to
consumers that they should return the empty bottles
to the store if they are
subsequently transported to the other side of the
world for recycling. This way we are losing
environmental gain that is the prime reason behind
bottles collection. This study has shown that it does
not matter whether collected PET is recycled into
polyester fibre, sheet, strapping or back into PET
bottles: they all offer equal benefits to the ecological
profile of PET. Mandatory or semi mandatory
requirements to recycle PET bottles into PET bottles
would be ridiculous. Public perception does not
always match reality. Not many people comprehend
that PET bottles, even for single use, are as good as
their glass counterparts. This calls for further
improvements in balanced, reputable education, and
independent and irrespective of local political
Reference
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science
http://biodegradableplastics.wordpress.co
m/2008/04/15/fuel-from-plastic-waste/
http://www.indiacar.com/infobank/Plastic
_fuel.asp
http://www.tradekey.com/selloffer_view/i
d/828854.htm