(206e) Life Cycle Analysis of Closed Looped Plastics Waste to Olefin Via Process Simulation

The global production of plastics exceeds 380 million tons annually, with only 16% being recycled into feedstock. Waste plastics significantly contributes to environmental pollution and climate change through emissions with 40% of waste plastic sent to landfills, 25% to incineration, and 19% being dumped. Effective plastic waste management is crucial to mitigate these issues, necessitating strategies that emphasize waste reduction, recycling initiatives, and innovative technologies to minimize environmental impact and promote sustainability.

The escalating volume of plastic waste and the environmental concerns associated with traditional disposal methods have created a strong market demand for innovative solutions like plastic pyrolysis. This demand is further fueled by increasing consumer awareness and government initiatives to promote recycling and reduce plastic pollution.

Continuous efforts from companies and research institutions are directed towards the development and refinement of innovative plastic pyrolysis technologies. This involves a comprehensive understanding of complex kinetics, reactor design, and the impacts of optimum operating conditions on desirable key performance indicators.

A key component of plastic waste management is chemical plastic recycling, which helps emission reduction to net zero and circularity of the plastics value chain through recycling and processing end products to bio- fuels. Thermal and catalytic pyrolysis of plastic waste have emerged as promising methods, not only for environmental benefits but also for reducing the consumption of fossil fuel resources.

Methods

In the process of producing olefin from plastic waste, medium-temperature thermal pyrolysis yields liquid hydrocarbon feedstock for steam cracking, while high-temperature pyrolysis generates light gases suitable for olefin production. Subsequently, plastic oil hydro-processing is utilized to remove impurities, thereby ensuring the integrity of downstream processes such as steam cracking. The non-catalytic pyrolysis of plastic waste involves thermal cracking of long heavy-chain hydrocarbon molecule into smaller, more valuable ones.

Despite the ongoing development, the commercialization of plastic pyrolysis technologies has yet to mature. Process simulation serves as a valuable tool for stakeholders, including technologists and engineers, providing insights and analysis into the circularity of olefins and polymers.

Results and Implications

A process simulation model was developed using KBC's Petro-SIM Simulation modelling software to analyze the closed-loop olefin production to polymer products, then conversion of plastics waste to olefin.

This study investigates the modeling and simulation of the entire circular production chain, encompassing the transformation of plastic waste into their building block and other valuable hydrocarbons. The study explores the energy efficiency and emission reduction potential within the circular economy framework of plastic management. By converting plastic waste into synthetic resources, sustainable plastics can be produced for various industries, including food packaging, pharmaceuticals, and textiles. This work contributes to the advancement of sustainable practices and enhances the resilience of the plastics industry amid environmental challenges.