Kinetic Study of Catalytic Degradation of Mixed Waste Plastics into Gasoline and Diesel Product

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Department of Chemical Engineering, Petroleum University of Technology, Abadan, Iran

Abstract

Waste polymer recycling has received a great attention due to increasing amounts of these materials which generate enormous environmental problems. This study investigates catalytic cracking of composite polymers (PE, PP, PS, PVC and PET) as an effective method to recycle these polymers and focuses on kinetic parameters of the reaction. The catalyst chosen is a novel catalyst made in research center of faculty. Kinetic analysis is based on Arrhenius equation. The results indicate that increasing of the catalyst leads more reaction constant and less activation energy required to cracking of the composite polymers. All experiments have been carried out at temperature of 380-450 ºC, using 10-50% catalyst/polymer ratio. Finally, the maximum yield of the reaction obtained in high temperature 450° C and catalyst ratio of 50% that include 84% liquid hydrocarbon (C5-C10) and 13% gas (C1- C4) with less percent of residue.

Keywords